By Angeliki Georgakopoulou,
In light of the tumult and physical conflict that exists around us, it is interesting to note how Christianity has approached matters of peace and war. Religious traditions, including Christianity, act as effective witnesses to the foundational tenets of inner and world peace. The teachings on peace, deriving from the sacred texts of Christianity, effectively guide adherents to attain inner peace, in order to extend it outwardly. As stated by Brutus in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (1599), religions work to promote tolerance and solidarity by offering love and forgiveness to all, even to enemies. Through the scope of sacred texts, significant practices and people, religions and particularly Christianity, encourage believers to actively pursue the “path of peace”.
With regards to Christianity, a particular emphasis is placed on peace as “the light of hope”. As outlined by Archbishop Romero, “Peace is not the product of terror or fear. […] Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all”. Hence, Christians are called to be makers and influencers of peace, by following Jesus’s teachings and archetypal example, which models the active commandment to be “peacemakers”.
Inner peace, within the context of Christianity, refers to the idyllic state of calmness enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, prior to humanity’s fall (Genesis 3). Christianity is governed by the principle to engage in the right relationship with God, as a means of attaining internal tranquillity. In Christianity, the practice of prayer acts as a path to inner peace.
St. Paul reassures Christians to “[…] be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication […] let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6-7). This understanding of peace further relates to the Catholic teaching of Pax Christi, which sheds light on the dichotomy between non-violent action and non-resisting pacifism. By personally encountering God through prayer, Lectio Divina, icons (in Orthodoxy), rosary beads (in Catholicism), meditation, and organizations such as the Taizé Community, a Christian is at peace within themselves and subsequently with enemies also.
Christians are also directed to find inner peace “in Christ Jesus. […] For He, Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:13-17). This also illuminates how Jesus Christ is positioned as the “Prince of Peace”, through His life and ministry, death and resurrection, which secured all salvation and perfect peace, by modeling the virtue of loving one’s enemy.
In addition, through the teachings of the Bible, peace is portrayed as a unifying force for Christians, as it becomes synonymous with the virtues of love and forgiveness. As referred to in Colossians 3:12-16, “even as Christ forgave you, so you must do”, Christians are called to imitate Christ’s loving-kindness by forgiving their enemies and valuing human life over spiritual and ideological differences in order for inner peace to be attained mutually.
Finally, the purpose of inner peace is to extend it outwards, as it can only come from the desire of individuals to be at peace with God and each other. As outlined by Matthew 5:9, “blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”, the Beatitudes provide adherents with the instruction to be at peace, thus encouraging Christians to be actively involved in conflict resolution, the result of which is inner and outer peace. In this way, within a fallen cosmos, individuals are able to reflect the divine character in their actions. Hence, the Bible affirms that one of the criteria for adoption as children of God is to be a peacemaker by initially attaining inner peace.
Achieving world peace is a distinctive feature and aim of Christianity. It is at the center of Christianity to foster true inner peace that will create outer tolerance and solidarity.
Through the principle teachings on peace, determined by the mission of Jesus Christ, Christianity has been able to contribute to the achievement of world peace, as one is guided to be kind to everyone, as all humans are made in the image and likeness of God. Mark 9:50 “Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another” reminds Christians that they can only model the virtues that they possess within themselves. Thus, world peace can only be achieved through inner peace.
Outer peace is also a direct result of forgiveness and an active Christian pursuit to make amends. In 1 Peter 3:9 it is stated that “Finally, all of you be of one mind […] not returning evil for evil”. Therefore, Christians understand peace as something to be expressed outwardly by offering forgiveness and remembering that “he who loves his brother abides in the light” (1 John 2:10-11). In this way, Christians are effectively guided to contribute to world peace by acknowledging both their friends and enemies as their “brothers” in Christ.
Additionally, outer peace is expressed in Christianity through a plethora of organizations and ecumenical bodies, that work towards tolerance and cohesion by fostering a notion of true harmony, through building a culture of peace in the world. Jesus says, “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5: 43‐45). This underpins the purpose of various Christian churches working together to restore peace by appreciating differences and discontinuing sectarianism, which was fuelled by enmity. On the other hand, the Decade to Overcome Violence launched in 2001 by the World Council of Churches shows churches coming together to seek reconciliation and peace. Thus, informed by sacred texts, adherents are effectively encouraged to exhibit a distinctively Christian response to outer peace, by overlooking differences in an effort to seek unity and extend Christ’s love to all.
As such, it is evident that Christianity effectively guides adherents to attain a sense of inner peace that leads to outer peace, through its pacifist nature. The principle teachings on peace, founded on the Bible, encourage individuals to be “peacemakers”, even during difficult times of turmoil and division.
References
- New King James Version, biblestudytools.com, Available here
- What does Christianity teach about war and peace?, bbc.co.uk, Available here
- What Does The Bible Say About Peace?, resoundinghislove.com, Available here
