Lesson video

Mama, mama.

Hello, theological squires, and thank you for joining me for another religious education lesson.

This lesson is the halfway point on the peace and conflict unit as it's being taught on the Oak National Academy.

So we're going to use this as an opportunity to review and practise some of the things that have been taught in this unit so far.

So to get ready for that practise and review, please make sure you have four things with you.

The first is a pen.

The second is a different colour pen.

The third is some paper and the fourth is, of course, your theology brains.

So if you need to go and get any of those things, please do that now.

And then come and join me in just a moment.

So today we are going to be reviewing the first half of the peace and conflict unit.

We're going to make sure we review the key terms and teachings, and also have a opportunity to practise applying those teachings to exam style questions.

So here you can see the areas that have been covered so far in the lessons on the Oak National Academy: peace, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation, violent and nonviolent protest and lessons on terrorism, as well.

We've also covered reasons for war, Christian just war theory and the Islamic just war theory, but the ones in pink at the top of the screens are the ones we're going to review together today.

The lesson we're about to complete together, contains references to violent protests and war.

For some people, these will be sensitive topics.

If that applies to you, you may want to do the rest of the lesson with a trusted adult nearby who can support.

So we're going to start off by recapping the key terms, peace, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation, to make sure we can remember what they are and how they link together.

We'll do that by reminding ourselves of the key terms through these quickfire questions.

So you can see a question on the board and then the four concepts beneath: peace, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation.

I'll read the question.

Then you just need to point to it or make a note in your mind which the correct answer is.

So which concept can be defined as the absence of conflict? Well done, that is peace.

Which can be defined as pardoning someone for their wrongdoing? Well done, that's forgiveness.

Which can be defined as restoring friendly relations? Excellent work! That is reconciliation.

Which can be defined as inner feelings of happiness and harmony? Excellent! That's also peace, isn't it? Which concept can be defined as bringing about what is right and fair? Well done.

That's justice.

Which concepts, so we're looking for more than one here, could be a motivating factor for a conflict? Excellent! Peace and justice.

Remember sometimes, or most of the time, when people say they're going to war, they're trying to establish peace or trying to correct an injustice.

So what they're aiming for is justice.

Which concepts make peace more likely? Again, more than one, have a think.

Well done.

Justice makes peace more likely, doesn't it? Because if things in society are right, fair and reasonable, you're not going to have people who are displeased and trying to bring about a change because it doesn't need changing.

It's already fair, right, and reasonable.

So which are ones, hopefully you've got reconciliation, if you're able to restore friendly relations after a conflict that makes long lasting peace much more likely, doesn't it? And the third one is forgiveness.

Forgiveness helps the reconciliation process, doesn't it? If you're able to forgive and pardon wrongdoing, that makes reconciliation, that restoration of friendly relationships more likely, which, in turn, then, makes peace more likely and long lasting peace.

So justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation, are all a really important part of the peace process.

Which concept can help the process of reconciliation? I think we just said that one, didn't we? Excellent! It's forgiveness.

Well done.

So now I would like you please to have a go at answering the following questions in full sentences.

Define justice.

Sorry, define peace, define justice, define forgiveness, define reconciliation.

Then explain how justice and peace are linked, then explain how forgiveness and reconciliation are linked, and then explain how reconciliation is linked to peace.

So pause the video, have a few minutes, and then once you've answered those seven questions, join me for some feedback.

So first question, peace is the absence of conflict or war.

Second question, justice is bringing about what is right and fair.

The third question, forgiveness is pardoning someone for what they've done wrong.

And the fourth one, reconciliation is restoring friendly relations after a conflict or disagreement.

So just pause the video here to check your first four answers.

And if you need to tick, correct, amend, add, do that with a different colour pen now, please.

So let's have a look at those final three questions.

So how is justice linked to peace? Well, it tells us here that justice is linked to peace because if all things in society are like and fair, it won't be necessary to use conflict to make things right and fair.

Number six, how is forgiveness linked to reconciliation? Well, forgiveness is linked to reconciliation because if you're able to pardon someone's wrongdoing, you're more likely to be able to reconcile with them.

Number seven, linking reconciliation to peace.

Reconciliation is linked to peace because if you are able to restore friendly relations after conflict, then conflict is less likely to reoccur and what you get there, then, hopefully, is long lasting and well-established peace.

So again, if you need to just pause the video to check, tick or amend your work in your different colour pen, please do that for me now.

So we're now going to move on and have a look at violent and nonviolent protest.

And we'll do that again with some quickfire questions.

So can you please tell me which concept expresses disapproval: violent protest, nonviolent protest, both or neither? It's both, remember, protests are aimed at correcting an injustice, aren't they? So you think something is wrong and you're expressing disapproval about that.

Which aims to bring about a change? Well, then it's both again, you're expressing that disapproval and taking action to try and get the situation which you disapprove of changed.

Which uses threats or harms to bring a change about? Well done, threats and harm is violent protest, isn't it? Which does not use threats or seek to cause harm? It's nonviolent protest.

Well done.

Which seeks to correct a perceived injustice in society? It's both! Well done.

Both forms of protest.

Protest is, in its essence, about stating some things not right in society and taking action to get that corrected.

Which form of protest would involve this, perhaps delivering speeches to large groups? That's a form of nonviolent protest, isn't it? Remember, lots of the nonviolent protest methods are what we might refer to as information warfare.

So sharing information to make people know about the injustice in the hope that they'll be motivated to also help fight for the cause in a nonviolent way to establish change.

Which might involve taking part in a march? It's another example of nonviolent protest, well done.

Which might involve self-immolation, setting yourself on fire? Violent protest, well done, and remember, I've put that one in there just to make it clear that a violent protest doesn't have to be threats of violence or harm to other people or objects.

It could also be threats to violence or harm against yourself.

Which might involve burning buildings? Violent protest, well done.

Which might involve making protest art, music or poetry to highlight an issue? That's nonviolent protest, part of that information warfare I mentioned a moment ago.

Which might involve sharing information through leaflets? Well done.

That's nonviolent again, isn't it? Another part that information warfare.

Community education? Well done, again, you know, spreading the news, information warfare, community education, nonviolent protest again.

Rioting? Well done, that's a form of violent protest.

Creating, signing, and sharing an online petition.

Excellent.

That's nonviolent protest, as well.

Boycotting a company or event.

Remember, boycotting means you no longer use it.

Excellent.

That's a form of nonviolent protest.

Well done.

Looting, so stealing.

That's violent protest, excellent.

Physically attacking law enforcement officers.

Well done.

Again, that's violent.

Creating, signing, and sharing an online petition.

Do you remember which one that was? That's nonviolent protest.

Well done.

Boycotting a company or event.

Remember boycotting, you don't use it anymore.

That's nonviolent protest.

Well done.

Expresses a disapproval: violent, nonviolent, both or neither? Mama! Well done.

That's both.

Aims to bring about change.

That's both again, isn't it? Well done.

Uses threats or harm to bring about a change.

Mama! Excellent.

That's violent protest.

Seeks to correct a perceived injustice in society.

Well done.

That's both.

Righty-ho! Now we have recalled some of the key definitions and examples of violent/nonviolent protest.

We can now hopefully answer these low stakes questions.

So you've got some multi-choice questions and some examples questions.

So please read those questions carefully, have a go at them and pause the video now and unpause it once you have completed them.

Excellent.

So let's check those multiple choice questions.

So the first one, which term could be defined as using actions that threaten or harm others in order to express disapproval? Hopefully, you noted that was C, violent protest.

The second one, using peaceful actions to express disapproval was B, nonviolent protest.

So just pause the video, check your work, tick to say it's correct, or change your answers for me now.

And then, let's have a look at the example.

So two examples of violent protest, any two from rioting, looting, attacking law enforcement officers, self-immolation and two examples of nonviolent protest, any two for marches, speeches, sit-ins, boycotts, creating/signing petitions, producing leaflets, community education.

Any two from that list would be brilliant.

So again, just pause the video, check your answers, make sure you've got two from that list and add if you need to.

So now we have an exam style question.

It's asking us to explain.

Remember, explain means we need to do it with a bit more detail than if we're just describing.

So the question is, explain two reasons why religious groups are opposed to violent protest.

It wants us to refer to scripture in our answer.

I'm advising here that we write two paragraphs and each paragraph should contain a point, some evidence and an explanation.

Now to make sure we're kind of all writing the same thing so we can check our answers together, I've put two quotations in there for you.

One from the Qur'an, you can see that on the bottom left of your screen.

"Repel evil by that deed which is better." And one from the Bible, the words of Jesus, "If anyone slaps you on your right cheek, "let him slap you on your left cheek too." You can see some sentence starters in the middle section for you as well, if you need to use those to help get you going.

So probably take you seven, eight, nine minutes, this question, so please just pause video now, have a go at that question.

Then join me for feedback in just a moment.

Mama! Mama! So hopefully, your answer looks just like this first paragraph.

You might've used that quotation from the Qur'an, to say some Muslims are opposed to violent protest, as the Qur'an tells Muslims not to respond to evil with evil acts.

Then use that Qur'an quotation, "Repel evil by that deed "which is better," then explained it.

And you can see my explanation in the blue text there, the best way to respond to injustice is with good actions.

This would encourage peaceful responses and therefore oppose violent protest.

So if you just need to pause the video again, to check your paragraph, which talks about the Islamic response and make any corrections, amendments or improvements, please do that for me now.

And hopefully, your Christianity paragraph looks a little something like this.

Some Christians are opposed to violent protests, as Jesus tells his followers not to respond to violence with violence.

Then you've used that quotation, "If anyone slaps you on your right cheek, "let him slap you on your left cheek, too." Then explain that this shows that many Christians believe that the best way to respond to injustice is with peace.

Showing love to those intent to cause harm is the best way to change their perspective.

So again, just pause the video, check that you've got those key points in your paragraph and use your different colour pen to add, correct, amend or indeed, just tick to confirm it's all there.

So pause the video to have a go at that now for me, please.

And another exam style question, this time, explaining why religious groups are strongly opposed to terrorism.

So same structure.

So we're still looking for two paragraphs, a point, evidence, explanation, and again, I've given you two quotations to use as your evidence.

One from the Bible, "Do everything possible to live at peace with everyone," and one from the Qur'an, "Fight for the cause of God against those who fight you, "but do not transgress." So please pause the video and have a go at that question and then join me for some feedback in just a moment.

So here is some feedback on your Islamic paragraph.

So hopefully it looks something like this.

Muslims are opposed to terrorism as the use of force in Islam has very strict conditions which must be obeyed.

These rules are aimed at preserving life.

In the Qur'an, it says, "Fight for the cause of God "against those who fight you, but do not transgress." And this would oppose terrorism as fighting has to be for the cause of God.

And this could be to defend the faith.

And when in conflict, any force used must obey the rules of lesser jihad.

Terrorists don't do that.

They're not defending the faith and have no respect for innocent life.

So again, please pause the video, use that as an opportunity to check your paragraph against this and make any corrections, amendments, additions, or just tick to confirm it's all there.

And hopefully your Christianity paragraph looks a bit like this.

Christians are opposed to terrorism, as the teachings of Jesus are aimed at peace and reconciliation.

In the Bible, Jesus' followers are told to, "Do everything possible to live at peace with everyone." And this shows that Christians are called to live a peaceful life.

Terrorist actions are in direct opposition to peace.

They seek to do harm and divide communities rather than reconcile communities.

So again, check your work against the model you can see on your screens, pause the video and correct, amend or add, or, indeed, tick to confirm it's all there.

Fantastic work today.

Well done.

We've covered a lot in a short amount of time.

Please attempt the summary quiz to check you can recall all the key information after trying really hard throughout that lesson.

If you wish to share your work with the Oak National Academy, please ask your parent or carer to share your work on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, using the information you can see on your screens now.

Thank you very much for joining me for another religious education lesson.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your days, and I look forward to seeing you soon.