The Role of Reconciliation, Memory, and Theology in Shaping the Public Stage

Much has been written about the Northern Ireland peace process, particularly on securing the peace. However, as Senator George Mitchell commented in relation to the Good Friday agreement, “If you think getting this agreement was difficult, implementing it will be even more difficult.” Twenty-one years after the signing of the Good Friday agreement, those have proven to be prophetic words. Dr. Mason will explore what reconciliation looks like in a contested space, the power of memory and story in keeping the pain of the past alive, and how theology can move into that contested narrative in a way that brings about dialogue, honesty, and healing. He will also address the current Brexit situation, exploring how Brexit has been a very difficult experience for these two islands. Event sponsored by Religions and the Practice of Peace (RPP) and Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School Speakers: Rev. Dr. Gary Mason, director of Rethinking Conflict; senior research fellow at the Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention at Maynooth University in Ireland David N. Hempton, Dean of the Faculty of Divinity For more info see here: https://tinyurl.com/y4yrhmzg Video and full transcript: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2019/02/27/video-reconciliation-memory-theology-shaping-public-stage Learn more about Harvard Divinity School and its mission to illuminate, engage, and serve at http://hds.harvard.edu/.