March 2011: The View from CPD

Why does faith diplomacy matter?

Billions of people throughout the world are sustained by their faith. In it they find a way to transcend temporal lives that are harsh or unrewarding. Whatever their religion, whatever their spiritual practices, they put their trust in belief.

Those who pursue public diplomacy or other political tasks are often unsure about how to deal with religion. Sometimes they demonize faith, and there is no more certain way to appeal to base passions than by kindling religion- related fears. And sometimes they try to manipulate faith, using it to advance their own interests. In the short term, such efforts might succeed, but over time faith will endure while political efforts that work against faith will crumble.

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy’s Faith Diplomacy Initiative is designed to take a positive approach to the role of religion in global affairs. We plan to examine ways that an appreciation of faith can strengthen foreign policy, how particular religions affect the course of international affairs, and how the religious community can infuse the practice of public diplomacy with the intellectual energy born of its beliefs.

In addition to making Faith Diplomacy the topic of our 2011 annual conference, CPD is embarking on an ambitious continuing program of research and events that will underscore the role of religion in reaching global publics. As the dissemination and influence of religious beliefs are enhanced by new communications technologies, the world is becoming more religious, and public diplomacy must reflect that.

We recognize that religion can stir people’s hearts and stimulate their minds. Our emphasis will be on faith as an element of public diplomacy that should be treated as a source of hope, not fear. We hope you find this edition of PDiN Monitor reflects our vision of the CPD Faith Diplomacy Initiative.