Year 11 - Religious education
Different religious views about weapons of mass destruction
Religion, peace and conflict
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils examine ideas of violence and how some religions justify war in terms of holy or just war. They will move on to examine specific ideas such as nuclear war and terrorism. Finally they will examine the role of religion in finding and making peace.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain different Christian responses to weapons of mass destructions.
Key Notes
- WMDs break Just War principles by causing indiscriminate, excessive harm and not protecting civilians.
- Bible teachings like "Do not murder" and "Blessed are the peace-makers" support opposition to WMDs.
- Church views differ: Methodists reject all WMDs; others may allow deterrence as a step toward peace.
- Ethical theories like Natural Law and Situation Ethics are used to judge whether possession is ever right.
- Some Christians accept deterrence if it protects life and fulfils government duty to defend citizens.
Vocabulary To Learn
- disarmament: reducing or eliminating weapons
- nuclear deterrence: having nuclear weapons with the aim of deterring/preventing other states attacking for fear of retaliation and nuclear war (possibly leading to Mutually Assured Destruction)
- weapons of mass destruction: weapons which cause widespread, indiscriminate damage (e.g. nuclear, chemical, biological)
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Christians agree that no country should possess any weapons of mass destruction.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
WMDs break Just War principles by causing indiscriminate, excessive harm and not protecting civilians. Bible teachings like "Do not murder" and "Blessed are the peace-makers" support opposition to WMDs.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'disarmament'
reducing or eliminating weapons.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Christians agree that no country should possess any weapons of mass destruction. Correction: While Christians oppose the use of weapons of mass destruction because it contradicts teachings like the sanctity of life, some may accept their possession as a temporary deterrent if it helps prevent war and protect life.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Contrasting religious views about violence Study Guide
- Different religious views about pacifism Study Guide
- Nuclear weapons and nuclear deterrence Study Guide
- Pacifism Study Guide
- Reasons for war Study Guide
- Religion and peace-making Study Guide
- Religion as a cause of war and Holy War Study Guide
- Religious responses to victims of war Study Guide
- Terrorism Study Guide
- The Just War theory Study Guide
- The meaning and significance of peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation Study Guide
- The work of Christian Aid for victims of war Study Guide
- Violence, including violent protest Study Guide
- Weapons of mass destruction Study Guide
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