Unit: Is War ever just?
About this unit: This unit is intended for year 8 students but could with adaptation be used with older students. It takes an ethical issue and seeks to look at it from Christian and other faith positions whilst leaving scope for students to develop their own attitudes. It builds on the unit on Christian attitudes to the environment from year 7 and lays the ground work for short and full course GCSE. The idea is that students will develop the skills of forming their own ideas on difficult ethical and moral issues from informed faith stances.
The subject matter should be relevant to many students in Dorset but by its nature may raise sensitive issues, especially for students from the various army bases in the county.
I am grateful to Teresa Stewart-Sykes from BlandfordSchool for some of the ideas in this unit.
(Suggested Assessment Task: Included in teaching activities)
Prior learning / Technical Vocabulary / ResourcesIt would be helpful if the students:
- had already studied aspects of other world religions, including ways in which believers put their beliefs into practice.
- Have had the experience of listening to and responding to stories with meanings
War
Terrorism
Pacifism
Just War Theory
St Thomas Aquinas
Society of Friends (Quakers)
Dietrich Bonheoffer
Self Immolation
Thich Quang Duc
Jihad
qital / Songs about war.
E.g. ‘Everybody’s gone to war’ by Nerina Pallot or Mass Destruction by Faithless
John Collins PowerPoint
Should Christians fight Human Bar Chart Worksheet
Just War Sheet (pdf)
Dietrich Bonheoffer fact file
Burning Monk image and fact sheet
Islam War and Terrorism fact file
Teachers notes on Jihad
Expectations
At the end of this unit
Most children will:
Level 5 /
- be able to explain the impact of beliefs on individuals and communities.
- Be able to ask and suggest answers to questions of identity, belonging, meaning purpose, truth, values and commitments, relating them to their own and others lives..
- Be able to express their own views and those of others
some children will not have made so much progress and will:
Level 3 /
- Be able to identify what influences them, making links between aspects of their own and others experiences.
- Be able to show some understanding of the links between values and commitments and their own attitudes and behaviour.
- Be able to raise important questions related to some aspects of their own lives and in particular to the problem of conflict in the world today.
Some children will have progressed further and will:
Level 6 /
- Be able to express an opinion using reasoning and examples to questions related to some aspects of their own lives, and in particular to the problem of conflict in today’s world
- Be able to consider the challenges of following Christian teaching
Learning Objectives / Possible Teaching Activities
(Select from) / Learning outcomes / Contribution to other Curriculum Areas/ other information
Students should:-
Reflect on musical responses to war
Explore the continuing nature of war and possible reasons for war
Learn about St Thomas Aquinas view of a Just War and the continuing influence of this teaching / War; What is good for?
Listen to a song about war. E.G ‘Everybody’s gone to war’ by Nerina Pallot or Mass Destruction by Faithless. (other songs could be used depending on your taste and that of the class)
Ask individuals to select one or two lines that particularly strike them, share this with pairs then groups then whole class.
Use the PowerPoint presentation about John Collins. This compares the experience of John Collins a soldier in WW1 with his grandson Roy who was part of the peacekeeping force in SarajevoBosnia in the 1990’s.
Both John and Roy are committed Christians. Why would they join the army?
Mind Map as a class or in groups the reasons why people might go to war. Illustrate by using examples of wars either current or those that they may have looked at in History.
Many of these wars will have been fought by countries that claim to be Christian or even between two Christian Countries. How do Christians justify going to war?
Do a Human bar chart activity See resources file.
Look at St Thomas Aquinas criteria for a Just War. Make sure students understand these.
Go back the Mind map of wars.
Use the sheet Just War (pdf on resources disc) and in groups consider which they think is a just war.
Now repeat the Human bar chart activity. Have views changed? Why do they think this is? Have their views changed etc. / Students should be able to:
Raise and suggest answers/express opinions on a number of international situations of war and conflict.
Describe/explain the story of the people involved in war.
Describe/explain a Christian view of war.
Raise and suggest answers to questions related to when it is right to go to war
Express their own views on these issues and be able to support their point of view. / Music
History
Citizenship
Thinking skills
Opportunity for moral development
Students will learn about:-
Christian teaching on Pacifism
The life and beliefs of the society of Friends or Quakers
The life of Dietrich Bonheoffer / Is there another way: Pacifism;
Jesus said ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called Children of God’ Matthew 5.9
Examine the case for pacifism. Explain the reasons Christian Pacifists hold their beliefs. This can be done using textbooks or you could visit on the front page click on issues, although this is meant for 14+ you should be able to use it, click on issues what do Christians think about life’s big issues then scroll down to pacifism.
This would also be a good opportunity to do some research work on the Quakers or society of friends.
A fact file or the Suns guide to the Quakers, 20 facts you need to know about the Society of Friends etc type activity would be suitable.
How should a pacifist act in a war situation?
You may be able to find some good local examples of how local Christians acted in world war 1 and world war 2
Or look at the case of Dietrich Bonheoffer. / Students should be able to:
- Consider the challenges of following Christianity.
- Apply their own ideas and those of others to issues connected with war
- Describe/Explain Quaker belief and practice
- Evaluate/Critically analyse the ways in which Christians have put their beliefs into practice.
Thinking skills
Spiritual development
History
Students should learn about
A Buddhist practice connected with pacifism
Be able to consider and reflect upon a practice from a different culture Self Immolation. / A Buddhist Response
From what they have already studied what do they think is the Buddhist teaching on War? Refer back to the 5 precepts
With a certain amount of care :Show the image of the burning monk
In pairs and groups decide on three questions they would want to ask about this picture. Try to answer as many as possible. You may need to explain a bit about the Vietnam war
Read the fact sheet The self immolation of Thich Quang Duc. This will be quite heavy stuff and you will need to consider best how to handle this with a class.
Try to bring out here that one self sacrifice succeeded in changing a government where a war had not. (more died in the fighting)
Try to link this to Buddhist teaching. A good opportunity for assessing understanding and some critical analysis
Try to bring out the last point in the notes about the ways this practice continues as a way of opposing the current Communist regime in Vietnam.
You could compare and contrast this with the Dietrich Bonheoffer.
The issue of Islamic Suicide bombers may well come up. This could be an uncomfortable issue and will need handling with care. /
- Consider the challenges of following a faith.
- Apply their own ideas and those of others to issues connected with war
- Describe/Explain a Buddhist belief and practice
- Evaluate/Critically analyse the ways in which Buddhists have put their beliefs into practice.
History
Students should learn about
Islamic teaching on War and terrorism
Critically analyse media reporting of Islamic belief and practice / What do Muslims Believe about War and Terrorism?
The issue of Islamic suicide bombers may well come up. This could be an uncomfortable issue and will need handling with care.
Use the fact file ‘Islam and attitudes to war and Terrorism’. If you need more info see the teacher’s notes on Jihad in the resources disc.
Select a newspaper or TV report about Islamic terrorism. Ask the students to use the fact file to critique the report for accuracy. This could be in the form of a letter to complain, or just a written or verbal critique. / Students should be able to:-
Describe/explain Islamic teaching on War and on Terrorism
Evaluate/Critically analyse media reporting of Islamic teachings and beliefs. / Cultural development
Media studies
Literacy
Suggested Assessment Task
Draw up a charter of 6 conditions you consider necessary to make a war morally right in a multi-faith society.
Justify each condition form your own views and those of the various religious groups you have studied.