Liberia: Religious Leaders, Peacemaking, and the First Liberian Civil War

This case study examines the ultimately unsuccessful attempt of Liberian religious leaders to intervene in their country’s First Civil War (1989-96) between the government and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) with the goal of establishing peace. The core text of the case study explores four essential questions: What are the causes of conflict in Liberia? How did domestic religious leaders promote peace? How important were international religious and political forces? What factors explain the failure of religion-inspired peacebuilding? Complementing the core text are a timeline of key events, a guide to relevant religious organizations, and a helpful list of further readings.