Northern Beaches Christian School HSC Studies of Religion 2-Unit Reflective Piece Religion and Peace. Achieving inner peace within Christianity and Islam according to their sacred texts. Ella Thornton - Year 11 Year 12 Studies of Religion 2 Unit Mr van der Jagt Week 3 of Term 3 Religion and Belief Systems in Australia Post 1945:
Part A - Source Research: Christianity: The New Testament- 1) 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29) 2) 33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) 3) 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15) 4) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) 5) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27) Islam: Qur an-
1) (The guided are) those who believe and their hearts are set at rest by the remembrance of Allah. Behold! By Allah s remembrance (only) the hearts are set at rest. Surah Ar-Ra'd [13:28] 2) It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise. Surah Al-Fath [48:4] 3) O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. Surah Al-Baqarah [2:208] Hadith- 4)...You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other... spread the peace among each other. Jami` at-tirmidhi Book 35 Hadith 2510 5) Spread peace and you will receive peace. Musnad Ahṃad 18059 Hadith Part B - Reflective Piece:
Compare and contrast the ways in which an individual can achieve inner peace according to the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam. The concept of peace is fundamental to the beliefs and religious traditions of both Christianity and Islam. For both religions, peace is a virtue, and a vital component for living out adherents responsibilities. The sacred texts of these religions, principally the New Testament (for Christianity), the Qur an and the Hadith (for Islam), position peace as integral to understanding God, and give clear instructions on how to achieve inner peace. Both Abrahamic religions share foundational notions of peace, however there are differences regarding how this contentment can be obtained. A common belief shared by Christians and Muslims, as communicated by their respective texts, is that inner peace comes from faithful devotion to the will of God, as seen in Surah Al-Baqarah [2:208] and Philippians 4:6-7. For Christians, this peace is primarily acquired through the revelation that Jesus death and resurrection provide the believer with an assurance of their eternal salvation and their present union with their heavenly Father through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The New Testament mentions peace over 90 times and illustrates a crucial relationship between an individual s fidelity to the revelation of the gospel, and their corresponding sense of peace and wellbeing. Similarly, within the Qur an and the Hadith, a correlation exists between the Muslim quest for inner peace and submitting to Allah. For Islam, peace is two-fold; one cannot be at peace with Allah until they are at peace with themselves and others. A common source of guidance for Muslims, with regards to finding peace, is the Five Pillars of faith. Through devout adherence to these pillars, Muslims will better live according to Allah s will and
consequently experience his peace. While peace for Christians is fundamentally a gift from God, they still use teachings such as the Beatitudes, the Commandment to love and the Fruit of the Spirit (one of which is peace), to gain a clear understanding of how this tranquility is outworked. 1 Both the New Testament and the Qur an promote the repudiation of anything false or immoral, communicating that peace can not be achieved while willful disobedience corrupts the mind of the adherent. Though the sacred texts of these religions discuss peace in similar ways, the process for achieving it is differentiated. For Muslims, receiving peace and showing submission to Allah are considered synonymous; the more perfect the submission to Allah, the more profound the sense of inner peace that will be experienced. Conversely, Christians believe that inner peace is gained firstly as a gift, through revelation, followed by the natural emulation of Jesus peacemaking activities as demonstrated throughout his ministry. Unlike Islam, the Christian framework for gaining inner peace is more generic. The New Testament outlines practices, such as prayer, rituals, the reading of scripture and serving others as pathways to imitating the lifestyle of Jesus Christ, also referred to as the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6). 2 The Qur an however gives a more strict and detailed account of the steps needed to achieve inner peace. Submission to Allah is the overarching act within which Muslims can gain peace. However, devout Muslims must immerse themselves in different states, such as Tawakkul - a positive reassurance that everything happens according to Allah s will - in order to have a clear mind ready to receive peace from Allah. Furthermore, the Qur an centralises the idea that peace can only exist where there is 1 Beatitudes (Matthew 5) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+5%3a1-12&version=niv Command to Love (Matthew 22:38-40) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+22%3a38-40 The Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galatians+5:22 2 Christians refer to Jesus as being the prince of peace.
justice. This is where Islam justifies war, to prevent tyranny in the quest for justice and by extension, peace. Surah Al-Fath [48:4] references humanity as being Allah s soldiers, and thus, the conduits through which peace can be won. This piece has endeavoured to demonstrate that while both the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam teach the importance of inner peace, there are differences. For Muslims, peace comes through the faithful carrying out of the five pillars, as outlined in the Qur an, and complete submission to Allah s will. For Christians, peace is a gift, based on revelation, which results in modelling their lives on Jesus. Bibliography: 1. Bible Study Tools. (2017). 3Bible Study Tools. (2017). 30 Best Bible Verses About Peace - Encouraging Scripture. [online] Available at: http://www.biblestudytools.com/topicalverses/peace-bible-verses/ [Accessed 10 May 2017].
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