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INTENTION : |
Promotion of World Peace - We pray that Christians, followers of other religions, and all people of goodwill may promote peace and justice in the world.
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Promotion of World Peace
A"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9). This call to be peacemakers, offered to all disciples of Jesus Christ, is a privilege, a vocation, and a challenge.
The urgency and universality of the call to followers of all religions and spiritual traditions to be peacemakers in our world are unquestionable.
There are several contributing factors to violence today: poor governance, corruption, the rise of sectarianism, militant secularism, exclusive nationalism and populist movements, regional domination, and global economic inequalities.
A particular aspect of most contemporary conflicts is the apparent and sometimes dramatic association between violence and religion. In several regions of our world, religion is manipulated and misused to justify conflict, aggression, and the deliberate killing of human beings.
The essence of true religion is to promote peace: authentic religion is thus not a part of the problem but a part of the solution. Adherents of other religions, and all people of goodwill must work together to respond to being part of the solution.
Drawing on the resources we hold in common as representatives of diverse Christian traditions, we aim to make a constructive contribution to peace making through education in our multi-religious world.
Education for peace becomes imperative in our current context, which is characterized by the loss of human life, property and infrastructure, the immigration and refugee crises, the impact upon the environment, the traumatization of entire generations, and the use of finite resources to fuel the stockpiling of arms at the expense of education and development.
A Christian basis for education for peace
- Christ is our peace (cf. Ephesians 2:14). The link between Jesus Christ and peace stands at the heart of Christian faith; and it is reflected in his birth, death on the cross and resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit. The birth of Christ is marked by a divine proclamation of peace (cf. Luke 2:14). The primary word and gift of the Risen Lord to his disciples is peace (cf. Luke 24:36; John 20:21). It is a unique gift - "I do not give as the world gives" (John 14:27) - because it eliminates evil and violence at the very root.
- As beneficiaries of Christ's gift of peace, his disciples are called to be artisans of peace. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, sends his disciples as peace-givers: "When you enter a house, say: "Peace to this house" (Luke 10:5). Even in the face of violence, he walked the path of nonviolence to the end. Further, he prevented his disciples from using violence to carry forward their mission (cf. 3 Luke 9:54-55) - to proclaim to announce Christ who is "our peace." An important sign of the Spirit which is given to the disciples to mark the life of the Church is "peace" (cf. Galatians 5:22), and such peace needs to rule in their hearts to enable them to fulfil their calling as one body (cf. Colossians 3:15).
- Peace is intrinsically linked to righteousness and justice, for "righteousness and peace will kiss each other" (Psalm 85:10) and to the right of all people to have the resources for a dignified life. The Hebrew word shalom, which underlies the biblical vision of peace, speaks of the harmony and flourishing of all creation. It tells us that peace with God, peace within oneself, peace with others, and peace with creation are all interrelated. Just as an act of violence marred the first creation (cf. Genesis 4:8), the presence of peace and wisdom is a mark of the new creation (cf. Isaiah 11:6ff).
- The cherishing and valuing of education are intrinsic to Christian tradition and practice, and owe much of their significance to the biblical wisdom tradition. The importance of Jesus' own authoritative teaching role was noted by his contemporaries (cf. Matthew 7:29; Mark 1:22). His use of parables as a primary teaching tool showed his willingness to take seriously the life contexts and situations of those he was addressing. The word "disciple," which is a key New Testament term for the followers of Jesus, emphasizes their role as "learners."
- Peace, also understood as the restoration of right relationships, brings out the fundamental links between sin, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Such an understanding of peace in the Christian tradition finds its origin and centre in the cross and resurrection of Christ and its ongoing expression in the life of the Church, in particular in baptism and the Eucharist (cf. Ephesians 2:14- 18). Recognizing the preeminent role of grace in the ministry of reconciliation is a constant reminder of the need for Christians to be self-critical and honest about our failings as peacemakers at many moments in human history. 4
- Peace making entails paying attention to both the past and the future. Christian faith affirms the need to honour as well as heal past memories, when necessary, through forgiveness. Christ's experience of suffering, death, and resurrection can challenge us to a different way of living, reconciling us with God and with one another. "While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son" (Romans 5:10). Jesus' teachings also underline the importance of restorative justice (cf. Luke 18:1-8). Redressing the grievances of the past needs to go hand in hand with care for the future. Such care requires serious commitment to appropriate educational processes for young people, and a willingness to ensure that the future does not repeat the mistakes of the past and present.
- Christian faith in the Triune God teaches that the divine persons are really distinct from, yet related to, one another. This can inspire peacebuilding in a multi-religious world. The analogy of the Trinitarian communion provides a pattern for Christian engagement with followers of other religions in a way which can hold together both communion and particularity. God desires to incorporate us into the reality of communion. We are one human family, and God calls us to understand ourselves as interrelated and interconnected and stimulates us to live in solidarity and mutual love and to work for reconciliation and peace.
Joint reflection of:
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Office for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation of the World Council of Churches.
21 May 2019
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