The road to peace and reconciliation is a complexand painful process, whether in national or indeedindividual conflicts. It involves the conquering offear, the dealing with bitterness and outrage, andthe building of trust. It can be supported orsubverted by those outside of the immediatesituation as well as those inside. Yet it has to startsomewhere with one side making the firstvulnerable move, and taking risks for peace.As aChristian celebrating Easter, I have been struck onceagain that the work of God in the death andresurrection of Jesus Christ is often described in terms of peace and reconciliation. The NewTestament sees the selfishness and arrogance of human beings as leading to separation fromGod and from one another. However, it continually emphasises that God makes the first movein offering a new start of reconciliation, with the cross being the place of vulnerability andpain which achieves it.

不管是个人之间还是国家之间，相互妥协、通向和平之路总是个复杂崎岖且痛苦的过程，因为这是一个战胜恐惧，克服苦难，消弭暴行，建立信任的过程。在千钧一发之际，任何外部内部的力量都会改变其走向。但是总要有一方先做出让步，为和平冒上一点险。作为一个基督徒庆祝复活节时，我又一次意识到，耶稣的死和复活经常被描述为某种意义上的和平和调解。《新约》认为人的自私和傲慢最终导致了人神分离，造成了人与人的隔阂。然而，《新约》也不断强调，上帝给了大家一个重新和解的机会，而十字架下的妥协与苦难是必由之路。