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Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Bible, Matthew 5:9)
Peace is the absence of hostility, safety in matters of social or economic welfare and a state of being absent of any war or conflict.
The Prince Of Peace is Jesus Christ. He was announced by the prophet Isaiah:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Bible, Isaiah 9:6)
The followers of the Prince of Peace tried to realize peace on earth. Exemplary figures of faith are Martin Luther King Jr and Mother Theresa. They have contributed significantly to social change that aims at the correction of injustice and that may be interpreted as a spiritual attempt to transform the world into an ideal world, that is, to realize Gods kingdom on earth.
Following values can facilitate peace:
- Sancity of life: all humans are created in the image of God
- Selfless love and compassion: one must love or at least care for one's enemy
- Empathy
- Suspension of judgement ot others
- Self-examination and self-criticism
- Positive inner experience: Prayer, meditation or feelings for divine love
- Discipline: control of the senses may facilitate restraint in voilent situations
- The notion of interdependence: the acts of one individual or group can affect the whole world
- Encouragement of nonviolence: the call for peace and pacifism
- Messianism: Vision of a more social construction and new possibilities for the social order. To become like the Prince of Peace: Jesus Christ
References:
- M. Gopin, Between Eden and Armageddon: The future of world religions, violence, and peacemaking, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000
- Israels Silberman, Religious Violence, Terrorism and Peace. A Meanin-System Analysis, in: Raymond F. Paloutzian et al (ed), Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, The Guilford Press, New York , 2005
- Jeffrey L. Staley and Richard Walsh, Jesus, the Gospels and Cinematic Imagination, Westminister John Knox Press, Louisville, 2007 (The Jesus Film (1979), p. 90-100; Jesus (1999), p. 125-135; The Passion of the Christ, p. 153-160).
- Ray Kancharla, India's Cinema: Home and Word, the Foci of Religion, in: John R. May (ed), New Image of Religious Fiulm, Sheed & Ward, Franklin, 1997, p. 237-248.
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