The Power of Reconciliation

The Power of Reconciliation is Archbishop Welby's most important book to date. This revolutionary book was published for the 2022 Lambeth Conference in July, when bishops from all around the world assembled in Canterbury. But its importance goes far beyond these confines. The author deals with conflict and reconciliation within families, businesses, warfare between nations, races and all forms of political conflict. Welby writes about Reconciliation as seeking to disagree well. It relates to both religious and secular communities, from the household to the international. Conflict is widespread. With the after-effects of COVID, changes in science and technology, inequality, and increasingly polarized political and social strife, moves towards reconciliation are more necessary than ever. Both before ordination and since Welby has seen conflict first-hand. He has spent many years working on issues of conflict around the world. The book is full of practical advice for all those in authority on how to bring about reconciliation. There is even a step-by-step guide for this, drawn from the author's own experience. The book is thus down-to-earth, plugged into reality and devoid of pointless optimism or a Pollyannaish view of our contemporary problems. Furthermore, there is the dignity of difference. Today there is so much intolerance of views that are other than our own as we demonize those we do not agree with. The book concerns the secular sphere every bit as much as the religious, though Welby's message is Christian inspired, and the influence of Desmond Tutu strongly felt.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Part I 1 What is Reconciliation? 2 The Hindrances to Reconciliation 3 Changing the Heart Part II Introduction 4 Researching or How to Become Consciously Ignorant 5 Relating – the Power of Love 6 Relieving Need – Love Made Visible 7 Risking 8 Reconciling – the Long Journey 9 Supplies for the Journey – Resourcing Part III Introduction 10 Difference Should Make Us Curious 11 Being Present 12 Reimagining 13 Three Examples for Reflection 14 Conclusion Acknowledgements Reading List Notes Index

About the Author :
The Most Reverend Justin Welby is the present Archbishop of Canterbury and thus senior Bishop of the Anglican Communion throughout the world. He was formerly Bishop of Durham. He spent a number of years working full-time on reconciliation, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. He is an honorary fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. This is his third book for Bloomsbury Continuum.

Review :
Welby combines his authority as leader of the global Anglican Communion with managerial wisdom gleaned in his first career as a corporate executive to offer insight on conflict resolution. While some books peter out before they finish, this one keeps going to the end, and the third section offers some of the more rewarding pages in the book In this solid guide, Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, offers advice on how to find common ground with adversaries. The author's stories about working for the International Centre for Reconciliation illuminate how to put the principles into action, and readers will appreciate his pragmatic advice. This helpful program belongs on shelves next to Desmond Tutu's No Future Without Forgiveness. There is something splendid and heroic about the Archbishop's commitment to reconciliation. A book written for our times. Welby's exploration of the moral imagination, bolstered by his exquisite intellect and engaging storytelling, validate his thesis that disagreeing well "is the very cornerstone of Christian faith". … Archbishop Justin's prose [is] approachable and perspicuous… An excellent tool to help us work towards [reconciliation]. Justin Welby demonstrates his true calling and exercises his passionate belief in the power of reconciliation in this landmark book.