S2 Chapter 5 - War and Peace

Question 1

What is a conscientious objector?

Answer 1

A person who refuses to fight or serve in the armed forces.

Question 2

Name a scholar who is associated with the Just War theory.

Answer 2

St Thomas Aquinas

Question 3

Give any three conditions of the Just War theory.

Answer 3

Declared by legal authority
The cause must be just
War must be a last resort
Excessive force cannot be used
There must be a reasonable chance of success
Innocent civilians should not be killed
Peace must be restored afterwards

Question 4

“Pacifism is not a realistic option for the 21st century.”

Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer showing that you have considered different points of view.

Answer 4

Answers may include:
- There are always examples in the news of violent and aggressive attacks by one country on another; the only way to stop this is by armed conflict

• Pacifist methods, e.g. peaceful demonstrations, strikes, sanctions, etc - are not immediately effective
• Sometimes dictators need to be challenged; examples from recent history show that pacifism would not have worked against Hitler or Saddam Hussein. This is still true in the 21st century
• In the Bible, God gives his approval for wars to be fought; this shows that armed conflict can sometimes be justified.
• Malcolm X

On the other hand:
- The life and teaching of Jesus support a pacifist approach to life

• If killing is wrong, then war must be wrong as war is basically a matter of killing
• In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught that violence should not be repaid with more violence (Matthew 5:39)
• Peace treaties, negotiations and economic sanctions could replace armed conflict
• There are different types of pacifism; it might be argued that some are more realistic than others
• Non-violent action is the way forward, following the examples given by people such as Martin Luther king and Mahatma Gandhi.

Question 5

What is pacifism?

Answer 5

Pacifism is the belief that war and violence are wrong and cannot be justified. Pacifists believe that conflicts should be settled by peaceful means.

Question 6

What are the arguments for and against pacifism?

Answer 6

For:
• Belief in the sanctity of life
• Religious faith
• Belief that war is wasteful

Against:
• A state has a duty to protect its citizens, and its citizens have a moral duty to carry out certain tasks in war
• The Bible allows war

Question 7

What is an absolute pacifist?

Answer 7

An absolute pacifist believes that it is never right to take part in war, even in self-defense. Human life is so precious that nothing can justify deliberately killing another human being.

Question 8

What is a conditional pacifist?

Answer 8

A conditional pacifist is against the idea of war in general, but accepts that sometimes there may be extreme circumstances when war is better than the alternative.

Question 9

What is a selective pacifist?

Answer 9

A selective pacifist opposes only a certain type of war, such as one that involves weapons of mass destruction, for example, nuclear weapons.

Question 10

Name some pacifist methods

Answer 10

Peaceful demonstrations
Strikes in places of work
Road blocks
Picketing
Hunger strikes

Question 11

What is an active pacifist?

Answer 11

Some pacifists take the line that doing nothing is the best course of action. Others believe that they can take action to bring about change or to resist oppression by non-violent means. They are closely involved in political activity to promote peace. They argue that there are non-violent methods they can use to convince the enemy that their point of view is right.

Question 12

Discuss why some Christians are pacifists

Answer 12

• Jesus was a pacifist and demonstrated this during his lifetime.
• He refused to retaliate when arrested and restored the ear of the servant when it was cut off.
• Jesus rejected the path of political and military revolution in favour of a more profound revolution.
• War brings death and destruction.
• War achieves nothing and history has proved this.
• War has become increasingly destructive, with greater opportunities for total destruction.
• There are always alternatives to war that do not involve bloodshed.
• Jesus said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’.
• Jesus instructed his followers to turn the other cheek and not meet aggression with aggression.
• To engage in violence is to reject the part of God that is in all people.
• Evil can never justify further evil and killing is never justified.

Question 13

What is a war?

Answer 13

A war is an attempt by one state or more to either:

• Defend itself against another state.

Or

• To try to take something, such as land, resources or freedom, from another power.

Question 14

What is a holy war?

Answer 14

A Holy War is fought to protect the religion of the people concerned.
Holy Wars are usually:
- Called for by a religious leader or authority, such as the church
- Fought to achieve a religious goal, such as to spread the faith
- Expected to give a spiritual reward for those who take part

Question 15

What does the Bible say about war?

Answer 15

The Bible speaks of how war is inevitable.
“… the time for love and the time for hate, the time for war and the time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,3,8)

However, it is only right it go to war when it is the will of God.
“Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed! Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you …” (Numbers 14:41-43)

Christians believe it is always with justice that God judges and makes war. “It is with justice that he judges and fights his battles.” (Revelations 19:11)

Question 16

Name some pacifist world religions

Answer 16

Amish
Quakers (Religious Society of Friends)
Mennonites

Question 17

What is a just war?

Answer 17

A just war is fought for any reason that is morally justified.

Question 18

What is a just cause?

Answer 18

A just cause is a reason to go to war that is morally justifiable.

Question 19

Name some just causes

Answer 19

• In self-defense against an enemy’s attack
• To defend the innocent
• To prevent an anticipated attack by a potential enemy
• To help a neighbour state that has been attacked

Question 20

What two questions must a country ask itself if it is under the threat of attack

Answer 20

1. Is it just to go to war?

2. How should such a war be fought?

Question 21

What is the purpose of the Just War theory?

Answer 21

The purpose of the Just War theory is to guide a state when faced with potential threat and conflict situations. It is to help it to decide if it should go to war.

Question 22

Name some just conditions or criteria

Answer 22

1. War must be a last resort. All other possibilities of settling the problem should be tried, for example, negotiation, or withdrawal of financial aid.
2. War must be lawfully declared by a government with the authority to declare war. Ordinary people or even terrorists like Osama Bin Laden could not declare a Just War.
3. There must be a just cause and proper intention for a war, such as keeping peace or defending the innocent.
4. There must be a reasonable chance of success.
5. The good gained by winning the war must be greater than the evil caused by fighting it.
6. There must be proportionality. Only ‘appropriate’ force should be used.
7. Innocent civilians should not be killed.
8. Peace must be restored at the end.

Question 23

What does the Catholic Church say about a Just War?

Answer 23

The Roman Catholic Church supports a Just War.
“While the danger of war remains … Governments cannot be denied the right to defend if they have exhausted every peaceful means of settlement.”
They define a just cause:
“Force may be use only to correct a grave, public evil, i.e. aggression or massive violation of the basic rights of whole populations.”
(Catholic Conference 1993)

Question 24

Why might a Christian decide to fight in a war?

Answer 24

• They believe that the cause is just.
• They believe in the Authority of the State. (Romans 13:1-5) Paul says that God has put the rulers where they are so Christians should obey.
• They wish to uphold the honour of their country and keep it free.
• They may wish to defend their family.
• There are many examples in the Bible about God leading the Jewish people to success in war.

Question 25

Why might Christians not fight in a war?

Answer 25

• They are pacifists and believe that all wars and fighting are wrong.
• They follow the examples and teaching of Jesus who taught that violence was wrong.
• They follow the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’.
• They believe that war is a waste of resources - money spent on weapons.
• They believe that war causes much suffering.
• Martin Luther King Junior and Gandhi have proved that it is possible to achieve change without violence.
• War never settles disputes. It is only when people sit down and talk that matters are resolved.

Question 26

“There is no place for war in the 21st century.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer 26

Agree:
• Lessons should be learnt from past conflicts about the cost of war.
• Lives are lost, economic costs and widespread destruction.
• Resources spent on war could be better deployed for healthcare and education.
• There is no such thing as a ‘just war’ - there are always innocent victims.
• Peace treaties, negotiations and economic sanctions should replace armed conflict.
• Non-violent action is the way forward, following the examples given by people such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

On the other hand:
• A country has a duty to protect its citizens from attack, or to protect a weaker country.
• Wars were fought in the Bible; there is the idea of a ‘Holy War’ carried out on God’s authority.
• In Islam, there is the concept of Jihad, which could involve an armed struggle.
• Sometimes war is an unfortunate necessity to overcome evil and tyranny.
• A country has a duty to protect its citizens from attack, or to protect a weaker country.

Question 27

Unit 8 2015 - Section B

5a) What is a pacifist? [5]

Answer 27

Answers may include:
• A pacifist believes that war and violence are wrong and cannot be justified.
• Pacifists believe that conflicts should be settled by peaceful means, such as a demonstration or strike at work, for example.
• An absolute pacifist believes it is never right to take part in any killing, even in self-defence.
• Conditional pacifism accepts that there may be extreme circumstances where war is the best alternative.
• A selective pacifist may reject certain types of war, such as conflict using nuclear weapons, for example.
Accept valid alternatives

Question 28

Unit 8 2015 - Section B

5c) “A country should only go to war when there is no other choice.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. [10]

Answer 28

Answers may include:
• War should always be a last resort, with negotiations and sanctions being tried first.
• War is wrong as it goes against teachings in the Bible such as ‘Do not kill’
• Jesus also taught his followers not to take revenge so we should not be too quick to take up arms and fight.
• The Just War Theory associated with St. Thomas Aquinas is still very influential for Christians today. It allows war as a last resort.
• Modern weapons of mass destruction are too dangerous, they should only be considered as a last resort.

On the other hand:
• Sometimes action has to be taken swiftly and there is not time to try a lot of peaceful methods first.
• In the last two centuries, we have seen the rise of dictators using genocide to secure their power. In cases like this, war might have to be used immediately to stop the killing of innocent people.
• Methods such as boycotts, sanctions and negotiations can be slow and ineffective, that they are often not worth trying.
• Modern weapons of mass destruction are so dangerous they cannot be allowed to be used, so swift retaliation is necessary.
Accept valid alternatives

Question 29

Unit 8 2012 - Section A

3a) Describe the Just War theory. [5]

Answer 29

Answers may include:
• The ideas were developed by Thomas Aquinas and are still used by Christians today.
The conditions are as follows:
• The war must be declared by a legal authority.
• The cause of the war must be just.
• The war must be a last resort.
• The principle of proportionality must be observed.
• The war must have a reasonable chance of success.
• Only sufficient force must be used.
Accept valid alternatives

Question 30

Unit 8 2012 - Section A
3c) “The world would be a better place if more people were pacifist.” Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer. [5]

Answer 30

Answers may include:
• On a global scale, there would be less wars and therefore less killing and damage to buildings and resources.
• More public money could be spent on education and healthcare than supporting the military and buying weapons.
• If more people were pacifists then there would be less fighting and aggression in the local community, and everyone would benefit.

On the other hand:
• There are always examples in the news of violent and aggressive attacks by one country on another; the only way to stop this is by armed conflict.
• Pacifist methods - peaceful demonstrations, strikes, sanctions, etc. - are not immediately effective.
• Sometimes dictators need to be challenged; pacifism would not have worked against Hitler or Saddam Hussein, for example.
• In the Bible, God gives his approval for wars to be fought; this shows that armed conflict can sometimes be justified.
Accept valid alternatives