Jari Portaankorva

International Baptist Theological Study Centre Amsterdam, Theology & Religious Studies, Research Fellow

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The civil war in Sierra Leone was one of the most vicious conflicts in Africa’s recent history. Religious communities muslims and christians worked together to end the conflict between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Today, Nigeria has similar challenges and there is a need for close cooperation between religious communities to mediate peace between the government and Boko Haram. Faith-based peacebuilding aims at a just peace and reconciliation through non-violent means.

I have studied in the Department of World Cultures, Study of Religions at the University of Helsinki. My doctoral dissertation in Finnish (2018) title was “Faith-Based Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution: Muslims and Christian Building Reconciliation."

My research interest is intereligious peace building and faith-based diplomacy in West Africa. Muslim-Christian cooperation supports reconciliation. Interfaith peace building is an important contemporary research topic.The portrayal of religions in the media is often linked with violence, and less attention is given to religious peace building efforts to resolve conflicts.

See more of my research, look at Orcid link.

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Papers by Jari Portaankorva

The Challenge of Boko Haram in Nigeria and Lessons from the Sierra Leone Civil War Jari Portaankorva

Journal of European Baptist Studies , 2024

The civil war in Sierra Leone was one of the most vicious conflicts in Africa's recent history. B... more The civil war in Sierra Leone was one of the most vicious conflicts in Africa's recent history. Baptists and other religious communities worked together to end the conflict between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). Today, Nigeria has similar challenges and there is a need for close cooperation between religious communities to mediate peace between the government and Boko Haram. Faith-based peacebuilding aims at a just peace and reconciliation through non-violent means, and this study compares faith-based peace building in Sierra Leone during the 1990s with the Boko Haram uprising in Nigeria today and considers the lessons to be learnt. The article discusses how the efforts of faith-based peace building actors in Nigeria may support both the peace process and the peaceful coexistence of religious communities, arguing that within this there is an urgent need to discuss poverty and social marginalisation, build stronger relationships between governments and local communities, and open direct dialogue with Boko Haram.

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Tavoitteena uskontorauha

Teologinen Aikakauskirja , 2014

Muslimeina haluamme sanoa kristityille, että emme ole heitä vastaan ja että islaminusko ei ole he... more

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Uskontotiede Maailman kulttuurien laitos Helsingin yliopisto USKONTODIPLOMATIA JA KONFLIKTIN RATKAISU: MUSLIMIT JA KRISTITYT SOVINNON RAKENTAJINA

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Muslim and Christian Leaders Working Together: Building Reconciliation in the Sierra Leone Conflict

This article examines the work of the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) from an int... more This article examines the work of the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) from an interreligious peace-building perspective. The study shows the importance of the personal motivation and commitment of religious leaders in peace-building. Thus, churches and mosques have the capacity to motivate and mobilize people into peace-building and reconciliation. Also, traditional African cleansing and healing rituals has enabled communitybuilding among Islamic and Christian practices, demonstration that organized religions is a channel for people at the grass roots level, and a tool for national reconciliation. The results of this study argue that Muslims and Christians have common values and common ground which they can use in the midst of conflict to mediate peace.

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Between religions: Baptist converts in Sierra Leone and their Islamic and African Traditional Religious past

This article focuses on Baptist converts in Sierra Leone and how they live between religions in a... more This article focuses on Baptist converts in Sierra Leone and how they live between religions in an African multi-religious context. When converts looked back on their lives, they reconstruct their memories to fit their present religious convictions. Baptist churches teach their members to leave traditional practices and Islam. Converts break with the past and leave their former religious community. Converts´ experiences and memories of Islamic homes were often positive, but memories of African traditional religion (ATR) were more complex. However, Church members sometimes go to ATR herbalists and healers when they have severe health problems. Baptist churches compete with ATR and teach that power of Christian God is real, and healing is often part of the Church services. After conversion Baptist converts are members of their Churches with different degree of commitment. Converts often had difficulties in maintaining good relationships with their Muslim relatives. However, Christians...

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