**3. Religion and Peace: An Underestimated Partnership**

The relationship between religion and peace is *de facto* much better than its reputation. Nevertheless, religious peacemaking still operates on the fringes of public acknowledgement, despite the fact that—as Jeffrey Haynes rightly points out—"religious groups ... have recently and collectively increased their peacemaking efforts" (Haynes 2007, p. 69). As the focus is shifting, however, on the side of academics, policy makers and practitioner towards an increased recognition and acknowledgement of religion's contributions to peace (cf. McDonagh and Network 2019), the need for more systematic analysis becomes more urgent. What exactly are religion's contributions to peace? Any attempts at a systematic examination of the "religious factor" in peace, including peacemaking and peacekeeping, need to take into consideration not only the inherent ambiguity of religion itself, but also the vast plurality of religious actors and Faith-Based Organization (FBOs).<sup>6</sup> Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh distinguish between six different types of FBOs working in development, ranging from faith-permeated to quasi-secular organizations (Sider and Unruh 2004). Yet, despite this pluralism, it is possible to point to certain characteristics of religious actors (cf. Schliesser 2020). In the following, I present a model for systematization that rests on the differentiation between "formal" and "material" characteristics, while acknowledging that certain overlap is possible (cf. Schliesser et al. forthcoming). The characteristics presented are meant to be representative rather than exhaustive. As with the six dimensions, to which they are being related, each one of the following characteristic is ambiguous in the sense that it can be used for both peaceful and for conflictive purposes.

### *3.1. Formal Contributions of Religious Actors to Peace*

### 3.1.1. Trust (Religion as Community, Religion as Practice)

Religious leaders are often perceived as credible and moral authorities, thus generating trust, an essential component for building peace in a volatile environment. The Trust in Institutions Index of 2019 found that in Africa, for example, it is religious leaders who enjoy the highest trust (72%) (Trust in Institutions Index 2019). Trust within a religious community is further deepened as activities such as bible or Quran studies, youth groups or women's meetings serve to strengthen community cohesion. Next to the community dimension, it is religion as practice that plays a role. Service deliveries within a certain community such as the provision of food, health care or education, have established long-term bonds of trust that can be relied on in times of crisis.
