‘Dignity Of Marginalized Groups’: Dr. Nina Balmaceda’s Faith-Based Peace Solutions
Dr. Nina Balmaceda just finished a years-long project focused on uncovering the sacred story of Peace and Hope International over its first 25 years, emphasizing the spiritual dimensions of social and political renewal in Peru and Latin America.
Her research has focused primarily on the organization's distinct spiritual understanding of love, deeply rooted in its Christian tradition, as not only an interpersonal commitment but a political and social responsibility as well.
Through qualitative interviews, focus groups, field visits and documentary reviews, Balmaceda, the associate director for the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity and national director for Peace and Hope International, has explored the ethical and spiritual foundations of Peace and Hope’s role in Latin America’s political and social renewal. Emphasizing theologically grounded love as the key to sociopolitical transformation, the work aims to make visible the invisible, showcasing the story of a spiritual movement in Latin America.
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Balmaceda’s research reveals how Peace and Hope International played a pivotal role in catalyzing a movement for social and political renewal that underscored the importance of spiritual renewal at its core. By helping Hispanics reframe their Christian tradition, the organization illuminated how its sacred teachings advocate for the love of civic neighbors who are different from us.
Peace and hope — aligned with the apostle Paul's exhortation to “put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity” (Colossians 3:14) — demonstrates how love is central to the Christian tradition and its teachings. This reframing steered communities away from harmful or totalizing ideologies that led to political corruption or the limiting of human rights based on difference.
I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Balmaceda. Here’s that interview:
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Chelsea Langston Bombino: Dr. Balmaceda, could you share with us the story behind the founding of Peace and Hope International and the context in which it was established?
Dr. Nina Balmaceda: Peace and Hope International — or [in Spanish] Paz y Esperanza — was founded in Peru in January 1996 amidst severe armed conflict. Our country was experiencing an internal war, with violence from rebel groups and an ill-equipped government. It was a particularly challenging time for those living in poverty, especially in the Andes and the Amazon. As young law students, we were deeply concerned about the human rights abuses and violence.
We felt called to build peace in our country, grounded in principles of justice, mercy and humility, as inspired by Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Our initial efforts focused on nonviolent responses, such as community-based peacebuilding initiatives and legal advocacy for victims of violence.
Dr. Nina Balmaceda (Photo courtesy of Duke Divinity School)
Langston Bombino: How does Peace and Hope International integrate spiritual principles into its approach to peace and justice?
Balmaceda: Our work is deeply rooted in our Christian understanding of God as a God of peace, justice and fairness, who cares for the most vulnerable. We believe in the Imago Dei, the concept that all human beings are created in the image of God and deserve to be treated with dignity and fairness. This belief shapes our strategy, which goes beyond providing aid to helping communities organize themselves to determine their own needs and rights.
Our approach is informed by the biblical principle of shalom, as found in Genesis 1-2, where God is present with the first human beings in the Garden of Eden in a context of healthy mutual relationships. In that context, justice and peace prevailed, and all of creation had what was needed to flourish. Our separation from God destroyed the prevailing shalom in the garden.
What had been previously healthy relationships of love and respect were damaged, while humans were alienated from God and experienced alienation from one another. The physically stronger human blamed the weaker one for their failure, and all of creation suffered as a result. Suffering became part of human experience, and abuse of power increased in contexts of deep inequality, becoming a practice that replaced peaceful interactions among human beings and among humans and the rest of creation. Due to this understanding of God’s revelation, Peace and Hope teams work to cultivate just peace in marginal areas of cities where abuse of power tends to prevail.
Langston Bombino: Can you elaborate on the theological foundations that underpin Peace and Hope's work?
Balmaceda: Our work is grounded in three main theological bases: God’s character, God’s love for all humanity, and the recognition that we all bear the image of God, the Imago Dei. We seek to fight corruption and contempt against those who are poor or marginalized. It's very much about cultural transformation and ensuring that public institutions work for people in poverty.
We also see our work as an ecumenical invitation, collaborating with various religious groups to promote justice and peace. Our commitment to justice is guided by the words of Isaiah 58:8, “Lose the chains of injustice,” and our pursuit of righteousness is informed by Psalm 106:3, “Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.”
Langston Bombino: How do you translate these spiritual principles into spiritually animated actions for justice?
Balmaceda: We translate our spiritual principles into action by empowering communities to be agents of their own change. For example, we've supported leaders at risk for advocating for environmental and human rights. Our aim is to work alongside communities as equals, providing support, accompaniment and encouragement.
A significant challenge has been overcoming skepticism towards our nonviolent approach, but through dialogue and demonstrating results, we've built trust and fostered collaboration. Our actions are grounded in the teachings of Jesus, as emphasized in 1 John 3:18, “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Langston Bombino: How does Peace and Hope International address the root causes of injustice in Latin America?
Balmaceda: Peace and Hope recognizes that the causes of injustice are multiple and that, at the most fundamental level, spiritual brokenness is the ultimate cause of injustice. Many situations of vulnerability to injustice could be prevented if national and local institutions that should support human flourishing, such as the justice system, public education, health care, municipal security services, etc., were strengthened in Latin America. We embrace the responsibility to promote neighborly love and justice for vulnerable populations, as Jesus taught in His commandment to love God and our neighbor (1 John 3:18). In modern terms, justice involves fairness and equity, and righteousness connotes moral purity and personal piety.
Biblically, justice includes returning things to a right state, and pursuing righteousness includes doing justice to the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, because God cares for them due to their vulnerability (Deuteronomy 10:18, Isaiah 1:17, Psalm 146:9). Primary justice is the presence of relationships that reflect and uphold the inherent rights of human beings (Isaiah 28:17, Psalm 106:3).
Our work aims to cultivate just peace by addressing the root causes of injustice, promoting gender equity, and respecting the dignity of marginalized groups.
Chelsea Langston Bombino is a believer in sacred communities, a wife and a mother. She serves as a program officer with the Fetzer Institute and a fellow with the Center for Public Justice.