How do religions work for peace?
Religious teachings on peace, pacifism, the work of peacemaking and reconciliation, and how believers respond to the victims of war.
A focused answer on pacifism and peacemaking for AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062), covering teachings on peace, pacifism, reconciliation and helping victims of war.
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What this dot point is asking
AQA wants you to explain religious teachings on peace, pacifism, the work of peacemaking and reconciliation, and how believers respond to the victims of war. Keep pacifism (a belief) distinct from peacemaking (active work), and be ready to weigh pacifism against the just war view.
Peace and pacifism
Some Christians, especially Quakers, are strict pacifists who refuse to fight in any war and have historically served as conscientious objectors and medics instead. They point to Jesus, who taught "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), and who did not resist arrest with violence. In Islam, peace (salam) is a goal and a greeting, and most Muslims see fighting as only a last resort under the strict conditions of lesser jihad. Not all believers are pacifists, however; many accept a just war to defend the innocent, which is the main alternative view.
Peacemaking and reconciliation
Reconciliation flows from the belief that God forgives, so believers are called to forgive and to help former enemies live together, rather than seeking revenge.
Helping victims of war
Religious aid agencies such as Christian Aid, CAFOD and Islamic Relief support the victims of war by providing food, shelter, clean water and medical help to refugees, the injured and the displaced. This puts into practice the teaching to love your neighbour and care for the suffering, and is a form of peacemaking that addresses the human cost of conflict.
For the exam, keep three things distinct that students often blur: pacifism (the belief that all violence is wrong), peacemaking (the active work of building and restoring peace) and reconciliation (specifically the healing of broken relationships through forgiveness). A pacifist refuses to fight; a peacemaker may not be a strict pacifist but still works for peace. You can strengthen an answer with real or representative examples, such as Quakers serving as conscientious objectors, churches running interfaith dialogue, or aid agencies like Islamic Relief supporting refugees. The most common evaluation question pits pacifism against the just war view, so be ready to argue both that believers should refuse all war (citing "love your enemies") and that defending the innocent can be a duty. A balanced conclusion weighs the call to peace against the responsibility to protect others from harm.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20172 marksWhat is pacifism?Show worked answer →
A 2-mark AO1 definition question. Pacifism is the belief that all violence and war are wrong and that conflicts should be resolved peacefully rather than by force. One mark for the belief that violence and war are wrong, the second for resolving disputes peacefully. Quakers are a well-known pacifist group.
AQA 20194 marksExplain two ways religious believers work for peace. Refer to scripture or another source of religious belief in your answer.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark AO1 question. Way one: peacemaking through peaceful protest, dialogue and reconciliation, following Jesus' teaching "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and forgiving enemies. Way two: supporting the victims of war through aid agencies such as Christian Aid, CAFOD and Islamic Relief, providing food, shelter and medical care. Markers reward two distinct, developed ways plus a source. Naming an agency illustrates the second point.
AQA 202312 marks"Religious believers should always be pacifists." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should refer to religious teaching, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, and reach a justified conclusion. [12 marks plus 3 SPaG]Show worked answer →
The AO2 evaluation, 5 bands plus 3 SPaG. Arguments for: Jesus taught "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44) and "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9), and Quakers hold all violence is wrong, so believers should refuse all war. Arguments against: the just war theory allows defensive war to protect the innocent, and refusing to fight could let evil triumph; sometimes force may be the lesser evil. Use terms (pacifism, peacemaking, just war, reconciliation). Reach a justified conclusion weighing the call to peace against the duty to protect others.
Related dot points
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062) specification — AQA (2016)