In the just concluded
Organization of African First Ladies for Development {OAFLAD} summit in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia, Kenya's first lady Rachel Ruto said she is using faith
diplomacy as a pillar in her strategy to empower women economically in Kenya.
She added that by advocating for a revival of traditional family values, she is
advancing peace and national unity through faith diplomacy. In order to
incorporate value-based lessons, she continued, she is collaborating with
faith-based organizations. In the past, Rachel Ruto has emphasized on her
social media channels the value of involving church leaders and elders in
having a beneficial impact on communities through faith diplomacy. The first
lady stated on her official verified Twitter account that religious leaders can
make a substantial contribution as peacemakers if they are properly trained and
that faith diplomacy is a potential instrument for a united country.
But what is faith diplomacy?
Simply explained, it is the practice of using religious or spiritual beliefs,
values, and practices to foster peace, understanding, and cooperation between
nations, civilizations, ethnic groups, or people from various backgrounds. In
order to promote understanding and peaceful coexistence across religious and
cultural boundaries, it aims to take advantage of the transformative power of
religion and spirituality.
Religion and diplomacy
have become more interrelated since the end of the 20th century. Also known as
religious diplomacy, faith diplomacy provides a platform for people of
different religious backgrounds to interact, learn from each other and develop
mutual respect. This in turn helps break down prejudices, reduce fear and
suspicion, and foster greater understanding among people of different faiths.
Again, faith diplomacy
can play a key role in addressing the many conflicts in today's world by
engaging religious leaders and church institutions in the peacebuilding
process. Many faith traditions share a common concern for social justice and the
well-being of individuals. It can hence be used to promote human rights,
advocate for marginalized communities and raise awareness on issues such as
poverty inequality, gender-based violence, and discrimination.
On the contrary, faith
diplomacy has its fair share of disadvantages.
Edward Luttwak, a
self-proclaimed “grand strategist”, shrewdly observed that religion is
perennial, but its utility in international affairs is problematic. According
to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia, religion has been long seen as an obstacle
to diplomacy, especially in disputes and conflicts that seem to be related to
or motivated by religion. For instance, religious bias can be dangerous for
those who do not subscribe to a particular religion. It can further result to
discrimination and violence against the minorities. Politics and religion may
be very polarizing issues, making it challenging to create a unified society.
Religion can be a very divisive subject on its own.
In addition, mixing
politics with religion can result in the imposition of religious doctrines on
individuals who do not subscribe to it. In return, this might prevent
advancement in the fields of science, technology, and social justice.
A good example is our own country Kenya, where
the state recently organized a massive rally to pray for rains and an end to
the drought situation. A day later, a viral collage photo showing two
completely opposite situations caught my eye.
The first one had the
title "Israel combating drought" and featured some extremely healthy
greens being irrigated by sprinklers. The second image displayed a group of
sweaty, worn-out countrymen fervently praying while holding the Kenyan flags
with their eyes closed in the sweltering midday sun.
We may all agree that
prayers and religion are vital, yet there are some issues that call for
rational thought.
Madam Martha taught me in
class four that faith without action is dead, quoting from a holy book whose
scriptures I don't remember clearly. We cannot as a nation bow and kneel to beg
for rain and an end to the whistling drought while sitting still doing nothing.
Such factors hinder our nation's ability to address crucial issues that concern
us like food security.
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