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Brianna Aguilar
English 115
John Kubler
6 September 2014
Summary: Albright, Faith and Diplomacy
In the chapter Faith and Diplomacy from Madeleine Albright's book, The
Mighty & the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs, Albright advises that
including religion in foreign affairs, contrary to what some may believe, could actually benefit
and bring more peace to the world. As former U.S. secretary of state, and U.S. ambassador of
the United Nations, Albright gives her readers insight on exactly how having knowledge of
different religions and cultures could positively affect the way nations interact with each other,
especially highly religious nations.

Albright begins by introducing counter arguments including a quote from John Adams
and the song, Imagine, by singer John Lennon. Both sources suggest that religion is often the
cause of universal conflict such as war. While Albright is aware of the harm religion can bring
on many nations, she also believes religion may bring peace and solution when used in the right
ways. It is easy to blame religionor more fairly, what some do in the name of religionfor all
our troubles, but that is too simple. Religion is a powerful force, but its impact depends entirely
on what it inspires people to do. Here Albright expresses that religion is truly a powerful thing
but it is in the way that it is put to use and the way it is interpreted that will ultimately decide
whether the outcome is a positive or negative one.
One of Albrights main suggestions throughout the chapter is that Diplomacies should
have as much knowledge of cultures and religions as they can. This, according to her will

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influence how people think, feel, and act. She then goes on to explain this idea through three
stories, all having the same theme of religious tolerance and ways religion positively affects our
world. The first story she speaks about implies that religion is often a form of empowerment and
motivation for its followers, without it there wouldnt be much to fight for. Standing amid huge
crowds, the listeners recognized in each other once again the qualities that made them proud to
be Polishfaith in God and willingness to run risks for freedom, Albright uses this example of
Poland in 1981 during the Solidarity movement to show the kind of strength that religious faith
can bring to a group of people and the positive impact religion has on politics.

As stated earlier in the chapter Albright also agrees that religion, if interpreted in a
negative way, can be harmful to the way different cultures interact with one another. With this
observation at hand she continues with a second story, but this time she compares religious
intolerance with the morals people hold personally. She explains a story that has to do with a
young Christian woman, Mary, who is shot by a Muslim man because she refuses to renounce
her religious beliefs. She is then left for dead, but lives and remains paralyzed after being shot.
While being questioned by Albright, Mary explains that she has forgiven the man that has left
her paralyzed because; she too has been forgiven by her God. The conversation she has had with
Mary brings up Albrights point that religion can teach us many things, including tolerance. She
also brings up that although religion can cause people to do terrible unimaginable things it could
also teach people great lessons. The second lesson is that religion at its best teaches forgiveness
and reconciliation, not only when those acts are relatively easy but also when they are almost
unbelievably difficult. Just like Marys religion gave her the strength to forgive her attacker,
religion can be preached in a way that teaches people to tolerate one another no matter how
different.

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Similar to the second story Albright also introduces a third story that compares good vs. bad
uses of spiritual beliefs. She notes that although religion can be used to excuse evil doing it is also a
great form of hope when fighting evil. Overall she sees religion as a way of understanding one another.
She also adds that although two people have the same faith, it doesnt necessarily mean those two
people will have the exact same beliefs. Albright concludes that religion should not be a form of war,
but rather a way of understanding one another as human beings.