A prime example of how religion has already transformed human imagination toward a greater awareness of the cause of peace comes from the origins of Buddhism. Siddhartha Gautama is said to have presented himself as a King of Truth rather than a Lord of War in direct challenge to the prevailing notions of divine authority. The shift was embodied in the transformation of the symbolism of the Wheel of Law from that of military conquest to that of nonviolence and peace. This ancient symbol was incorporated into the flag of modern independent India. It would not be surprising, however ironic, if that flag were raised high by militaristic nationalists in their defense of the recent encounter with Pakistan.
Symbols nonetheless remain a potent force for peace.
Models of peacemaking, such as the Jain Acharya Tulsi and the Hindu convert to Buddhism B.R. Ambedkar, both contemporaries of Gandhi, can be found in every tradition. Each of the eight chapters includes plentiful suggestions for further reading about such figures as well as many other topics, including such surprising titles as Zen at War and Qu'ran, Liberation, and Pluralism. The intuition seems to be that only people at peace within themselves can bring peace into their relationships and into the larger world. And since peace with oneself would seem to depend, in large part, on peace with one's god or the cosmos, religions would seem to have a unique contribution to make in this arena. Islam, in turn, she contends, might better be thought of as the Way of Peace.