WAGING PEACE

DO NOW:

Write a paragraph answering the question: What does it mean to have a peaceful society?

You may wish to write down characteristics of a peaceful society.

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE Conflict is inevitable When faced with conflict we have 2

choices for resolution1. Resolve conflict with violence2. Resolve conflict through peaceful creative

means

CONFLICT

Write: Brainstorm a list of common conflicts in a

teenagers life. With who do they occur and why? What feelings or words would you use to

describe conflict?

CONFLICT NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING:

Can happen in any relationship Arise from different needs and desires

2 kinds of conflict Inevitable Sinful

INEVITABLE CONFLICTS

No connection to the motives of people involved

May arise from differing needs No single right way to approach the situation-

sometimes there are just different ways

SINFUL CONFLICTS

Result from sinful actions Pursue own selfish interests with little or no

concern for the needs and desires of others Are not inevitable Arise from sinful motive

DO LATER

Write a paragraph describing an inevitable conflict you have experience. Write a second paragraph about a sinful conflict you have experienced. In a final paragraph, compare and contrast the experience.

DO NOW

Recall and write a paragraph description of an experience when they felt fully and intensely alive.

DISCUSS

Describe your experience List elements of your stories which were key

factors in your experiences.

List OneList One List TwoList Two

CalmCalm

QuietQuiet

StillStill

No tensionNo tension

IntenseIntense

ExcitingExciting

Active Active

ChallengingChallenging

DO LATER Choose the quotation that strikes you. Write key ideas in the quote about “what is

peace” and “what peace-making involves.” Answer the following questions: Do you believe the peace described in the

quotations is important to seek in our personal relationships? In our local communities? Nationally? Globally?

Do you believe God is actively involved in creating such peace in the world today?

In what ways do you already create such peace?

In what ways could you increase your peacemaking efforts?

CONFLICT IN A PEACEFUL WORLD Justice demands that conflicts rooted in

sin must be eliminated Natural conflicts will remain Help us grow and change Conflicts in a just world are resolved in a

positive, constructive and creative way Peace is not a static state of no conflict Peace is a dynamic way of relating

Resolve conflicts in creative ways-motivated by what is best for all

VIOLENCE: HARM AND DESTRUCTION

Violence refers to harming or destroying the well-being or existence of a person, group or community Can be physical or psychological

Touches every level of human relationships, from personal to global, including the environment

WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF VIOLENCE IN THE WORLD TODAY?

DO NOW:

In writing, agree or disagree with this statement: The effects of basic injustice, such as racism, sexism, and poverty, should be though of as violence.

INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE

Injustice as a form of violence Woven into the fabric of society Governments, businesses, schools, police

forces, churches Less visible Effects can be hard to trace Not obvious who is guilty

THE SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE

Violence is rarely isolated One act of violence almost always gives rise

to another act of violence

3 STRANDS

Violence #1: institutional caused by basic injustice

Violence #2: victim responds Violence #3: authority try to restore order by

force Spiral becomes self-perpetuating Can be seen on many levels-neighborhoods

as well as governments

IS VIOLENCE INEVITABLE?

THE SPIRAL CAN BE BROKEN

There are human capacities such as goodness, forgiveness, reconciliation

Overcome evil with goodness Breaking the spiral

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES

I believe that peacemaking involves the following attitudes and actions:

I believe that violence may be morally right in the following situations:

I believe that violence is morally wrong in these situations:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Are you in favor of using violence that seems to preserve or attain peace? Are you opposed to uses of violence that seem to destroy or inhibit peace?

Which of the following statements best describe your view? I believe that in some situations, violence can actually

create true peace I believe that violence can never create true peace; but it

can prevent further destruction of conditions necessary for true peace, so it may be a necessary step in peacemaking.

I believe that violence only leads to further violence.

Write a paragraph reflection: How do you believe God would answer this

question: Is violence ever morally right?

RESPONDING TO VIOLENCE

Meet violence with violence Often our first instinct Many people feel that in order to protect

themselves from violence they need to respond in a way that matches the threat

The way of Jesus Counter cultural message

OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD Love your enemies Be merciful Forgive

Jesus believed in meeting evil with goodness

Jesus could have responded to the Romans with violence

Instead Jesus showed a vision of a just world-he treated people with mercy, compassion, and loving service

DID JESUS AVOID CONFLICT?

Jesus’s anger came from his passion to see truth and justice in all areas of life and for the will of God to be done in the world

CHRISTIANS, VIOLENCE AND THE GOSPEL

Applying Jesus’s teachings… Focused around the issue of war What 2 approaches did we discuss in Church

History?

THE PRIORITY WAGING PEACE

Catholic teaching is on the side of peace Challenge for Christians is to address the

roots of war without causing war “If you want peace work for justice.”

Pope Paul VI

WAGING PEACE THROUGH LOVE Active non-violence

Takes seriously Jesus’s command to love one’s enemy

What are examples of active non-violence? Love your enemies as neighbors

Genuine concern for well-being Respect human rights and dignity Believe in innate goodness Believe in their capacity to change

NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED

Person must cultivate the virtues of courage, passion, patience, perseverance and humility

What does each of these mean?

RECONCILIATION Restoration of harmony Win the opponent over by awakening sense

of moral goodness Fosters healing, wholeness, and a just

community We must build communities of reconciliation What are ways we can resolve conflict in our

communities?

WAGING PEACE ON A GLOBAL SCALE

War is a common response to conflict Nations of the world spend a lot of time,

money, energy on preparing for war What are other ways we can respond to

international conflict?

EIGHT WAYS

1. Address the background conditions that might lead to war

2. Stop the proliferation of weapons among all nations

3. Enforce embargoes and economic sanctions, and give them time to work

4. Scale military systems down to defensive levels only.

5. Practice diplomacy and negotiation.6. Employ third and fourth party

intermediaries7. Allocate more authority and resources to

international organizations such as the United Nations

8. Engage in non-violent resistance and civilian-based defense

BEING PEACE

Learn how to be peace How can we be peace in the world?