Peace and conflict

• Throughout history people have gone to war (fighting between nations to resolve issues between them). Often the intention of those fighting a war is to create peace - an absence of conflict, which leads to happiness and harmony.
• Many wars are fought to achieve justice - what is right and fair, according to the law, or making up for a wrong that has been committed.
• Christians and Muslims believe that forgiveness (pardoning someone for what they have done wrong) and reconciliation (restoring friendly relationships after conflict) should follow after a war.
• Christians

  Although the Church teaches that killing is wrong, many Christians have been prepared to fight for their faith or their country. Other Christians, e.g. Quakers (who are pacifists), believe war is always wrong and they work to prevent it.
• Muslims

  The main message of Islam is peace (salam means 'peace' or 'safety'). Fighting in self-defence or in defence of faith can be justified, but fighting without just cause is against the will of God and Muslim teachings.
• For Muslims and Christians the concepts of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation are important both in the aftermath of conflict and as tools to prevent war happening in the first place.
• Peace

  May be hard to achieve through war because its aftermath is often instability and resentment. Christians and Muslims seek inner peace and tranquillity through prayer and meditation. The prophet Isaiah spoke of a time when God will bring peace, and the Qur'an also emphasises peace.
• Justice

  Isaiah says God, the ultimate judge, will establish justice. Justice is linked to equality of opportunity. If more privileged parts of the world are seen to be the cause of injustice, conflict may result. In Islam 'the Just' is one of the 99 names for God who gives humans laws to follow.
• Isaiah 2:4: Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.'
• Qur'an 25:63: when aggressive people address them, reply with words of peace.'
• Forgiveness

  Christians are taught to forgive others if they wish to be forgiven (the Lord's Prayer). Forgiveness does not mean no action should be taken to right a wrong, but when conflict is over forgiveness should follow. Both Muslims and Christians believe God offers forgiveness to all who ask in faith.
• Reconciliation

  Reconciliation means a conscious effort to rebuild a relationship which has been damaged by conflict. It is also important in the prevention of conflict.
• The right to protest (express disapproval, often in a public group) is a fundamental democratic freedom. UK law allows peaceful public protest marches if police are told six days before so that violence (actions that threaten or harm others) can be avoided.
• Terrorism (the unlawful use of violence, usually against innocent civilians, to achieve a political goal) is a more serious form of violent protest.
• Christians

  Believe that protest to achieve what is right is acceptable as long as violence is not used. The Christian pastor Dr Martin Luther King Jr organised peaceful protests against unjust racist laws, which succeeded in bringing civil rights to African-American citizens.
• Islam

  Fighting is only allowed in self-defence or defence of the faith and only against those who actively fight against you.
• Qur'an 4:29-30: 'Do not kill each other, for God is merciful to you.
• Romans 12:17-19: 'Do not repay anyone evil for evil...
• Terrorists may link their cause with a religion, but no religion promotes terrorism. Most Christians and Muslims believe terrorism is wrong as it targets innocent people.
• Greed, self-defence, and retaliation are some reasons for war.
• The Bible and the Qur'an warn against greed.
• 1 Timothy 6:10: 'For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.'
• Many Christians and Muslims think that fighting in self-defence is justified if all other ways of resolving conflict have been tried and failed.
• Matthew 5:39: If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.'
• Islam teaches that God knows the need for justice so permits 'fair retribution' (Qur'an 2:179), but retaliation must be measured: torture and mutilation are strictly forbidden under Islamic law. Forgiveness is a better response to avoid bloodshed and be rewarded by God.
• Qur'an 22:39: 'Those who have been attacked are permitted to take up arms
• Nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, and biological weapons are weapons of mass destruction that devastate huge areas and kill large numbers of people. No religion supports the use of these weapons.
• The use of nuclear weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II caused 140,000 deaths in Hiroshima alone. Since then, many countries have developed nuclear weapons as a deterrent.
• The Chemical Weapons Convention (1993) made the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons illegal worldwide. Biological weapons introduce harmful bacteria and viruses into the atmosphere, food or water supplies that can kill large numbers of people.
• Christian beliefs

  Only God has the right to end life. Nuclear, chemical and biological weapons kill huge numbers of innocent civilians so their use can never be justified. Some Christians see the possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent to maintain peace and prevent attack.
• Muslim beliefs

  God created all life on earth and Muslims have a duty to care for and preserve it. The use of nuclear weapons would destroy God's creation, killing millions of innocent people. Some Muslims see the possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent to maintain peace and prevent attack.
• Exodus 20:13: 'You shall not murder.'
• Qur'an 2:195: 'Do not contribute to your destruction with your own
• Just war

  A war which meets internationally accepted criteria for fairness; follows traditional Christian rules for a just war and is now accepted by other religions
• Just war theory

  • Gives the conditions that must apply if a war is justifiable
  • Rules on how the war must be fought to make sure it is ethical
• Conditions of a just war

  • Be fought for a just cause (e.g. in self-defence or to defend others, not to gain territory or resources or in retaliation)
  • Be declared by a proper legal authority
  • Have a just intention (fought to promote good or defeat wrongdoing; justice and peace must be restored afterwards)
  • Be a last resort (other ways of solving the problem tried first)
  • Have a reasonable chance of success (the good gained by winning should outweigh the evil which led to the war)
  • Be proportional (excessive force should not be used and innocent civilians must not be killed)
• Rules about how a war must be fought

  • The war should be fought by just means (innocent civilians should not be targeted or harmed)
  • Only appropriate force should be used (including type of force and how much force)
  • Internationally agreed conventions must be obeyed (Geneva Convention rules)
• Muslim attitudes to conduct in a war

  • Muslim armies must not harm innocent civilians, animals, fruit-bearing trees or people who are devout in their faith, such as monks
  • Dead bodies must not be mutilated and prisoners must be treated in a civilised way
  • Wars should be proportional and fought without anger, but it is better to avoid war if possible
  • Soldiers must be of sound mind and body and prisoners should be treated in a civilised way
• The evil of war is swift, and its taste bitter
• Holy war

  Fighting for a religious cause or God, probably controlled by a religious leader