Sarah Sturm: How to be a Professional Peacebuilder

Is it possible for an individual, often thousands of miles away, to make a difference in a conflict? How do we start conversations, as Americans, about how to look within ourselves and in our structures to understand and advocate for change beyond our borders? These are questions that Sarah Sturm wrestles with every day as she works to reconcile peacemakers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… starting in the United States, a country with more impact than any other in the area. In this episode, Tim and Abigail learn about the Telos Group, which strengthens communities by facilitating discussions between disparate groups, developing peacemaking approaches, and creating opportunities for dialogue and transformation. Through her training at the Harvard School of Divinity, Sarah approaches her work through a religious lens, an essential perspective that brings insight in sometimes unexpected places. Tune in to hear our discussion about finding motivation in apparently hopeless situations, using theology to strengthen instead of divide, and how each individual can actually make a difference in concrete ways. Plus, Abigail wonders if she has a proclivity for violence and Tim finds a kindred Paulo Freire fan.