Holy War & Pacifism (AQA GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Religion as a reason for war

When is religion seen as justification for war?

• Some wars are fought because of religious beliefs

  • Some religions believe war is justified to defend faith

• Historically, some religions have justified war to spread religion

• Some religions feel that war is justified to protect holy places

• Other people may believe that defending religious freedom justifies war

• Catholic Christianity teaches that war is always a tragedy but may be justified in limited circumstances

The Crusades

• The Crusades (1095–1291) were wars fought between Christians and Muslims

  • The wars aimed to reclaim the Holy Land (Jerusalem) for Christianity

  • Soldiers believed fighting was God’s will

  • The Pope promised soldiers forgiveness of their sins

• Today, the Catholic view of these events is very different

  • The Church now rejects the Crusades

  • Violence in God’s name contradicts Jesus’s teachings on peace and love

Modern wars and religious extremism

• Some modern wars involve religious extremism

• Religion may be used to justify violence and unite followers

• Often, religion is mixed with political or economic causes

• This is rejected by Catholics who believe that:

  • True Christianity should never promote hatred or terrorism

  • Violence in the name of religion is a misuse of faith

Biblical perspectives on war

What are biblical perspectives on war?

• The Bible contains different perspectives on war, especially between the Old Testament and the New Testament

• Catholics believe the Bible must be interpreted carefully and in context

Old Testament views on war

• The Old Testament shows that war can be justified

  • Parts of the Old Testament show that war  was sometimes permitted or even commanded by God

  • Israelites fought wars to defend themselves, to protect the Promised Land and to obey God’s instructions

    • For example, the Israelites fought enemies such as the Canaanites

    • God is presented as supporting the Israelites in battle

    • The Bible states that “The Lord is a warrior” (Exodus 15:3) 

      • This suggests that God permits war

  • From the Old Testament, Catholics learn that war was sometimes seen as necessary in a violent ancient world

    • These passages influenced just war theory, which is still influential today

    • However, Catholics do not believe these stories justify modern religious violence

New Testament views on war

• New Testament views on war are very different

  • Jesus’s teachings strongly emphasise peace, love and forgiveness

  • The teachings of Jesus encourage Catholics to avoid war and look for non-violent methods of avoiding conflict

  • There are many biblical quotes from Jesus supporting this view, including:

    • “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44)

    • “Put your sword back in its place” (Matthew 26:52)

    • “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9)

• Catholic teaching is also based on the New Testament, which teaches that:

  • Violence goes against Jesus’s example

  • Christians should aim for peaceful solutions

  • War should always be avoided if possible

The role of religion in 21st-century conflicts

What is the role of religion in 21st-century conflicts?

• In the 21st century, religion is rarely the only cause of conflict

• It can influence people’s beliefs and actions and be used to justify violence

  • It can also be used to unite groups or increase divisions

• Most conflicts involve a mix of causes, which can be:

  • Political

  • Ethnic

  • Economic

  • Religious

• Religion can play an important role for many reasons

  • Some groups believe they are acting on God’s will

    • Religious differences can increase tension and mistrust

    • Sacred land and holy sites can cause disputes

  • Some religious groups use religion to justify violence

    • Extremist groups sometimes misuse religious teachings

    • Violence can be presented as morally justified

    • Sacred texts are taken out of context

• Catholics believe that acts of this nature are a distortion of religion

  • They also believe that true religion promotes peace and respect for life

Conflict in the Middle East

• Conflicts in the Middle East have occurred for many years

  • Historically, these have involved Islam, Judaism and Christianity

  • The reasons for the conflicts are related to religion but are also connected to territory, politics and national identity

• Recently, there have also been religiously motivated extremist groups

  • Groups such as ISIS claim that their religion supports violence

    • However, most religious believers reject their actions

  • Religion is often used to recruit and control followers

• Catholics believe that religion should promote peace rather than cause conflict

  • They argue that violence in God’s name is always wrong

• Catholics always encourage interfaith dialogue to help reduce conflict

  • They believe that this encourages understanding, cooperation and peaceful problem-solving

Different perspectives on pacifism

What is pacifism?

• A pacifist is a person who believes that:

  • War and violence can never be justified

  • Conflicts should be settled peacefully

• Pacifists strongly believe that it is best to work to prevent war from happening

• Promoting justice and human rights is an important part of this

  • They will not participate in any war, regardless of the reasons for that war

• All religions:

  • Teach the importance of peace on Earth

  • Encourage their followers to live peacefully

• Throughout history, there have always been people prepared to refuse to use violence or fight in wars, even if it meant they faced imprisonment for their beliefs

• Conscientious objectors are people who refuse to participate directly in fighting wars on the grounds of conscience

  • Sometimes, they will assist in non-military ways, such as medics, relief workers and mediators

Different Christian views on pacifism

• Christian pacifists believe that peace can come through religious faith, supported by prayer and meditation

  • Being at peace with oneself helps people to avoid conflict with others

  • The early Christians practised non-violence and would not take revenge, even on their persecutors

  • Many Christian pacifists today take their inspiration from the life and teaching of Jesus, who did not resist arrest and allowed himself to be crucified for the love of the human race

• Jesus taught his followers to live and work for peace

• Many Christian pacifists are willing to die, but not kill, for their beliefs

  • During the First and Second World Wars, many Christian pacifists refused to fight and faced punishment as a result

  • Many who refused to fight joined the war effort in other non-combat roles, such as doctors, nurses, cooks and mechanics

  • These were often dangerous jobs and some lost their lives, but they died knowing that their war effort did not involve killing other people

• However, not all Christians are pacifists because some believe that war and conflict can be justified under certain criteria

  • For example, some Christians believe in a just war 

  • Some Christians use the example of Jesus, who protested violently against people in the temple who were exploiting others

Absolute pacifism

• Some Catholics support absolute pacifism, believing that all violence and war are always wrong 

• This is based on the belief that Jesus taught love, forgiveness and non-violence in the Bible

  • For example, when he said “Love your enemies” and refused to fight back even when threatened

• These Catholics argue that Jesus’s actions show the perfect example of how Christians should live, as he accepted suffering rather than using violence

  • This means that Christians should always respond peacefully, even in situations of injustice or persecution

• The official Catholic Church does not accept absolute pacifism because it believes that refusing to use force in all situations could allow innocent people to be harmed

Relative (conditional) pacificism

• Most Catholics follow relative (conditional) pacifism

• This teaches that although war and violence are usually wrong, they may be morally justified in extreme circumstances

  • This could be situations such as self-defence or protecting innocent people from serious harm

  • This view is closely linked to just war theory, which states that war can only be justified if it meets strict conditions

• Catholics who support this view believe violence should never be used for revenge, power or religious hatred

  • Instead, it can only be used to restore peace and protect human life when no other options remain

• In modern Catholic teaching, there is a strong emphasis on peace, dialogue and reconciliation

• The Catholic Church teaches that war is always a tragedy and a failure of humanity, even when it is considered morally justified