84% of the world population – or 8 in 10 people – identify with a religious community. Religions and beliefs provide people with guidance on how to live their lives, what they identify as good or desirable, and what values they hold dearest. As a result, it is unsurprising that religious beliefs inform how people engage in politics, from their choice of candidate during elections to the policies they support or reject.
Grounded in their social and moral authority, religious actors thus play a significant role in shaping the social and political landscapes of many societies. In some parts of the world, religious institutions may be viewed with distrust; however in others, religious leaders are seen as more trustworthy than politicians and other authorities.
In times of polarization and conflict in particular, this duality comes to the fore. People’s deeply held religious identities mean that religion can easily be manipulated to advance a binary ‘us versus them’ narrative, becoming a lightning rod for conflict and a threat to safe, inclusive and just societies where all are able to participate regardless of religion or belief.
Religious actors’ involvement in democratic processes therefore remains contentious – detractors focus near exclusively on real or potential damages, and advocates on proven or theorized benefits. With over two decades’ experience engaging religious actors in a wide range of sociopolitical contexts, Search for Common Ground (Search) recognises both the risks and opportunities of religious engagement. This brief takes a nuanced approach to the role of religious actors in civic space, before highlighting some of the ways in which their positive impact has been promoted and more negative influences mitigated. From there, it draws out recommendations for a range of stakeholders on how to engage religious actors constructively in democratic processes.
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