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14 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is the Just War Theory? |
The Just War Theory is a set of conditions from Thomas Aquinas which make the war necessary and fair. For a war to be just, it has to satisfy the following conditions: -Last resort (all other options must have been tried first and if peaceful means and negotiations have failed) -Just cause (there must be a just cause for going to war) -Legal authority (only a legitimate authority can start the war, such as presidents, prime ministers, united nations) -Chance of success (there must be a reasonable change of success) -Civilians are protected (the war is fought against soldiers and civilians must be protected) |
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What are some examples of wars? |
The Crusades was a Holy War, and it was not just because it was not a last resort. WW2 was a just war from the Allies point of view, but not a just war from the Nazi's point of view. Vietnam was not a just war because it killed lots of civilians and was not a last resort. |
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What are some other Christian attitudes towards war? |
Some Christians may support a holy war, which is a war fought on religious grounds. An example of a holy war is the Crusades. |
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What attitudes does the Bible show towards the use of violence?
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In the Old Testament, there is a quote; "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.", which suggests the idea of retaliation. In the New Testament, Jesus preached a different message - "If someone strikes on your right cheek turn and offer them your left cheek", which suggests people should take a pacifist stance and not use violence. Jesus also states "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" |
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What are some attitudes towards using violence?
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There are many people who are opposed to fighting for religious and non-religious reasons. One of the most well-known groups of pacifists is the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Some people will still participate in the war effort such as driving ambulances and providing support services but will not fight under any conditions. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Minister and a pacifist, who joined a group which planned to assassinate Hitler; he believed violence was the only option to stop Hitler. There are also people who morally object to war and they are known as conscientious objectors. |
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What are the aims of punishment? |
Deterrence - punishment should put people off committing a crime. Protection - punishment should protect society from the criminal and the criminal from themselves. Reformation - punishment should reform the criminal. Retribution - punishment should make the criminal pay for what they have done wrong. Reparation - punishment should compensate the victim(s) of a crime. Vindication - the punishment makes sure that the law is respected. |
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How do prison and capital punishment meet aims of punishment? |
Prison meets the aims of deterrence, protection and reformation. Capital punishment meets the aims of protection and deterrence. |
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How do Christians respond to punishment? |
Christianity teaches that people should be treated fairly, and God wants the world to be ruled justly. Many crimes treat people unfairly. Punishments ensure that justice is done. Christians do not believe in taking revenge when they have been wronged. They believe that they should forgive the sins of others, in the same way that they believe God forgives them for their sins. |
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How do Christians respond to capital punishment? |
Christians believe that it is important for people to be punished, but allow them them to be forgiven and give them a second chance. For these reasons, the death penalty (capital punishment) is not approved of in Christianity. Jesus also taught about judgement and how important it is not to judge others. He said that "if any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her", which implies that no one is completely free from sin and therefore unable to judge others. |
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How do Christians think criminals should be treated? |
Christians believe in justice and therefore Christians believe that criminals should be treated justly. They follow the example of Jesus, who taught that Christians should reform sinners and not be judgemental in their attitude. As well as reform, some Christians would consider protection and deterrence to be important aims of punishment. These help to ensure safety in society. They also believe criminals should be treated justly while in prison, and be given the opportunity to reform. Some Christians consider Old Testament teachings to be as important as New Testament teachings and therefore they may believe that retribution is an important aim of punishment. They may think that criminals should be treated in a way that reflects the crime they have committed. |
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What are Christian responses to the treatment of prisoners? |
Many Christians are concerned with the welfare of prisoners. They may campaign for prison reform, visit prisoners, or vote for a political party that reflects their views on justice equality. Jesus taught that people who help those in prison will go to Heaven. This is because Jesus identifies himself with the outcasts, including prisoners. Those who treat the outcasts well will have eternal life, which means they will go to Heaven. An example of a Christian response to those who commit crime is the Paulist Prison Ministries. They work with prisoners and detainees, helping to rehabilitate them into society. |
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What is social injustice, and why are Christians against it? |
Social injustice is often used when some people are seen to be discriminated against in a society and have fewer rights than others. This goes against the teaching that everyone is equal in God's eyes. Everyone was created by God and should be treated with the same respect. Camillo Torres and Oscar Romero are famous examples of priests who fought against social injustice. Martin Luther King also fought against racial prejudice and social injustice. |
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What is Liberation theology? |
Liberation theology is a modern development in the Christian Church which is particularly concerned with issues of equality and fairness for all. The work of liberation theologians is seen most clearly in Latin America and in some parts of Asia and Africa. |
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What are some key quotes? |
-"Do not kill"
-"Made in the image of God" -"Love your neighbour as you love yourself" (Jesus) -"Treat others in the way you want to be treated" (Golden rule) -Just war theory -"Blessed are the peacemakers" (Jesus) -"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" -"I was in prison and you came to visit me" |
