The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) is an international movement rooted in faith-based nonviolence, uniting people of all beliefs in a commitment to peace, reconciliation, and justice.
The Fellowship of Reconciliation was born on the eve of the First World War. In 1914, two Christian pacifists — Henry Hodgkin, a British Baptist doctor and missionary, and Friedrich Siegmund-Schultze, a German Lutheran—met at a Christian conference in Germany. As their nations moved toward war, they pledged that “we are one in Christ and can never be at war.” This commitment laid the foundation for a new organisation based on reconciliation across borders and an absolute rejection of violence.
By 1915, the British and American branches of the Fellowship had formally launched, bringing together Christians opposed to war on theological grounds. Early members included notable pacifists, conscientious objectors, and social reformers. The movement rapidly grew as the war escalated, offering practical support to conscientious objectors and campaigning for peace with justice.
At its heart, the Fellowship of Reconciliation embraces a belief in the transforming power of love and nonviolence. While its roots are Christian, FOR is interfaith and inclusive, welcoming people from all traditions and none who share its commitment to reconciliation.
The Fellowship works through active peacemaking, creative protest, education, and accompaniment. It has long supported conscientious objectors, nonviolent resistance, anti-racist work, disarmament, and the protection of human rights. FOR activists have been present in struggles for justice from apartheid South Africa to civil rights in the United States, and from nuclear disarmament to interfaith dialogue in post-conflict regions.
The British branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR England & Scotland) has played a vital role in 20th and 21st century peace movements. During the Second World War, it supported conscientious objectors and refugees, while continuing to challenge militarism. In later decades, it participated in the Aldermaston marches, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and nonviolent resistance to war and injustice globally.
FOR has often been a quiet but constant presence at protests and peace camps. In 1981, for example, FOR members on a pilgrimage from Iona Abbey to Canterbury Cathedral stopped at RAF Molesworth, where they planted a cherry tree and later helped establish the Molesworth People’s Peace Camp. Such actions reflect FOR’s practice of combining spiritual commitment with public witness.
Today, the Fellowship of Reconciliation continues to support grassroots peacebuilders, offer resources for nonviolent action, and connect communities across faiths and cultures. Its work includes peace education, conflict transformation, and international solidarity.
Though often understated, the Fellowship’s influence is deep. It has nurtured generations of activists, theologians, and visionaries who believe that reconciliation is not only possible, but essential. In a world still scarred by war and division, the Fellowship remains a gentle, persistent voice calling for peace grounded in justice and human dignity.