Edexcel Religious Studies - Peace and Conflict - 3 Conflict

Summary

This tutorial delves into the causes of conflict, highlighting seven key reasons such as self-defense, racial hatred, religion, national pride, fear, competition over resources, and economics. It uses the Darfur conflict in Sudan as a case study, illustrating how ethnic hatred, government support, and environmental factors exacerbated the situation. The video also explores Christian responses to conflict, including pacifism and just war theory, emphasizing the importance of addressing underlying issues like injustice. It touches on situation ethics, suggesting decisions should be based on love and compassion. The tutorial concludes by addressing the debate on whether religion causes war, with perspectives from both religious and non-religious viewpoints.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The tutorial discusses the causes of conflict, including self-defense, racial hatred, religion, national pride, fear, environmental resources, and economics.
• 🌍 A case study of the Darfur conflict in Sudan is presented, highlighting ethnic hatred, government support for one side, drought, and poor communication as contributing factors.
• 🔥 The Janjaweed, supported by the Sudanese government, committed atrocities against non-Arab villagers, exacerbating the conflict.
• 🕊️ Christian responses to conflict are outlined, with pacifism being one approach where all conflict is believed to be resolvable without violence.
• ✝️ Just war theory is another Christian perspective, where war is considered just if it's intended for a good cause, all other resolutions have been attempted, and there's a reasonable chance of success.
• 🛐 Situation ethics is introduced as an ethical theory suggesting decisions should be based on the most loving action, judged on a case-by-case basis.
• 🤔 The tutorial raises questions about the subjectivity of what constitutes the 'most loving' action and the potential for misuse or misinterpretation.
• 🏛️ Critics argue that religion can be a cause of war, citing historical examples like the Crusades and conflicts in Northern Ireland.
• 🌈 Humanists suggest that abolishing religion could reduce conflict, while Christians argue that true religious teachings promote peace and that conflicts are often cultural, not religious.
• 📚 The tutorial concludes with potential discussion points, such as outlining causes of war or explaining why non-religious individuals might attribute war to religion.

Q & A

What are the seven causes of conflict mentioned in the tutorial?

The seven causes of conflict mentioned are self-defense, long-standing racial hatred, religion, national pride, fear, competition over environmental or natural resources, and economics.

Can you provide a brief overview of the Darfur conflict in Sudan as a case study?

The Darfur conflict in Sudan involved ethnic hatred between the Arabs with the Janjaweed and the non-Arabs with the Sudanese Liberation Army. The government supported the Arabs, and a drought exacerbated the situation as nomadic Arabs moved onto non-Arab lands. The Janjaweed, backed by the government, burned villages and stole food. Poor communication meant the conflict went largely unnoticed until it was too late for effective intervention.

What is pacifism in the context of Christian responses to conflict?

Pacifism is the belief that all conflict can be resolved without violence, following the teachings of Jesus on reconciliation. The Quakers are an example of a Christian group that adheres to pacifism.

What is the concept of 'just war' as understood by Christians?

Just war is a concept where Christians believe a war is justifiable if the intention behind it is good, all other methods of resolving the conflict have been attempted, and there is a reasonable chance of success. Roman Catholics, among others, subscribe to this view.

How do Christians view the necessity of addressing the root causes of conflict?

Christians recognize that often the cause of conflict, such as injustice, needs to be addressed and rectified first for a resolution to be possible. This aligns with the belief in promoting equality and justice.

What is situation ethics and how does it relate to decision-making in conflict?

Situation ethics is an ethical theory based on the teachings of Jesus, suggesting that decisions should be based on what is the most loving action to take. It advocates for judging each situation individually to determine the best course of action.

Why might some Christians disagree with situation ethics?

Some Christians disagree with situation ethics because determining the most loving action can be subjective, and it's often impossible to predict the outcome of a situation or to know for certain if it is the most loving choice.

How do non-religious people argue that religion causes war?

Non-religious people might argue that religion causes war by pointing to historical conflicts like the Crusades or the conflicts between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, suggesting that religious differences are the root of these wars.

What is the Christian counter-argument to the claim that religion causes war?

Christians counter this claim by stating that what appears to be religious conflicts are often about cultural differences. They argue that all religions promote peace and that Christianity, in particular, teaches love for one's enemies, with conflicts arising from misinterpretations of religious teachings.

What questions might one be asked regarding the causes of war or the role of religion in conflict?

One might be asked to outline three causes of war or to explain why a non-religious person could argue that religion causes war.

What is the tutorial's stance on the relationship between religion and conflict?

The tutorial suggests that while religion is sometimes cited as a cause of conflict, it is more often cultural issues or misinterpretations of religious teachings that lead to conflict, with the core tenets of religions, including Christianity, promoting peace and love.