Christianity: Peace and Conflict Flashcards
Peace
The absence of conflict and violence, and everyone in the world living in harmony.
QUOTE: Jesus prompted forgiveness and peace when he encouraged people to love and pray for their enemies instead of hating them.
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” -Jesus
Why might Jesus be known as the ‘Prince of Peace’?
- He strongly promotes forgiveness and peace between people
- When he was sent to hang on the cross he didn’t fight the Romans, and when he was resurrected he didn’t retaliate
Should Christians ever resort to violence?
YES
- Jesus never mentioned war itself
- Sometimes conflict is necessary to prevent the suffering of lots of people and keep the peace by fighting against evil and injustice
Should Christians ever resort to violence?
NO
-All teachings suggest that Christians should never retaliate with violence and should always keep the peace, ensuring that punishment is only handed out by God
What is justice?
-Fairness in the way that people are dealt with
E.g. God is just and therefore Christians should follow his example
QUOTE: Justice
“The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.”
What is reconciliation?
-The restoration of friendly relations
E.g. Jesus made reconciliation possible through his death on the cross so God could have a relationship with us again
QUOTE: Reconciliation
“Blessed are the peacemakers”
What is forgiveness?
-Pardoning a person for a wrong committed against you
E.g. Only God has the right to judge and punish people
QUOTE: Forgiveness
“Forgive us our trespasses”
How and why do Christian groups work for peace?
•Jesus taught that his followers must seek and work for peace
- Encouraging opposing sides to talk to achieve reconciliation
- Campaigning against oppressors
- Educating people on injustices around the world
- Encouraging non-violent protests
E.g. Pax Christi
Why is justice and reconciliation important to Christians?
- They believe that peace can’t be achieved without justice first
- Jesus modelled reconciliation when he died to restore our relationship with God
Causes of conflict
Fear National pride Economics Self defence Religion Natural resources Long-standing racial/ethnic hatred
How do Christians respond to conflict?
They believe in working towards world peace through belief in:
—>Pacifism
—>Just War
—>Dealing with the cause
Pacifism
The belief that war can never be justified and conflicts should be settled peacefully (E.g. the Quakers)
Just War
The belief that it may be right to fight in some circumstances
Dealing with the cause
The belief that the cause of the conflict is something which needs to be fixed before the conflict can end (e.g. inequality)
QUOTE: When Jesus was arrested he stopped his own followers from using violence because fighting simply creates more problems rather than solving anything.
“All those who draw the sword will die by the sword.” -Jesus
Why is Jesus’ attitude towards conflict important to some Christians?
They believe that they should follow Jesus’ example of trusting that everything is in God’s control and there is no need for violence
How do some Christians interpret Jesus’ attitude towards conflict differently?
They interpret his teaching as a specific situation as Jesus knew he had to go to the cross so he was not discouraging violence in other circumstances
Or the teaching is referring to only small-scale personal conflicts, not war
Situation ethics
Moral decisions should be based on what is the most loving thing to do, depending on the situation