Religious Ethical Mediation is a training program offered by Still Waters: A Center for Ethical Formation and Practices, Inc.-- a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization.  The organization functions primarily as an applied ethics center that educates individuals and organizations in innovative responses to conflicts in religious and corporate organizations.  Religious refers here to the ethical system (the values that sustain the group's purpose and/or provide ultimate meaning for a group) that guides  leaders and participants in an organization.  

RELIGIOUS ETHICAL MEDIATION

Religious Ethical Mediation (REM) is mediation training that draws from theories and practices of liberation ethics, transformative mediation, transformative conflict, intercultural communication, and diversity training.  Dr. Marcia Y. Riggs developed the REM process over the past fifteen years through academic writing, lectures, conference presentations as well as through her classroom teaching wherein she applies REM principles as a pedagogical practice.  Training in this practice is taught through the educational not-for-profit organization, Still Waters: A Center for Ethical Formation and Practices, founded by Riggs in 2001.​
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Purpose

The purpose of a  REM training program is to nurture leaders whose worldview and practices are transformative of intolerance, conflict and violence as manifested within educational institutions, communities of faith, and business environments.  ​

Aims of Training

The aims of successful RELIGIOUS ETHICAL MEDIATION training are 1) to nurture a consciousness for understanding conflict transformation as an ethical way of being in the world; 2) to develop skills for mediating conflict (a) between individuals and communities and (b) within communities and institutions; and 3) to provide trainees with the opportunity to develop creative formats for transforming conflict in particular communities and institutions, e.g. visual or performing arts for  conflict transformation, rituals for healing and reconciling communities and institutions.  ​​​Upon completion of the training, participants also receive a Certificate issued by the  Religious Ethical Mediation organization, thus enabling them to serve as a Religious Ethical Mediator for individuals and groups in situation of conflicts.  Additional courses are offered to those persons who want to become a trainer of trainers.​

Emphasis

REM practice is a consciousness of how matters of ultimate concern (the religious) are characterized by core values (the ethical) that individuals and institutions hold.   ​REM mediation is a transformative practice wherein conflicts that derive from the religious-ethical are mediated so that creative ethical responses to conflicts can be constructed by the parties in conflict. ​

What happens in training

A participant enrolled in this training program completes 20 hours of skills-based training.   Training includes learning theories and practicing skills of RELIGIOUS ETHICAL MEDIATION.

​Training is taught best as a three-day weekend training workshop.  Training can also be designed (e.g. length of time and format) in consultation with clients and their specific needs.

VISUALIZING THE REM PROCESS​