Divided bridges: Peacebuilding potentials and limits of religious leaders, the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Religious leaders are often seen as individuals who, thanks to their moral authority and continuous engagement in their communities, can positively influence peacebuilding processes after violent conflicts. The primary focus of their activities are often areas closely related to the concept of Transitional Justice: truth, commemoration, and reconciliation. Referring to pro-social elements in their traditions, they can promote rapprochement between former adversaries, act as advocates, brokers, and mediators, and work on inclusive views on human tragedies. In that sense, they are often seen as “bridges” between communities. Aside from these positive potentials, religious leaders can equally deepen existing divisions, make negotiations and settlements more difficult, and catalyze violence. Starting with the metaphor of divided bridges, this presentation inquiries not only about positive potentials of religious leaders but also about the inner inhibitions and limits that they face in post-conflict settings. The paper introduces the concept of “theological dissonance” to explain the mismatch between ‘universal’ religious principles and practical limitations related to religiously-inspired peacebuilding. The presentation is based on empirical data collected in 2015 and 2016, during two waves of interviews with Christian and Muslim religious leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina