🙏 Peace comes from God
Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you" (John 14:27). Many Christians pray for inner peace and for peace in the world.
Christian Beliefs about Peace and Conflict » Peace and Jesus the Peacemaker
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 3.2 (Christianity)
- What peace means to Christians and why it matters to them
- Jesus as a peacemaker: the Beatitudes, the Prince of Peace and his arrest
- Christian pacifism, including the Quakers' peace testimony
- Why many other Christians do not accept pacifism
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Unlock This CourseWhat peace means to Christians
In Peace, Pacifism, Forgiveness and Reconciliation you saw that peace is more than the absence of war. This lesson looks at what Christians add to that idea.
For Christians, peace is first of all a gift from God. The Hebrew word shalom, used throughout the Old Testament, means wholeness: people at peace with God, with each other and with themselves. Christians believe this peace was broken when people turned away from God, and that Jesus came to put it right.
Key terms:
- Shalom: the Hebrew word for peace, meaning wholeness, safety and good relationships.
- Beatitudes: the opening blessings of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), where Jesus says who is blessed.
- Prince of Peace: a title from Isaiah 9:6 that Christians apply to Jesus.
- Peace testimony: the Quaker belief that they must never use violence, because there is that of God in everyone.
Why peace is important to Christians
🤝 Peace is a duty
Christians are told to "live at peace with everyone" as far as they can (Romans 12:18). Many churches share "the peace" with a handshake or greeting during worship.
Christians also believe every person is made in the image of God. Harming people harms something God values, so Christians are called to seek peace and work against violence.
Jesus the peacemaker
Christians look to Jesus as the model peacemaker. Three things are often cited.
📖 Blessed are the peacemakers
In the Beatitudes Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9). Christians take this to mean that making peace is part of following him.
👑 Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6 names a coming ruler as "Prince of Peace". Christians believe this is Jesus. In Luke's account of his birth, the angels announce peace on earth (Luke 2:14).
🛡️ Refusing violence
When Jesus was arrested, one follower drew a sword. Jesus told him to put it away (Matthew 26:52) and healed the injured man (Luke 22:51). He also told Pilate that his kingdom was "not of this world" (John 18:36).
Jesus also taught his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who hurt them (Matthew 5:44). Christians see his death on the cross as the greatest example of giving up your life without fighting back. Some Christians also point out that Jesus did not avoid all trouble. He drove traders out of the Temple courts and challenged powerful people (Mark 11:15-17). They say peacemaking is active, not passive.
Church teachings about peace
Churches teach that Christians should be active peacemakers. They pray for peace, speak out against injustice and support people hurt by war. Many Christians believe real peace needs justice. Without fairness, they argue, any "peace" will not last.
Christian pacifism
Pacifists refuse to fight. Christian pacifists base this on the teaching of Jesus: love your enemies, turn the other cheek, and "all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52). They say violence always creates more violence.
The Quakers' peace testimony
The Quakers (the Religious Society of Friends) are the best-known Christian pacifist group. In 1660 they told King Charles II that they rejected all wars and fighting with outward weapons, for any reason. They call this the peace testimony. They believe there is "that of God" in everyone, so they cannot harm anyone. In the world wars many Quakers refused to fight, and some served in the Friends Ambulance Unit, helping the wounded without carrying weapons.
Why other Christians do not accept pacifism
- Just War: Catholics and many Anglicans accept that war can be justified as a last resort (see Just War Theory in Christianity).
- Protecting others: they say love for your neighbour can mean defending the weak. Doing nothing while innocent people are attacked could be a sin of omission.
- Government: Romans 13:4 says rulers "do not bear the sword for no reason", so they may use force to keep order.
- Real cases: the German Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer joined a plot against Hitler and was executed in 1945. He believed that, in extreme cases, Christians must act.
Pacifists reply that Jesus never told anyone to kill, and that violence cannot truly end violence. Catholic teaching respects those who refuse to fight for reasons of conscience.
Common mistakes
Writing that all Christians are pacifists. They are not: many accept Just War. Another mistake is to say the Quakers are not Christians. They are a Christian group. Finally, do not write "peace means no war" on its own. Christians also talk about justice, forgiveness and peace as a gift from God.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three Christian teachings or titles linked to peace. [3 marks]
Model answer (a)
1. Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers" (1). 2. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (1). 3. "Love your enemies" (1).
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two reasons why this religion teaches that peace is important. [4 marks]
Model answer (b)
In Christianity, peace is important because it is a gift from God (1): Jesus said "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you", so Christians pray for it (1). It is also important because Jesus said peacemakers are blessed (1), so Christians believe they should work for peace as part of following him (1).
(c) Explain why some Christians are pacifists. [6 marks]
Model answer (c)
Some Christians are pacifists because they follow the example and teaching of Jesus. He told his followers to love their enemies and turn the other cheek, and Christians call him the Prince of Peace. Pacifists also point to his arrest, when he told a follower to put away his sword and warned that those who draw the sword will die by it. This leads them to believe that violence is always wrong. The Quakers, for example, have a peace testimony which says they must never use violence, because they believe there is something of God in everyone. Pacifists also argue that violence only creates more violence, so peace has to be won in peaceful ways. For these reasons they refuse to fight, even in wartime.
(d) "Christians should never fight in a war." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]
Plan for (d)
For: Jesus taught love of enemies and refused violence at his arrest; Quakers keep the peace testimony; violence creates more violence. Against: Just War theory allows war as a last resort; Romans 13:4 says rulers may use force; love of neighbour can mean defending the weak, as Bonhoeffer believed. Other view: a humanist might support defending others using reason, not scripture. Possible conclusion: pacifism is strongest as a personal calling, but because "never" covers every situation, the statement is too strong for most Christians.
Exam tip
In a 12-mark answer, name a Christian group on each side (Quakers for, Just War Christians against) and judge which argument is stronger.