Three Meanings of Peace

In the Greek culture peace is Airene which means the absence of war. In the Roman culture peace is Pax which can be a wishful greeting or an agreement on paper. In the Hebrew culture, which is related to the Arabic culture, peace is Shalom a person or situation where unity is promoted through personal strength and self-sacrifice.

In his letter to the people of Ephesus (2:14) he calls Jesus Christ our Peace, our Shalom because he united us all through His self-sacrifice on the Cross.

For many years now our government with the help of the Catholic and Protestant bishops together with Muslim Ulama have been promoting peace based on the Greek and Roman cultures. Still there is no peace. Why?

Deeper analysis of their underlying values and motives we can say that those peace efforts were unknowingly based on the concept of peace in the Greek and Roman cultures. So we have peace groups like the PAZ or Peace Advocates of Zamboanga, Silsilah Dialogue Movement, International Interprize for Dialogue, Catholic Relief Services, Bishops-Ulama Conference, etc.

Yes, a deeper analysis of their underlying values,

Operational principles and programs, there is much to be desired in the area of transforming the individual worker for peace. They have excellent activities for acquiring skills for conflict resolution and non-violent dialogue

It is interesting to note that the Hebraic Shalom is related to the Arabic Salam, from which in turn Islam, the religion of peace, is derived.

So — fast forward –Judaisim, Catholicism and Islam — could very well design a common transformation or character-building program based on Shalom. Then we can hope to see in the future Shalom persons, Shalom communities, Shalom cities, Shalom nations.

Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church and Al-Tayebb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, have approved and signed The historic and unprecedented Abhu Dabi Document. Its title is Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. Also a great help is the Francis’s encyclical letter Fratelli Tuti. Both can be used to formulate a Formation Or Character Building Program. The contain the Three Meanings of Shalom… Peace.