Intentional Reconciliation Using Christian, Zen, Hindu, & Tao Approaches

Conflict in Church causes rifts that create disharmony or worse, decrease in membership. Hurt feelings are not easily or effectively managed. Often people are looking at others and their behavior as the problem and not their own. It is even more difficult in the African American Baptist Churches in the Pacific Northwest where there are so few people who are African American who go to Church. The ultimate goal is to retain membership and attract more. Rifts cause people to leave and bad feelings linger- However, from MLK, Gandhi, Mandela, and others we learn to manage ourselves and teach others how we can work together for lasting peace. The Scriptures lead us in this area, but there is a lot of academic work done on this as well. A utilization of both is important and great tactics and mental disciplines taught by Zen, Tao, and other offer tools to center ourselves and live in harmony with others. This is a work that insists one be intentional about reconciliation as well as offer unique approaches with Scriptural passages and the other aspect spoken to here.