Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Spring 2013 Issue | Page 13

to the legacy. Students and faculty smile
as they describe Edwardes. It seems
wondrously unreal. For what could
they possibly hope, with chaos on their
doorstep?

Nevertheless, Edwardes styles
itself as an alternative to violence.
Hints quickly surface. One faculty
member, a Muslim woman, says her
intention is to “inculcate empathy” in
students. A faculty member advising
the Shakespeare rehearsal emphasizes
that theater helps students to
“build confidence and develop selfexpression.” He doesn’t need to cite

Primary school girls practice for a
performance in the Diocese of Peshawar.

St. John’s Cathedral (1857) in Peshawar.

the nearby Taliban’s condemnation of
drama and dance. The contrast is stark.

The contrast also is pervasive.
Another faculty member, a Muslim,
leads his class in a discussion of “gender
equality” in the college’s “Integrity
Project,” periodic discussion of current
issues. The emphasis on discussion, and
not rote learning, is striking. Phrases like
“tolerance for diversity” and “mutual
appreciation” surface as the faculty
member draws out students. Values
are formed by guided interaction.
The contrast with life outside campus
becomes more striking.

Religious and cultural difference is
presumed; but respect for difference,
and other humanitarian values are
emphasized. Many students pursue
the sciences, especially pre-medical
studies, and they cite the values that are
encouraged. So too in the liberal arts.
Students speak of career hopes framed
by ideals Edwardes has fostered.

They sense they are being
groomed to create a better future,
and carry a profound responsibility.
“We must defeat terrorism,” one
student says soberly. Can education
undermine militancy? Can students not
only acquire academic skills but values
that promote cooperation and defeat
violence? Edwardes College invests in
this hope.
It is not alone. Other schools
affiliated with the Church of Pakistan’s
Diocese of Peshawar echo this
intention. Nearby Edwardes College,
a school groups students into clusters
where team spirit and cooperation are
promoted. At a church-run primary
school, some children practice “Romeo
and Juliet,” while others rehearse
cultural dances. The arts are integrated
into studies.
Nor is this emphasis confined
to Peshawar. The church-affiliated
school at Bannu in nearby Waziristan
also grounds education in shared
values and respectful cooperation.
Similarly, church-run medical facilities
treat all who come. Compassion is a
striking emphasis given tensions and
outbreaks of religious violence. While
militancy flares, Pakistan’s army makes
aggressive sweeps, and American
drones patrol, the hope of a reconciled
future endures.

To achieve it, delicate interfaith
and cross-cultural negotiations are
required, as life at Edwardes reveals.
At campus events, for example,
should the Qur’an or the Bible be read
first? Respect for cultural patterns
is presumed. A small section of the
campus is reserved for women. Men
and women often sit in segregated
clusters. Edwardes does not promote
wholesale change.

Education promotes cooperation
in the midst of difference. One evening
Edwardes hosts the “Faith Friends,” a
gathering of religious leaders from all
faiths, including leading Muslims. Their
conversation reflects what Edwardes
values. It embodies hospitality and
common purpose. The conversation is
substantive and warm. For an evening
much seems possible in Peshawar.

Can people be educated away
from animosity and suspicion? The
hunger for what Edwardes College and
related schools offer is great. There are
more applications each year than places
in the classes. The eagerness of many
people for a better future is palpable.
But longing is insufficient. Militant
groups make this a fragile place.
Edwardes can only educate a few. How
can that have broad impact?
In Pakistan: A Hard Country, Anatol
Lieven depicts a nation in danger of
disintegration. Riven by class, clan
and faith fault lines, Pakistan must be
a “negotiated state.” It only works
to the extent that cooperation can
emerge amid the social sources of
conflict. The strength and variety of
particular identities combine with weak
government to make a brittle situation.

Shakespeare and the Integrity
Project and medical care and even
“Faith Friends” may seem like straws
in Pakistan’s violent winds. Many
continuing examples could justify
cynicism. But behind the headlines a
dedicated and diverse group of people
fosters an alternative, in the face of
terror. They and their commitment are
sorely needed, in Pakistan and in the
United States. t
Originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Spring 2013 / Virginia Episcopalian

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