The Conflict of Pursuing Peace in an Unjust World: A Comparative Study of Monotheistic Religions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64984/ijcd.2.2.2025.22Keywords:
systemic injustice, Shalom, Jihād, peace-justice conflict, Just War Theory, eschatological promise, monotheism, pacifismAbstract
The pursuit of peace amidst prevailing injustice stands as one of the greatest challenges in religious, political and philosophical history of humanity. Among the monotheistic tradition (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), peace is considered as a divine ideal; and a moral order intended by Almighty for human society. Nonetheless, it is an indisputable fact among these religions that the social world is stained by violence, oppression, corruption and inequalities that can undermine the ideal of attaining peace. This has created a distinct conflict raising imperative questions like: can we attain peace without justice? Or conversely does peace morally require conflict? Whether it is incumbent on believers to resist injustice at the cost of disturbing social order? The current study endeavors to maintain that monotheistic religions conceptualize peace as justice-oriented, morally substantive condition rather than mere absence of conflict. True peace requires an active pursuit of justice; and believers are morally compelled to confront injustice__ even if it resulted into a rift. The introductory section of this paper shall define the core conflict; and will provide theoretical framework for peace, justice and moral tension. The next three sections will analyze the perspective of war and peace in each monotheistic religion (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) separately. The fifth section will compare, analyze the shared theological similarities and distinct approaches present in each religion. The paper will be concluded by asserting that peace is considered as both an eschatological promise and eschatological hope that believers can attain if they stand firm to their religions respectively.
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