What do religions teach about peace, justice and when war is just?
Religious teachings on peace and justice, the causes of war, and the conditions of a just war and holy war in Christianity and Islam.
A focused answer on peace, justice and just war for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0), covering teachings on peace and justice, the causes of war, and just war and holy war conditions.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
Edexcel wants you to explain religious teachings on peace and justice, the causes of war, and the conditions under which a war may be considered just (the just war) or holy in Christianity and Islam. This dot point sets up the peace and conflict theme, leading into pacifism and weapons.
Religious teachings on peace and justice
Both faiths hold up peace and justice as ideals, even while recognising that conflict happens in a fallen world.
Christianity teaches that Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" and that his followers should be peacemakers: "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9), and they should even love their enemies (Matthew 5:44). Islam takes its name from a root meaning peace and submission to Allah, and Muslims greet one another with "peace be upon you" (salaam). The Qur'an teaches that taking a life unjustly is like killing all humanity (Surah 5:32) and praises reconciliation. Both faiths also stress justice, since true peace requires fairness, and they call believers to defend the weak and oppose oppression. So the starting point for both is a strong commitment to peace and justice, which makes war a serious matter that needs careful justification.
The causes of war
Understanding the causes matters because it shapes whether a war can be justified: a war of greed or aggression is hard to defend, while a war of self-defence or to protect the innocent is the kind most believers think could be just. Both faiths warn against war driven by sinful motives and call for efforts to remove the causes of conflict, such as poverty and injustice, and to seek peaceful solutions first.
The just war and holy war
Because peace is the ideal but the world contains aggression and oppression, many Christians and Muslims accept that a war can sometimes be just, under strict conditions, while still seeing it as a last resort and an evil to be limited. The just war theory, developed in Christian thought, sets out conditions for a war to be just: it must be declared by a proper authority (a legitimate government), have a just cause (such as self-defence or protecting the innocent), be a last resort (after peaceful means have failed), have a reasonable chance of success, use proportionate force (no more than necessary), and protect civilians (innocent people must not be targeted). Only if these are met do supporters say a war is justified.
In Islam, war is permitted in self-defence or to defend the faith and the oppressed, under similar strict conditions: it must be declared by proper authority, fought justly, and must not harm non-combatants, "fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits" (Surah 2:190). This defensive struggle is part of the lesser Jihad, sometimes called holy war, and Muslims stress that it has strict limits and is not the same as terrorism. For the exam, be able to list the just war conditions, explain the Islamic conditions for war, link them to peace, justice and lesser Jihad, and be ready to evaluate whether war can ever be justified. A strong answer weighs the evils of war and the call to peace against the duty to defend the innocent.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 1RA0 20193 marksOutline three conditions of a just war.Show worked answer →
A 3-mark Outline question (AO1): three accurate, distinct conditions. Acceptable points include: it must be declared by a proper authority; it must have a just cause; it must be a last resort; it must have a reasonable chance of success; the force used must be proportionate; innocent civilians must not be targeted. One mark for each distinct condition, no development needed.
Edexcel 1RA0 20184 marksExplain two religious teachings about peace.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain question (AO1): two developed teachings. Teaching one: Christians are called to be peacemakers, "blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9), and to love their enemies. Teaching two: Islam means peace and submission to Allah, and Muslims are taught to make peace and reconciliation where possible, since taking a life unjustly is a grave wrong. Two marks for each developed point.
Edexcel 1RA0 20225 marksExplain two reasons why some religious believers think a war can be just. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority.Show worked answer →
A 5-mark Explain question (AO1): two developed reasons plus a source. Reason one: war can be justified to defend the innocent or resist great evil, when fought under the just war conditions. Reason two: protecting the weak and restoring justice may be a duty, so a just war can be the lesser evil. Support with a source: a teaching that there is "a time for war and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:8), or the Qur'anic permission to fight in self-defence (Surah 2:190). The accurate source secures the fifth mark.
Edexcel 1RA0 202112 marks"War can never be justified." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, refer to religious teaching, and reach a justified conclusion. [12 marks plus 3 SPaG]Show worked answer →
The 12-mark Evaluate question (AO2), plus 3 SPaG. Arguments for: war causes terrible suffering and breaks the sanctity of life, Jesus taught peace and love of enemies ("blessed are the peacemakers", Matthew 5:9), and pacifists argue violence is always wrong. Arguments for a different view: a just war fought to defend the innocent or resist great evil, under strict conditions, may be the lesser evil, and both Christianity and Islam permit defensive war (Surah 2:190), so war can sometimes be justified. Use specialist terms (just war, holy war, pacifism, sanctity of life). Reach a justified conclusion weighing the evils of war against the duty to defend the innocent. The best answers sustain a line of reasoning.
Related dot points
- Religious attitudes to pacifism and non-violence, and the work of religious believers and organisations in peacemaking and reconciliation.
A focused answer on pacifism and peacemaking for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0), covering non-violence, the work of peacemakers, and reconciliation in Christianity and Islam.
- Religious attitudes to weapons of mass destruction and nuclear weapons, the effects of war, and religious responses such as helping victims.
A focused answer on weapons of mass destruction and responses to conflict for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0), covering attitudes to nuclear weapons, the effects of war, and helping victims.
- The meaning and significance of Jihad, including greater and lesser Jihad, and the festivals of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Ghadeer and Ashura.
A focused answer on Jihad and Muslim festivals for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0), covering greater and lesser Jihad and the festivals Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Ghadeer and Ashura.
- Religious and non-religious attitudes to capital punishment, the arguments for and against, and how they relate to justice and the sanctity of life.
A focused answer on the death penalty for Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0), covering divergent Christian and Muslim attitudes and the arguments for and against capital punishment.
Sources & how we know this
- Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Religious Studies A (1RA0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2016)