Religion and Peace - syllabus point summary PDF

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RELIGION AND PEACE Studies of Religion 2 unit

SCARLET KLEM-GOODE

CHRISTIANITY

UNDERSTANDING AND SACRED TEXTS -

Meaning of peace – recognized as working in an active manner towards inner peace within the individual and towards positive relationships with god and other people Meaning is inextricable by the state of peace that existed in the garden of Eden – idyllic condition, communed regularly with god – perfect peace was lost when A and E sinned Coming of Christ has the potential to restore peace – bring everlasting physical and spiritual peace to earth bible (NT) - authoritative and esteemed writing that defines the origins and characteristics of the Christian religious tradition provides the foundation for all Christian religious interpretations of peace NT – normative text – considered to be the principle and foundational source of teaching for adherents peace – frequent and pervasive theme - Luke 2:14 and Matthew 5:9, through the announcement of the birth of Jesus and in the teachings of Jesus teach adherents to live at peace with themselves and others, ensuring and maintaining inner and global peace Jesus was considered to be the Prince and source of peace (Isaiah 9:6) - adherents are encouraged to model their “peacemaking” on his example in order to achieve inner and worldly peace “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1) PRINCIPLE TEACHINGS AND BELIEFS

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Death and resurrection: - Through above of Jesus, forgiveness is available to the repentant sinner, allowing them to be at peace with God which is the very foundation of ‘inner peace.’ - symbol that adherents are required to seek reconciliation rather than causing conflict in times of adversity, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (Corinthians 14:33) Salvation: - is necessary to attain peace, through recognition that God is both imminent and transcendent, thus they are able to attain eternal peace with God, “in me you may have peace” (John 16:33). As humans are created in the image of likeness of God, all life should be respected and cared for and thus by adherents acting as stewards of creations they are able to attain peace. It is thus evident that the importance of peace is paramount in Christian principle beliefs and provides the tradition with a distinctive response.

INNER P EACE -

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an internal quality of calmness and security which puts the mind at ease and fills the adherent with a sense of tranquility and assurance Living out their vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ: adherents can achieve inner peace through living out their vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ and directing their lives towards following in his footsteps and teachings - Jesus’ own life is perceived to be a modSel of living in peace and Christian adherents are encouraged to base their lives on his example, “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6). - Peace was a central element to the teachings of Jesus Christ - highlighted the notion that inner peace was Gods gift to mankind and that it comes from being reconciled with God through Jesus - “peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace I give to you. I do not give it as the world gives. Do not be worried and upset. Do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) - peace of God goes beyond the world - obtain inner peace to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven adherents are instructed to, “live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11). Submission and devotion to the will of God: - must submit and faithfully devote themselves to the will of God, as peace was established by God as the instigator of creation, “for God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Christianity guides the individual to inner peace through the percept, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30) - individuals can obtain inner peace as promised by God; “the peace of God which is beyond all understanding will guard your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7) if they live faithfully according to the requirements of the Gospel and submit to the will of God by placing their faith and trust in him - adherents are rewarded with inner peace from the influence of the Holy spirit in the lives of Christians; “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Maintaining integrity and fidelity: - adherents must maintain integrity and fidelity, free from turmoil and inner conflict - representative of Jesus’ life and ministry - he faced numerous temptations - accepting these temptations would erode a sense of inner peace as it amounts to a lack of integrity. Examples: - Prayer: - vehicle through which Jesus is able to nurture and sustain the relationship with God - strongly encouraged to participate in prayer to obtain a sense of peace and serenity through communion with God, “but whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6) - communal or personal setting - sustain and nurture their relationship with God and draw meaning and understanding concerning day to day life - no universal form of prayer, however Matthews Gospel teaches the necessity of right intention when praying. - Eg Orthodox may utilize candles, votive lamps or icons as forms of prayer to direct the person praying to inner calmness and peace - Confessions: - Jesus taught to seek reconciliation and forgiveness from God - engage in confessions to their priest or pastor, who is then, using Christian principles from the Bible and Jesus’ actions as resources, able to help oneself find inner peace Matthew 6:12 - adherents are instructed to “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” -

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WORLD P EACE -

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Ideal state of freedom, peace and happiness – nations and people Jesus’ ‘Golden Rule,’ is to “do unto others as you would have done unto you,” - one must act peacefully to receive peaceful treatment in return foundation of world peace is based upon the Greatest commandment of “love your neigjehbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) and “Love your enemies and pray for your prosecutors” (Matthew 5: 43-44)). Key teachings – respect all humans, everyone is equal including enemies Central belief – god the creator – command humanity to live in - “may peace be with you,” The idea of aiming for world peace is highlighted in St Paul’s writing to the Jews in Rome which stated that peace was an obligation to being a Christian and that followers were not to seek revenge against those who oppose or oppress them: ‘If your enemy is hungry, you should give him food…resist evil and conquer it with good”. (Romans 12:20-21). NT - falls short on giving unequivocal prohibition on warfare. Consequently, the just war theory emerged, with the primary focus of maintaining overall peace and avoiding world conflict. sought to provide guidelines under which it was morally acceptable to engage in warfare, however the primary aim of world peace must be recognized and addressed when forming a decision adherents are guided to “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 6:39), Examples: - Public Statements: - Notable church leaders, influential Christian organizations - Public appeals in times of conflict

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Eg june 2014 – pope francis alongside notable people of authority in Palestine and Israel, gathered in the Vatican to pray for peace in the Middle East and throughout the world, as well as to discuss and highlight the responsibility of individuals in achieving such peace

Paxi Christi: - International group – established the international catholic movement for peace after WW2 to promote the harmonious rebuilding of Europe - In preparation for the third millennium - established a manifesto for a culture of peace and non violence, which contained 6 principles which it invited adherents to follow - aim to maintain world peace where members work for human rights, security, disarmament and economic justice national council of churches of Australia (NCCA): - Ecumenical organization - Campaign “act for peace” is the international aid agency of NCCA that works with local organizations around the world to save and improve lives impacted by catastrophes and conflicts - attempt to achieve world peace through its promotion alongside positive action plans to support people affected by conflict and disaster - Exodus 23:6 states “do not deny justice to your poor” - consistent with what the NCCA stands for, which is helping people help themselves as humanity works for peace

ISLAM

UNDERSTANDING AND SACRED TEXTS (QU’RAN AND HADITH) -

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Qur'an is the fundamental text for all Muslims It contains the revelation of Allah, complete and unaltered as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad Hadith refers to the collection of traditions of the words and deeds of Muhammad The ideal society, according to the Qur'an is "Dar al Salaam" which means the house of peace. ( 10:25 ) Peace is not simply an absence of war Jihad is a central teaching of Islam but is not synonymous for war Jihad literally means to strive or to struggle In its proper usage Jihad refers mostly to the essential struggle in overcoming obstacles to submission to Allah According to the Hadith, the daily prayer of the Prophet Muhammad was centered on peace "O Allah, you are the original source of peace; from you is all peace, and to you returns all peace, So, make us live with Peace; and let us enter paradise; The House of Peace. Blessed be you, our Lord, to whom belongs all Majesty and Honor!" Peace is the ultimate submission to the will of allah – expressed through the five pillars Must first be at rest with ones own desires, then with the world and others Allah is the one and only creator Hadith (1625) it states that “if anyone harms other, God will harm him,” implying that peace is the way one must live, as that is what Allah intended. The common origin of Adam and Eve means that all people share an inherent unity which is to be expressed through harmonious relationships, as outlined in the Hadith (13) “he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself”. – treating all people peacefully

PRINCIPLE TEACHINGS /BELIEFS -

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Understanding of peace is strongly influenced by its principle teachings Tawhid and Submission: - Adherents must believe in tawhid, meaning the oneness of God, as well as submit to the will of allah to attain inner peace - This is possible by living a “rightful and lawful life…come all of you into submission and follow not in the footsteps of the devil” (Qur’an 2:208). - The ideal society, according to the Islamic tradition and the Qur’an is “Dar al Salaam” which means the house of peace Jihad - Confusion regarding ‘Jihad’ in Western cultures, has lead to a greater difficulty for adherents to attain peace

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refers to the “struggle” to overcome obstacles in submission to Allah and attain peace – internal/external acts of aggression or violence are not permitted – Muslim scholar - “As far as Islam is concerned… it does not provide any cover or justification for any act of violence”.

INNER P EACE -

must firstly be at peace with Allah, and then at peace with oneself – comes about due to submission - “I have submitted My whole self to Allah” (Qur’an 3:20). inner peace – not possible outside of the relationship with Allah Examples - 5 pillars – requires both an internal and spiritual commitment alongside an outward action or sign - Sawm – fourth pillar: - Involves voluntary fasting - Period of fasting is for the month of Ramadan – fast for all the hours of daylight - Required to read the Qur’an – results in them engaging in the concept of peace and bringing them to an understanding of peace as expressed in the sacred text - Text – encourages them to seek inner peace and highlights its importance - Enables self discipline – ensures the adherent adherent puts aside selfishness and self - “Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness" (Qur’an 2:183) - Salat – second pillar: - Ritual prayer – acts as an obedience to Allah - Sura 61:14, “the patient man is the helper of God,” it is believed that the patient and peaceful will be rewarded. - highlights the importance of patience and the notion that the adherent should only be thinking of bonding with Allah and hence creating peace with themselves - reaffirms a bond between the adherent and their beliefs as it reinforces the oneness and greatness of Allah - patience and strength provides important foundations for a sense of peace and wellbeing.

WORLD PEACE -

The Qur’an 14:35, “make this city one of peace and security, “implying Allah wanted a city of peace Islam contributes to world peace through various initiatives, even though its is more difficult to do so due to misconceptions, arising from prejudice and issues in the Middle East. Such misconceptions limit the Islamic capacity to encourage world peace as, especially in Western societies, Islam is often interpreted as the cause of violence and disorder. The Five pillars of faith can also be applied to world peace through Zakat and Hajj. Zakat is an adherent’s commitment to charity, encompassing the notion of helping individuals to achieve world peace Hajj, also referred to as pilgrimage strengthens the worldwide commitment of Muslims to their religion and encourages equality and peace Through paying off debts and apologizing for any wrongdoings adherents are placed on the path to world peace, through common understanding and forgiveness. Examples: - Islam contributes to world peace through various initiatives, even though its is more difficult to do so due to misconceptions, arising from prejudice and issues in the Middle East. - Such misconceptions limit the Islamic capacity to encourage world peace as, especially in Western societies, Islam is often interpreted as the cause of violence and disorder. - Muslim Peace Fellowship: - aims to “work against injustice and for peace in our communities and our world” - number of interfaith initiatives which attempt to work towards world peace through strong communication between religions, ensuring understandings - for example the “Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice,” which aims to strengthen community understandings and promote peace. - ISRA (Islamic sciences and research academy of Australia): - promote cooperation between Australian Muslims and educational institutions in Australia

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Its very first conference in 2009 was focused on Peace Justice and Interfaith Dialogue, with special considerations taken towards steps to achieve world peace and methods to educate communities on its importance

What is the distinctive response of Christianity and Islam regarding peace? Peace is generically defined as either “freedom from disturbance” or “a state or period in which there is no war” (anon, dictionary.com, 22/5/17). The concept of peace is however of a much more complex and faceted nature, and can have an astronomical effect on individuals and more broadly the world. The religious traditions of Christianity and Islam share a common understanding and response to peace and recognize its broad and multifaceted nature, influenced through their principle teachings. The religious traditions respond to these principle teachings directly through the promotion of the attainment of inner and world peace (board of studies, 2011 HSC, sample answers). For both religious traditions, peace is regarded as a virtue and an overall sense of wellbeing, not merely an absence of violence and conflict. Inner peace and world peace are foundational elements that are strongly rooted in Christian and Islamic beliefs and sacred texts, the New Testament and the Qur’an and Hadith respectably. Through these texts and beliefs Christians and Muslims are taught to live at peace with themselves, and others both within their own communities and in the wider human family. (SOR2 and peace booklet) The Christian understanding of peace comprises of both inner and world peace. The primary meaning of peace is recognized as working in an active manner towards inner peace within the individual and towards positive relationships with God and with other people (understanding faith, chapter 48, part1, page 2). The New Testament understanding of the word ‘peace’ is inextricable from that of Judaism, whereby it is epitomized by the state of peace that existed in the Garden of Eden, where human beings lived in an idyllic condition and communed regularly with God. (Excel, HSC SOR 1 & 2, Paul Bulmer, Katherine Doret, pg. 186). The notion of perfect peace was lost when Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3), however the coming of Christ has the potential to restore peace, whereby peace is found in him. When Jesus returns he will bring everlasting physical and spiritual peace on Earth for Christian adherents (anon, bankstowntafehsc.doc, 22/5/17, pg. 1). The Bible, more specifically the New Testament is the authoritative and esteemed writing that defines the origins and characteristics of the Christian religious tradition. It provides the foundation for all Christian religious interpretations of peace (Lawrence E. Sullivan, Encyclopedia Britannica, Christianity, 4-3-2017). The New Testament is the normative text for Christian adherents, and is widely considered to be the principle and foundational source of teaching for all Christian adherents. Peace is a frequent and pervasive theme whereby it can be discovered in passages including Luke 2:14 and Matthew 5:9, through the announcement of the birth of Jesus and in the teachings of Jesus. The New Testament and its included actions and understandings teach adherents to live at peace with themselves and others, ensuring and maintaining inner and global peace. Through this section of the Holy Bible it is evident that Jesus was considered to be the Prince and source of peace (Isaiah 9:6), whereby Christian adherents are encouraged to model their “peacemaking” on his example in order to achieve inner and worldly peace, (SOR and peace booklet), “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The New Testament provides comprehensive teachings and principles on achieving, maintaining and responding to inner and world peace, through a Christian viewpoint. The principle beliefs and teachings of Christianity provide an understanding of the distinctive response to peace for adherents. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, forgiveness is available to the repentant sinner, allowing them to be at peace with God which is the very foundation of ‘inner peace.’ (Excel, HSC SOR 1 & 2, Paul Bulmer, Katherine Doret, pg. 187). It is a symbol that adherents are required to seek reconciliation rather than causing conflict in times of adversity, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (Corinthians 14:33) Additionally, Salvation is necessary to attain peace, through recognition that God is both imminent and transcendent, thus they are able to attain eternal peace with God, “in me you may have peace” (John 16:33). As humans are created in the image of likeness of God, all life should be respected and cared for and thus by adherents acting as

stewards of creations they are able to attain peace. It is thus evident that the importance of peace is paramount in Christian principle beliefs and provides the tradition with a distinctive response. (Excel, HSC SOR 1 & 2, Paul Bulmer, Katherine Doret, pg. 186) Inner peace is defined as an internal quality of calmness and security which puts the mind at ease and fills the adherent with a sense of tranquility and assurance, and is at the heart of the New Testament. Christian adherents can achieve inner peace through living out their vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ and directi...