Peace & Conflict

Archbishop Desmund Tutu helped overthrow Apartheid, then helped reconcile Black and White South Africans. What did he say about peace?

"There can be no future unless there is peace. There can be no peace unless there is reconciliation." Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Quote a verse from the Bible that promotes justice.

"Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Book of Proverbs (Old Testament)

How many times did Jesus say we should forgive those who have wronged us? (Quote!)

"Not seven times, but seventy-seven times" Jesus, Gospel of Matthew (New Testament)

Describe a time when Jesus seems to have engaged in violent protest.

He chased the traders out of the Temple with a whip.

Which Christian denomination is famous for its non-violent protests?

The Quakers

What did Jesus say to his followers they tried to violently prevent his arrest? (Quote!)

"Put your sword back in its place [...], for all who draw the sword will die by the sword." Gospel of Matthew (New Testament)

What did the founder of engaged Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh, say about violent protest? (Quote!)

Nonviolent action [...] is the most effective way to confront adversity

What do all major world religions today teach about terrorism?

It is never justified.

Give two ways we might distinguish between terrorism and (violent) protest.

(1) Protest targets a specific policy, whereas terrorism targets the state in general; (2) Protest is a political action, whereas terrorists reject the political process; (3) Protest achieves its goal by communicating a message, whereas terrorism achieves its goal through spreading fear and panic.

Quote a verse from the Bible that could be used to condemn terrorism.

The Lord hates "hands that shed innocent blood" Book of Proverbs (Old Testament)

Quote a verse from the Bible about greed as a reason for war.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Paul's Letter to Timothy (New Testament)

Quote a saying of the Dalai Lama relevant to retaliation as a reason for war.

"While revenge weakens society, forgiveness gives it strength." Dalai Lama

What do Buddhists believe about self-defence as a reason for war?

It is unjustified. (Although the Dalai Lama fled Tibet with an armed guard in 1959)

Quote a saying of Jesus relevant to self-defence as a reason for war.

"If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." Matthew 5:39 (NT)

Quote a saying of the Buddha relevant to self-defence as a reason for war.

"Even if thieves carve you limb from limb with a double-handed saw, if you make your mind hostile you are not following my teaching." Parable of the Saw

What is the latin term for a set of rules that says when war should be waged

jus ad bellum

What is the latin term for a set of rules that says how war should be fought. ?

jus in bello

Name the six "jus ad bellum" criteria of the Christian just war theory?

Legitimate authority; just cause; just intention; last resort; reasonable chance of success; proportionality.

Name the three "jus in bello" criteria of the Christian just war theory.

Proportionality; discrimination; no malum in se.

Quote a verse from the Bible relevant to just war theory.

"When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace." Book of Deuteronomy (Old Testament)

Give three reasons why religious believers may support the just war theory.

People have a natural right to self-defence; it applies religious ideals to the the "real world"; God's people fought wars in the Old Testament; the theory only justifies a tiny fraction of historial wars (e.g. those fought in self-defence), which is a good thing.

Give two reasons why religious believers may oppose the just war theory.

There is never a "just cause" for war; the idea of "just cause" is subjective; all violence is "mal in se"; there are always peaceful alternatives. On the other hand, a war may be just but lack a legitimate authority (e.g. the French Resistance); it may sometimes be necessary to target civilians (e.g. Nagasaki and Hiroshima).

Give a Biblical example of holy war.

The Israelites conquering the "Promised Land", led by the prophet Joshua.

Quote a verse from the Bible about holy war

"Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and fighting men.'" Book of Joshua (Old Testament)

What is the difference between absolute pacifism and conditional pacifism?

Absolute pacifists believe violence is always wrong; conditional pacifists believe that violence is always wrong in principle, but in practice it is sometimes unavoidable.

Which Christian denomination is famous for its pacifist beliefs?

The Quakers

Quote a verse from the Bible that supports pacifism.

"Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you." Gospel of Matthew (New Testament)

Give an example of Christians engaging in non-violent struggle

Martin Luther King organised the Montgomery Bus boycott in protest against segratation laws in the USA.

Give an example of Buddhists engaging in non-violent struggle.

The Saffron Revolution. Buddhist monks turned their alms bowls upside down in protest at the government in Myanmar.

How many people were killed in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

226,000

What has Pope Francis said about nuclear weapons? (Quote!)

"A world without nuclear weapons is both possible and necessary"

What has the Dalai Lama said about nuclear war? (Quote!)

"There will be no victors, because there will be no survivors."

How might the just war theory be used to condemn weapons of mass destruction?

They are not proportionate and cannot discriminate between soldiers and civilians. They may also be malum in se.

Some of God's punishments in the Old Testament resemble the effects of nuclear weapons. For example, what did God say would happen to Jerusalem's enemies in the book of Zechariah?

"Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths." Book of Zechariah (Old Testament)

The Coventry Litany of Reconciliation was written after the Cathedral was bombed in WW2. Can you quote its first line?

"The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class, Father forgive" Litany of Reconciliation

What is "engaged Buddhism"?

A peace movement that puts Buddhist principles into action. In Vietnam, engaged Buddhists used non-violent methods to protest against the war, helped its victims, and worked towards reconciliation.

Who was the founder of "engaged Buddhism"?

Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk. He wrote a book called "Lotus in a Sea of Fire: A Buddhist Proposal for Peace"

Name a Christian charity which helps victims of war.

Christian Aid

Name a Buddhist charity which helps victims of war.

The Tzu Chi Foundation, based in Taiwan.

How did Jesus respond to victims of violence? (Quote!)

When Roman soldiers came to arrest him, his disciple, Peter, cut off a soldier's ear. 'But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.' Gospel of Luke, New Testament.