The concepts of violence and nonviolence in ideology and cultural practices of world religions (problem statement)

Author(s):  S.V. Reznik, candidate of Sciences, no, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia, reznik@bsu.edu.ru

Issue:  Volume 43, № 3

Rubric:  Religion Studies and Sociology of Culture

Annotation:  The article deals with the problems of violence and nonviolence in the ideology and cultural practices of world religions. On the basis of the analysis of sacred texts of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam the philosophical and anthropological definition of concepts of violence and nonviolence in ideology and cultural practices of world religions is given. Reviewing the concepts of nonviolence in world religions, the author considers this concept in the following basic meanings. First, nonviolence as an internal state or an attitude towards peaceful behavior and reverence for life. This sense is directly realized in Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism in the concept of Ahimsa. Secondly, non-violence as an ideal of social harmony and peaceful co-existence. In this sense, nonviolence is realized in Judaism and Islam and Christianity in the images of a beautiful future. Thirdly, nonviolence is being realized as a way of responding to a conflict situation. This meaning is realized in the Christian concept of sacrificial love ("Agape") and the method of nonviolent resistance of M. Gandhi. The author comes to the conclusion that the great world religious traditions have a number of common features, the main of which is their desire for nonviolence, love, altruism and compassion for all living things

Keywords:  concepts of violence and nonviolence, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Agape, Ahimsa, Jihad

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