Christian Peacemaking

Peacemaking is not a fringe position in Christianity. It stands at the very heart of Jesus' teaching, embedded in the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the entire arc of his life. Yet many Christians have never seriously studied what their tradition teaches about peace. Whether you are exploring what “Blessed are the peacemakers” means or wondering about the difference between peace and passivity, this guide is a starting point.

Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) is the most sustained ethical teaching of Jesus in the Gospels. It contains some of the most radical words in all of Scripture:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:38–39)

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

These are not suggestions for saints. They are instructions for followers. Jesus presents peacemaking not as an optional vocation for the exceptionally gentle, but as the defining characteristic of God's children.

Peacemaking vs. passivity

One of the most common misunderstandings of Christian peacemaking is that it means doing nothing in the face of evil. This is incorrect. Jesus was not passive — he overturned tables in the Temple, confronted religious hypocrisy, and willingly walked toward the cross.

Peacemaking is active.It requires courage, initiative, and sacrifice. Martin Luther King Jr. called it “a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.”

The difference between peacemaking and passivity is intention and engagement. The passive person avoids conflict. The peacemaker enters conflict — but refuses to respond with violence, hatred, or dehumanization. Learn more about what “turn the other cheek” actually means.

Forgiveness and reconciliation

Forgiveness is central to the Christian understanding of peace. Jesus teaches his disciples to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”(Matthew 6:12). He tells Peter to forgive “not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:22).

Forgiveness is not pretending that harm did not happen. It is not excusing evil or enabling abuse. It is a decision to release the offender from the debt of vengeance — because the Christian has already been released from an infinitely greater debt.

Reconciliation goes a step further: it is the restoration of relationship. Not all forgiveness leads to reconciliation — some relationships cannot or should not be restored. But where reconciliation is possible, it is the fullest expression of peace.

Enemy-love

“Love your enemies” may be the most difficult command in the entire Bible. It is also the most distinctive. Other religions teach justice, compassion, and mercy. Only Christianity places enemy-love at the center of its ethic. Discover why Jesus said “love your enemies”.

Enemy-love does not mean having warm feelings toward people who harm you. It means choosing to act for their good — praying for them, refusing to dehumanize them, and seeking their restoration rather than their destruction. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: “The only way to overcome evil is to let it run its course without adding to it.”

Justice and mercy

Christian peacemaking holds justice and mercy together. The prophet Micah summarized God's requirements: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

Justice without mercy becomes cruelty. Mercy without justice becomes complicity. The Christian peacemaker seeks both — standing with the oppressed while extending grace to the oppressor.

Historic Christian peace traditions

Christians have practiced peacemaking in organized ways for centuries:

• The early church (1st–3rd centuries) was largely pacifist, with many Christians refusing military service.
• The Mennonites and Anabaptists (16th century onward) have maintained a consistent peace witness rooted in the Sermon on the Mount.
• The Quakers (17th century onward) built an entire religious culture around the “peace testimony.”
• The Catholic peace tradition includes Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and the Catholic Worker movement.
• The civil rights movement drew on Christian nonviolence to transform American society.

Learn more about the Catholic Peace Tradition and Christian Nonviolence.

Practical peacemaking today

Peacemaking is not only for activists and theologians. It is a daily practice available to every Christian:

• Pray for your enemies — even when you don't feel like it.
• Listen before reacting — especially online, where outrage is the default.
• Forgive daily — small and large offenses both.
• Seek reconciliation — in your family, your church, your community.
• Practice attention — choose prayer before distraction, silence before noise.

Peace starts small. It starts with the next conversation, the next prayer, the next moment of attention. If you want to build a daily habit of peace, consider starting with prayer before scrolling.

Frequently Asked Questions