Peaceful Practices: A Guide to Healthy Communication in Conflict (English & Español)

Conflict is a normal part of life. It arises in our workplaces, in our churches and with our families. To help people to learn to work through divisive issues, MCC U.S. has produced a new adult Sunday school curriculum, Peaceful Practices: A guide to healthy communication in conflict. It invites churchgoers to follow Jesus’ call to peacemaking through dialogue with each other.

“It takes practice and intention to communicate well in the midst of conflict,” says Jes Stoltzfus Buller, MCC U.S. peace education coordinator and author of the curriculum. “If we can learn to embody healthy dialogue habitually in interpersonal interaction, it will ripple out and affect our communities and society.”

The curriculum is divided into nine sessions: 

• Session 1: Making peace a practice
• Session 2: Curiosity—Be curious, inviting diversity of ideas and opinions
• Session 3: Discovery—Focus on what matters
• Session 4: Engagement—Invite the best in yourself and others
• Session 5: Dialogue—Listen together for insights and deeper questions
• Session 6: Empathy—Seek to understand rather than persuade
• Session 7: Authenticity—Speak from the heart
• Session 8: Dignity—Consider power dynamics
• Session 9: Transformation—Welcome creativity

Each session contains a peaceful practice, biblical reflection, conflict transformation tool, at-home reflection questions, group activity, closing blessing and resources to go deeper. The curriculum is designed for group study so that participants are able to practice dialogue skills with each other. Those guiding others through the curriculum will find tips for how to facilitate the lessons virtually or in-person. No additional training is needed for facilitators.

More information for dedicated studies, including the option to get printed copies, is available on the linked page as well.

(9 sessions)

Spanish title: Prácticas pacíficas: Una guía para la comunicación saludable en situaciones de conflicto