The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation: Creating a Culture of JustPeace

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep. 13, 2010 - NASHVILLE, TN− “Exploring the frontiers of relational life is the great challenge and adventure of our time…The stakes have never been higher.”  The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation: Creating a Culture of JustPeace (July 2010) explores this challenge through the lens of a theology that understands the centrality of relationships, theories that give us a vision for creating and restoring healthy relationships, and practices that work to heal and deepen relationships.  This book by Tom Porter shares his experience from over fifteen years of mediating and over ten years of working with the JustPeace Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation in the United Methodist Church.  In this book, we learn how to prepare ourselves and how to engage others in conflict transformation.  The book brings together in a unique way a circle process that incorporates Appreciative Inquiry, Interest-Based Mediation, and Restorative Justice.

This book on faith-based conflict transformation is an excellent resource for seminary professors, leaders, ministers, mediators, facilitators, and conflict transformation consultants.  Its lessons are not limited to work in churches.  A CEO of a large corporation used the circle process with his executive staff recently and called to say, “Tom, you have discovered plutonium. The process helped us get to a depth of discussion and relationship that we had never experienced before.”

In addition to the book, Porter has created a series of ten videos that gives a summary of each of the chapters that can be accessed on the JustPeace website, www.justpeaceumc.org and that can be used for reflection or group discussion.

About the author – Thomas Porter is a United Methodist minister, mediator, teacher, and trial lawyer.  In addition to his work with JustPeace, he teaches at Boston University School of Theology and codirects the program in religion and conflict transformation.  Porter is a graduate of Yale University, Union Theological Seminary, and Boston University Law School.

The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation can be purchased at: www.amazon.com, and www.upperroom.org/bookstore

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Upper Room Books is an ecumenical Christian publisher whose goals are to inspire devotion and create community.