Religion, Warfare and Moral Injury: A Facilitated Workshop on the Role of Religion and Belief in Fostering Resilience and Vulnerability in the Context of War

Workshop Presentation
Mary Brewer  

Religion and spirituality in the context of warfare exemplifies how vulnerability and resilience may be integrally connected for individuals; this is especially true for combatants in modern wars where non-violence and peace are core to social agendas for religion. Research demonstrates how war exposes participants to the danger of moral injury; moreover, moral injury is a key driver of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans, who, either through acts committed in the combat arena or actions not taken, may violate social and individual values and aspirations. This in-person workshop will afford participants an opportunity to discuss how belief can offer a means of spiritually surviving warfare or provoke a state of psychological and spiritual disability. Discussion is based on a selection of extracts and tentative questions, which will be made available to participants in advance via an online workbook. The workshop will begin with a 5-minute introduction by the facilitator. To break the ice/generate ideas, participants will discuss a text from the workbook and note key points (10 mins.) in pairs. Then, there will be 30 minutes of open discussion and debate on the workshop themes. We will consider beliefs and values based on Jewish and Christian foundational texts (the Torah and the New Testament). The content and the context of warfare will address the politics of religion.