Revisiting the Reconciliation Walk

In November 1095 European Christians were urged to take up swords and liberate Jerusalem from Muslim rule. The Crusades literally placed a sword at the heart of Christian Muslim relations for 300 years, and many times since. When 900 years later western Christians began to retrace the routes of the Crusades with an apology and message of reconciliation they began to write a different story. Some 2,500 Christians joined the Reconciliation Walk from 1996-99, visiting Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and the Holy Land. In tea gardens and schools, markets and government offices, mosques, synagogues and churches they found a welcome and offer of friendship. The message of reconciliation opened doors of friendship, opened up person to person diplomacy that broke down stereotypes, and demonstrated what “love of neighbour” means.

St Marys Centre training director Cathy Nobles served as field director for the Reconciliation Walk, training and opening the way for all participants, and hearing the stories of how they were received. Peter Adams, centre director, had the privilege of participating at a number of stages, and the walk was important in shaping his emerging work in peacemaking.  For us, and many others, the Walk profoundly impacted how we see and relate to Muslims and Jews, indeed people of all faiths, here in Luton and beyond. 

Yet, just 2 years after the Walk concluded, the horror of 9.11, the invasion of and subsequent chaos in Afghanistan and Iraq, and acts of terror around the world have reinvigorated a seemingly endless cycle of violence. Here in Britain and western nations the narrative of the inevitable clash of civilisations the Crusades are held to represent is to be found in the analysis of serious think-tanks and government policy, and Crusader symbolism is used by far right political parties and paraded in anti-Muslim street protests. 

25 years on from the launch of the Reconciliation Walk we have been persuaded that its legacy cannot be allowed to be forgotten.  Therefore on the 925th anniversary of the call to liberate the Holy Land by Pope Urban in Clermont Ferrand France, and 25 years after we committed ourselves to a message of apology, we are announcing the launch of an archive of the Reconciliation Walk.  We will be putting on line the documents,  pictures and stories of the Walk, and allowing those who carried the message to tell their stories of the changes it made in their lives and relationships. Details soon. For now Cathy has posted a blog piece recalling our gathering in Clermont on 27th November 1995. A day that could change history.

Yet this is not just about an archive. The lands that suffered under the swords of the crusaders are suffering again today. At the heart of the Middle East the city of Jerusalem, the object of Crusaders and Muslim powers who sought to reconquer it, remains the focus of desire for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We firmly believe that this city can be a city of Holy Peace. 25 years ago we heard from all three Abrahamic faiths of a desire to live together peaceably. We are now joining with a long standing colleague James Peterson, who has considerable understanding of current issues in the Middle East as well as its history, in launching Declare Peace Jerusalem.  Peterson is on the ground in the Middle East and he and his staff have done considerable research in preparation for this initiative. Our aim is to promote dialogue, but more importantly to call people of all three faiths to humble ourselves before the God we all seek to serve and allow him to lead us into peace. Declare Peace Jerusalem

27th November 2025. Please Note: We were planning to launch a project today. However we are aware that peoples energies are taken up with COVID and the pandemic at the present. We have therefore decided to go ahead on mark the significance of the 925th anniversary by published the two blog pieces, but to delay activity until people can give it their full attention. For now we are putting out an idea and we will see what happens.