SHIREBROOK ACADEMY HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT Year Group: 8 Philosophy and Ethics Work Booklet May 2020 Name: Tutor Group: Philosophy and Ethics Teacher : INSTRUCTIONS Complete all activities in bold in the booklet on paper, or print it out and complete in the booklet itself. Please let Mr Woolley know of any issues at lwoolley@shirebrookacademy.org. If not, contact your class teacher directly. Feel free to send us photos of the work you have produced

The issues of war and peace can raise important questions for Christians. Can war ever be right? What do the Bible and Christian tradition teach about how to respond to conflicts? Make a list of the effects of war that you can think of. Which of them would affect people during the war, and which would still have effects after the war was over? Which has the worst consequences of all? Remember to think about the effects of wars on those who fight in them, as well as on the innocent victims of war.

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Photography by Everett Historical / Shutterstock

Photography by Mrs Brown / pixabay

To help them consider the morality of war, Christians may look to the teachings of their church and its leaders, and they will also use their own consciences. They also believe that the Bible helps them to understand how they ought to make decisions about war and peace in their lives today. The Bible has a lot to say about war and peace. The Bible is a collection of books which was compiled over 1,000 years by about 40 different authors, so there are many different attitudes to war and peace within its pages, reflecting changes during the time it was written and its different authors.

WAR AND PEACE

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Under what circumstances do you think is it justifiable to fight a war? Choose from the list below and write the letters into the boxes on the diamond in order of importance frommost (top box) to least (bottom box).

To defend your own nation from attack To acquire wealth/resources from other countries To defend your nation’s wealth and resources To defeat an evil ruler in your own country To defend another person’s right to follow a religion To extend your control over others To defend human rights To defend those who are too weak to defend themselves To defeat an evil ruler in another country

I put at the top of my diamond because .... I put at the bottom of my diamond because ....

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In the Old Testament stories, Israel is a nation which is often caught up in war, both as an instigator and as the victim of the aggression of others. The book of Exodus includes the story of how, when the Israelites were escaping from slavery in Egypt, God parted the Red Sea. They could cross to freedom whilst their former slave owners, the Egyptians, drowned when the waters returned. It describes how Moses and the Israelites sang a song to celebrate this, which includes the following: In this passage, highlight where warlike or violent language is used. What type of writing is this Bible passage? What is the context (background) to this song? Choose three adjectives to describe the different emotions it contains. What would it have meant for the Israelites if God hadn’t been ‘a warrior’, fighting on their behalf? What do you think was the purpose of including this song in the book of Exodus?

What does the Old Testament say about war and peace?

The LORD is my strength and my might,

and he has become my salvation;

this is my God, and I will praise him,

The LORD is a warrior;

the LORD is his name.

His picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.

The floods covered them;

they went down into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power

Notice that it says the

- this suggests that

God fought on behalf

gave the credit for

Eqyptians to God.

title used by the

kings of Egypt.

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One of the themes of the Old Testament is that God promised to be in a relationship with the Israelites; and that the Israelites promised to honour God in their lives and worship. In the Bible, this is called a covenant. God had promised the Israelites a land of their own, but this often required them to fight the tribes who lived there originally, in order to conquer it. As Israel moved into the promised land, the Israelites’ victories in battles, such as the capture of the city of Ai, were seen by the writers of the Old Testament to be proof that God was with them. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, we can see a very different attitude to war. Some of the prophets talk about a forthcoming widespread peace in which people will live in harmony with each other. They call this peace ‘shalom’. The prophet Micah wrote this in the seventh century BC. Write a tweet of no more than 280 characters to summarise the different Old Testament ideas about war and peace.

Many nations shall come and say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths,’

For our of Zion shall go forth instruction

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between many peoples,

far away;

for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

of the passage using

and items.

Jacob is an Old

an ancestor of the

Israelites Micah was

writing to.

often used to mean the

temple in Jerusalem.

Zion is a place

name which is used

to mean either

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The New Testament includes a lot of teachings of Jesus about peace. Look at this selection of his teachings taken from the Gospel of Matthew:

How might these teachings influence a Christian when thinking about war and peace? Compare and contrast these sayings of Jesus with what the Old Testament says about war and peace. Some Christians have concluded that Jesus’ teachings about the importance of peace and love for both your neighbours and your enemies make fighting in a war impossible for a Christian. Others have argued that this teaching only affects individual Christians, and that when it comes to their nation or the international community, sometimes not fighting to defend yourself or others from attack might only encourage more violence. To find out more about how Christians have responded to the problem of war and the use of violence, watch the video at: biblesociety.org.uk/e/war-and-peace

What does the New Testament say about war and peace?

called children of God.’

‘You have heard that it was said, ‘’You shall love

your neighbour and hate your enemy.’’ But I say

to you, love your enemies and pray for those who

persecute you.’

intend his followers

to do?

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Pacifism is the belief that violence and fighting can never be right, and that all problems should be solved by peaceful means. Many of the early Christians were pacifists and refused to fight, and some modern-day Christians hold the same view. For example, the church known as the Quakers (or the Society of Friends) believe that non-violent confrontation of evil and peaceful reconciliation are always superior to violent measures. This was expressed in one of their earliest writings, from just after the end of the English Civil War, in which they were not prepared to fight for either side.

What are the key characteristics of pacifism?

What is pacifism?

‘That Spirit of Christ by which we are guided is not

changeable, so as once to command us from a thing as

evil, and again to move unto it. And we do certainly know,

and so testify to the world that the Spirit of Christ which

leads us into all Truth will never move us to fight and war

against any man with outward weapons, neither for the

Kingdom of Christ nor for the kingdoms of this world.’

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In an attempt to answer the questions posed by the wrongness of violence, but the need to sometimes fight for justice, Christians might use the Just War theory. This theory was developed by the Christian theologian Thomas Aquinas, drawing on older thinking by the early Christian leader Augustine. It outlines certain conditions which, if met, can make a war just or moral to fight in.

It must be for a good cause.

It must be declared by a lawful authority such as the government, not by an individual or a small group.

It must be the case that when the war is over, the outcome will be better than if the war hadn’t been fought.

Fighting the war must have been the last resort – all other ways to stop fighting have been tried.

Only the minimum amount of force which is necessary should be used.

There must be a reasonable chance of winning the war, so that it doesn’t cause destruction for no purpose.

Can a war ever be just?

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Look back to the diamond 9 you did at the start of this topic. Do the same task again, but this time use the Just War theory as your criteria. Here is the list again: To defend your own nation from attack To acquire wealth/resources from other countries To defend your nation’s wealth and resources To defeat an evil ruler in your own country To defend another person’s right to follow a religion To extend your control over others To defend human rights To defend those who are too weak to defend themselves To defeat an evil ruler in another country How does your new diamond compare to your original? Many Christians have become critical of the idea of the Just War. With weapons of mass destruction it is possible to do damage on a huge scale, and the after-effects can last for generations. With advances in technology, drones can be used to destroy targets remotely. Can weapons of mass destruction and drones be used in a war that is just? Look at the terms of the Just War and explain whether they match or contradict the use of weapons of mass destruction and drones.

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Christians are not just concerned with the rights and wrongs of going to war and of how a war is fought, they also need to think about the aftermath of wars. Then, they might think about how to bring about reconciliation and to help those who have suffered during the war. Research one of these organisations, and find out what they do to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation, and why they do it.

Forgiveness and reconciliation

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WAR AND PEACE

Reach a balanced judgement about this quotation: ‘Christians should never fight in wars.’ What do you think? Give reasons for your opinion. Make sure that you refer to parts of the Just War theory and various different Christian views of war, including pacifism and the teachings of the Bible. To help you, use the following sentence stems: The idea of the Just War is that . . . Christians might use the Old Testament and the New Testament parts of the Bible to develop their thinking by . . . Some Christians are pacifists because . . . Overall, Christian responses to war . . .

Summing up what you have learned about how Christians think about war and peace

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WAR AND PEACE

The existence of suffering in the world raises important questions for Christians. Why does it happen? Does it have a purpose? How can God allow it to happen? What is the relationship between suffering and evil? To get started on this topic, let’s think about how suffering might affect people’s lives. What types of suffering and what causes of suffering there are in the world? Try to make a list of at least six different examples. You can use the pictures below for ideas – how are the people in them experiencing suffering? Which of these forms of suffering are caused by humans? Which of them are not caused by humans? Is there one form of suffering which is worse than others?

Photography by Brian A Jackson / Shutterstock

Photography by Sashachirika / Shutterstock

SUFFERING

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SUFFERING

Suffering can be said to be caused by evil. Philosophers often talk about there being two types of evil – moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil covers acts committed by human beings, such as racism or violence. Natural evil includes natural disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes. Do you think that there is more moral evil in the world today, or is there more natural evil? Is one of the two types of evil worse than the other? Explain why.

Moral and Natural Evil

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SUFFERING

The problem of suffering is right at the heart of much of the Old Testament. In the book of Job, the question is explored in depth. Christians differ about what type of book Job is – is it the literal history of a man called Job and how he responded to suffering, or it is a poetic novel which uses a fictional story to describe various ideas about suffering? Most Bible scholars believe that it is a fictional story, but either way, the story of Job is extraordinary.

The story describes how God and Satan have a discussion. Satan says to God that it is easy for Job to believe and trust in God, because Job has an easy life. Job is extremely wealthy, lives comfortably, has a loving family and is very happy. If that life is removed, Satan says, then he will respond to God in a very different way. God then allows Satan to test Job. Job loses everything, but he refuses to curse God for the loss of his family, his property, his riches and his good health. Some of Job’s friends come to visit him, and they try to explain why they think he is suffering so much. Perhaps he has committed some secret sin which has led God to punish him? He is suffering so much that God must be teaching Job a hard lesson, his friends argue. However, it is clear from the story that Job had not done anything wrong to deserve the judgement of God, so the story of Job doesn’t seem to be saying that suffering is a punishment for things we do which are wrong. Then, towards the end of the book, we hear God’s response.

By asking Job these unanswerable questions, God shows him that he, God, is in charge and that the human mind can never truly know or understand everything about the world, including why suffering happens. What can Christians learn about suffering from the story of Job? Is it helpful to say that suffering can never be completely understood?

What does the Old Testament say about suffering?

Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of

Uz. He was a truly good person, who respected God

and refused to do evil.

Then out of a storm the LORD said to Job:

Why do you talk so much when you know so little?

Now get ready to face me!

Can you answer the questions I ask?

How did I lay the foundation for the earth?

Were you there?

Doubtless you know who decided its length and width?

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SUFFERING

We are going to use three different passages to find out what the New Testament says about suffering. Take one passage each and complete the tasks that go with it, then swap until you have done all three. You can do them in any order. They are:

Paul writes to the Christians in Rome.

Jesus heals a deaf and mute man.

The crucifixion. While studying this topic, the Bible passages which you have used have included three different types of writing.

The book of Job is Wisdom literature, which stories and poetry to explore the deep meanings of difficult issues.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are Gospels, written accounts which tell the story of Jesus and try to show that he was the Son of God.

The book of Romans is a letter, written to a specific group of people (the Christians in the city of Rome) for a specific purpose.

Which of these types of writing do you think is easiest for someone today to use to find out what the Bible says about suffering, and which is the hardest? Explain why.

What does the New Testament say about suffering?

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SUFFERING

How do we choose who we listen to? When we’re given different opinions about an issue, how do we decide who it’s worth paying attention to? Can you think of some current issues on which there are different opinions from two different sides? How do you decide between two different opinions? What factors do you take into account when deciding which statements are worth listening to, and which aren’t? One way of indicating which sources of information we think are worth paying attention to, whether it’s a person, a news source, a TV programme, a celebrity or something or someone else, is to say we think they have ‘authority’. For Christians, there are sources of authority which are specific to their religion. The same is true of other religions and world views. Christians believe that ultimate authority is in God. The Bible book of Exodus describes how God revealed his name to Moses.

God said that his name was ‘I am who I am’. One meaning of that is that he has an authority and power because of who he is, not because this has been given to him by anyone or anything else. Christians believe that God reveals his authority or inspires and allows others to share it – this is known as revelation, which means when something which has hidden becomes known.

SOURCES OF AUTHORITY

God their ancestors worshipped has sent me to them.

But what should I say, if they ask me your name?’’

God said to Moses am the eternal God. So tell them

that the LORD, whose name is has sent you.

is the language the

book of Exodus was

written in.’

2 SOURCES OF AUTHORITY

One way in which Christians believe that God’s authority is revealed is through the Bible. Many Christians see the Bible as the first authority that they should turn to, but as we have just seen in the video, there are a range of other important influences on them as well. In his letter to another Christian named Timothy, the early Christian leader Paul says:

Give three reasons why Paul thinks that the Bible is useful. Paul says that scripture is ‘God’s Word’. A more word-for-word way of translating the Greek word used by Paul, ‘theopneustos’, into English is to say it is ‘breathed out by God’. Either use the internet to find out how this is translated in three different Bible versions and/or think of three other ways to say this.

How do Christians believe that the Bible express God’s authority?

it is useful for teaching and helping people and for

correcting them and showing them how to live.

of good deeds.

common way for

to the Bible.

Read through this sheet and highlight the three most important points in each box.

Three ways in which Christians believe that the Bible communicates God’s authority

Through Jesus

Many Christians see the gospels as having greater authority

than other parts of the Bible, as they contain the words and the

God and not just a human being, he spoke with the authority

of God. Some Christians think that the words of Jesus in the

authority of any part of the Bible sometimes Jesus’ words are

rest of the text and to show their importance.

Through the Law and the covenants

One of the themes of the Old Testament is that God promised to be

to honour God in their lives and worship. In the Bible, this lasting

promise is called a covenant.

For the Israelites, part of honouring God was to follow his Law,

including those which he gave to Moses as the Ten Commandments.

tells us about how important the law is to him:

I deeply love your law

Your laws never leave my mind,

and they make me much wiser than my enemies.

Your word is a lamp

Your laws are fair,

and I have given my word

to respect them all.

Through the prophets

God’s authority is also made known in the Old Testament

through the prophets, people who spoke God’s word into the

situations the Israelites found themselves in. The prophets

the Law and call people to realise that true authority was not

ings

prophet would say what was wrong with the existing world and

then challenge the people to live better, offering them either

punishment or a future which was better than the present,

depending on their response.

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Luke’s Gospel describes an incident when Jesus was challenged about his authority. When Jesus was questioned by the , and _________ about what authority allowed him to teach and do miracles, he replied by asking who they thought had given __his authority. This placed them in a dilemma, and they did not _______, fearing it was a trap. Does it seem surprising that Jesus didn’t give them a direct answer? In fact, there are many occasions in the gospels when Jesus could have made a clear claim to be God’s son, but didn’t. Some Bible scholars have suggested that he did this to avoid conflict with the authorities, so that they did not have a reason to arrest him until the right time came. Another explanation is that he was helping his followers to gradually come to understand who he said he was. Matthew’s Gospel describes how, after the resurrection, Jesus explicitly said that ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and earth’.

How did Jesus explain his authority?

One day, Jesus was teaching in the temple and

telling the good news. So the chief priests, the

Who gave you this authority?’’

Jesus replied, ‘’I want to ask you a question.

Who gave John the right to baptise? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?’’

And we can’t say that it was merely some

human who gave John the right to baptize. The

John was a prophet.’’

John the right to baptize.’’

me the right to do what I do.’’

probably refer to

his teachings.

‘John’ is John the

came before Jesus

to announce who

he was.

5 SOURCES OF AUTHORITY

The Bible is the story of how God

communicated with humans, which

helps us to know how to live our

lives. But it is also a record of how

All Christians believe that the Bible is the word of God, and that it is a source of authority for their beliefs, decisions and behaviour. There isn’t one single way to understand the Bible – different Christians read it and think about it in different ways. Here are some examples:

While this appears to be very diverse, there are some common threads through all of these Christian interpretations of the Bible. One is that all Christians believe that the Bible is inspired by God. Many believe that God inspires them to understand the Bible better, in a similar way to the belief that he inspired the writers of the different books in what they wrote. Can you see any other similarities between these statements? Thinking back across all of the work you have done on this topic, summarise the different sources of authority for Christians. Do you think there is one which is better than others? Give reasons for your answers, showing that you have thought through at least three examples.

Different ways of understanding the Bible

Different parts of the Bible need

to be understood in different

ways – for example, I might read

Genesis as a symbolic account of

creation, Job as if it is a novel, and

of the life of Jesus.

The Bible was written by humans,

and in the different books you can

see how their culture influenced

how and what they wrote. I think

that the Bible is God’s message to

us, but that we need to ‘translate’

it into modern situations as well as

into modern languages.

I understand the Bible literally

record of what happened.

The Bible is a sacred text and has

everything in it is literally true.

For example, in places there are

that we can hear God through

these, and that we don’t need to

The Bible is a way of helping us to

remember important events.