Peace and Conflict Flashcards
1
Q
What are examples of wars for different purposes?
A
- Economic - Japanese invasion of Manchuria
- Religious - Pope Urban II orders the crusade of Jerusalem to recapture it from the Muslims - he believed everyone who took part would be granted salvation as it was commanded by God
- Social/cultural - Burmese civil war
2
Q
What are some Christian arguments against war and conflict?
A
- ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ and ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’
- Jesus heals a servant and criticises people for using violence to interfere with God’s plan (Luke 22)
- Jesus was a pacifist, demonstrated by how he did not fight back against those cruxifying him, so his followers should be too - he taught: ‘if someone strikes you, turn the other cheek’
- Teachings about equality, such as ‘for we are all one in Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 3:28) and Imago Dei, along with pluralism, suggests it is wrong to incite violence against anyone
- Christian teachings on forgiveness suggests we should forgive rather than fight
Many Christians holding these views are absolute pacifists
3
Q
What are some Christian arguments in favour of war and conflict?
A
- There are times when the ends justify the means e.g. to prevent further suffering
- ‘Learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless’
- ‘Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai’ - Joshua 8 - here God commanded people to go to war in order to cleanse the evil and the unbelievers
- The Just War theory provides a set of guidelines by which a war should be carried out provided it has a justified reason
- Exclusivism and beliefs such as ‘go therefore and make disciples of all the nations’ suggests conflict may be necessary to ensure Christianitie’s prevalence
Many Christians holding these views are conditional pacifists
4
Q
What are the terms of Jus ad bellum?
The Just War Theory is a Christian theory proposed by Thomas Aquinas
A
- Only the proper authority should start the war
- The reason to go to war must be just
- It must be the last resort when all other efforts to find peace have failed
5
Q
What are the terms of Jus in bello?
A
- Everything should be done to prevent harm coming to civilians
- Only appropriate force should be used and international conventions should be adhered to
6
Q
What are the terms of Jus post bellum?
A
- War criminals should be punished
- Reparations should be paid to the affected countries
- Everything should be done to prevent further conflict (e.g. training up a country’s military)
7
Q
What are things different Christian organisations do to work towards peace?
A
- Pax Christi - Helps improve solidarity in communities, teach people about the importance of peace, give people opportunities to prevent violence and provides support to places such as schools - this is all based on Christian teachings on peace, conciliation and pacifism
- Christian campaign for nuclear disarmament - Campaigns for nuclear disarmament
8
Q
What do the UN do to work towards peace?
A
- The UN is a non-religious organisation which humanists support, which works to prevent conflict between nations
- Peacekeeping troops are sent in with the consent of the parties to keep peace
- They will be impartial and only use force in self defense or to prevent further conflict
9
Q
What are some Christian teachings on forgiveness?
A
- It is extremely important as it was demonstrated by Jesus as a good thing
-In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Peter asks ‘if another member of the Church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times’ and Jesus responds ‘Not seven times, but I tell you seventy-seven times’ - We should do it as God will punish us if we do not
-In the same parable, after God hands a servant over to be tortured for not forgiving a debt owed to him it is written ‘So my heavenly father will also do to you if you do not forgive your brothers or sisters from your heart’ - Forgiveness is required for entry into heaven - ‘For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.’
- It is a two way process ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors’
10
Q
What are are some Christian and non-religious views on bullying?
A
- Teachings on peace, forgiveness, equality etc. all support the idea that it is wrong
- The Golden Rule, which is also a humanist believe rejects bullying for obvious reasons
- From the Bible: ‘Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer’
- However many people recognise that bullying may be caused by a complex range of factors such as desperation or upbringing, and when coupled with Christian teachings on forgiveness it shows that we should sometimes have sympathy for the bullies
- In a legal sense, lots of actions of bullying are against the law, and in a religious sense, many would be sins that would prevent entry into heaven
11
Q
What are some causes of crime/bullying?
A
- Poverty
- Changing politics and laws
- Racism/discrimination
- Upbringing
- Low-self esteem
- Drugs
12
Q
What are some things Christian organisations do to prevent crime and support victims/assailants?
A
- Street Pastors - They patrol streets Friday and Saturday evening to help the drunk and the homeless by giving out water and shoes and helping people back home
- Their aim is not proselytisation, but simply carrying out God’s will
- Prison Fellowship - They support people in prison by providing communication with the outside world and gifts and helps them with rehabilitation
- They are also motivated by agape love
13
Q
How does the parable of the Sheeps and Goats show that our actions have consequences in the afterlife?
A
- It describes a shepherd separating his sheeps from his goats, symbolic of God judging the good and the bad
- This means that we should not sin and sin is worse than crime as it has consequences not only in this life but in the afterlife also
14
Q
What are the main purposes of punishment?
A
- To protect society from them reoffending
- To act as a deterrent for potential criminals
- Retribution - They should experience first hand the suffering they caused to others
- Reform - Punishment is designed so that they can rejoin society in a position to not commit future crimes
- Reparation - Punishment is designed so criminals can put right to their wrong
15
Q
What are Christian teachings which support reform as a purpose of punishment or on why punishment is not justified?
A
- Christian teachings on kindness and forgiveness
- Galatians 3: ‘If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently’
- ‘Remember those who are in prison and those who are mistreated since you also are in the body with them’ - This suggests we should sympathise with them and therefore help them after their punishment
