Flying with Two Wings

Many people are of the opinion that our world faces a crisis, a “clash of civilizations,” from which we are unlikely to recover. However, Turkish born educator, scholar and advocate for peace Fethullah Gülen believes that through education, tolerance, and dialogue, peace can be achieved. Gülen has spoken of what he calls “peace islands” in an analogy describing his non-violent, cooperative ideas about conflict resolution. The perceived “clash of civilizations” may come in waves of violence and anger throughout the world, but once these waves reach these peace islands, they will retreat with the tide leaving the islands unscathed. Gülen ideals provide the blueprint for these islands.This collection as a whole attempts what each individual paper proposes: a dialogue rooted in tolerance that accounts for the unique histories and assumptions of each member involved. Proper interfaith dialogue requires first an encounter between two or more individuals, then a willingness (rooted in tolerance) of each individual to engage with the other. This definition of interfaith dialogue is central to Gülen’s writings, and indeed to the focus of this collection of papers. Each author relates to Gülen’s ideas in a unique way, offering a diversity of perspectives that gives true dialogue its vibrant energy.