Religion and Peace (Studies of Religion II)

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions, in syllabus order. Each dot point has a focused answer, with exam-style questions and worked answers where available.

How does Buddhism understand peace, and how does it guide adherents towards inner peace and contribute to world peace?

The understanding of peace in TWO religious traditions: investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed through significant writings within sacred texts (Buddhism: Sutta Pitaka, Dhammapada); outline the principal teachings about peace; demonstrate how the tradition guides the individual in achieving inner peace; discuss how the tradition is contributing to world peace (this page: Buddhism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace, Buddhism. Peace (santi) in the Dhammapada and the Sutta Pitaka, the principal teachings (Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the precepts, the brahmaviharas), meditation as the path to inner peace, and Buddhist contributions to world peace from the Dalai Lama to Thich Nhat Hanh, with limits and the HSC questions that allow ONE tradition.

15 min read →

How does Hinduism understand peace, and how does it guide adherents towards inner peace and contribute to world peace?

The understanding of peace in TWO religious traditions: investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed through significant writings within sacred texts (Hinduism: Bhagavad Gita); outline the principal teachings about peace; demonstrate how the tradition guides the individual in achieving inner peace; discuss how the tradition is contributing to world peace (this page: Hinduism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace, Hinduism. Peace (shanti) in the Bhagavad Gita, the principal teachings (ahimsa, dharma, karma, the self in all beings, detachment), the paths of yoga as means to inner peace, and Hindu contributions to world peace from Gandhi and Vivekananda to the UN days of non-violence and yoga, with the Gita's battlefield problem and other limits.

14 min read →

How does Judaism understand peace, and how does it guide adherents towards inner peace and contribute to world peace?

The understanding of peace in TWO religious traditions: investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed through significant writings within sacred texts (Judaism: the Prophetic vision of peace on Earth); outline the principal teachings about peace; demonstrate how the tradition guides the individual in achieving inner peace; discuss how the tradition is contributing to world peace (this page: Judaism)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace, Judaism. Shalom as wholeness, the Prophetic vision of peace on Earth (Isaiah 2, Micah 4, Isaiah 11), rabbinic teachings on pursuing peace, the paths to inner peace (Shabbat, prayer, teshuvah, Torah study, shalom bayit) and Jewish contributions to world peace, with honest limits and the HSC questions that allow ONE tradition.

14 min read →

How do Christianity and Islam understand peace, and how do their teachings and organisations contribute to peace?

The understanding of peace in TWO religious traditions: investigate the understanding of peace and how it is informed through significant writings within sacred texts for TWO religious traditions; outline the principal teachings about peace in TWO religious traditions (this page: Christianity, the New Testament; Islam, the Qur'an and Hadith)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace. How Christianity (the New Testament) and Islam (the Qur'an and Hadith) understand peace, the key verses that inform it, five principal teachings on peace in each tradition, how inner and world peace connect, differences within each tradition, and the 2020, 2021 and 2023 HSC questions with NESA's marking criteria.

15 min read →

How do Christianity and Islam, through their teachings and organisations, contribute to world peace?

The contribution of TWO religious traditions to peace in the context of the world: discuss how TWO religious traditions are contributing to world peace (this page: Christianity and Islam)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace. How Christianity and Islam contribute to world peace through teaching (justice, reconciliation, the dignity of life), leaders, organisations (Pax Christi, the WCC, Sant'Egidio, Act for Peace, Islamic Relief, Affinity) and interfaith initiatives, with a balanced discussion and the 2022 and 2023 HSC questions.

15 min read →

How do the sacred texts of Christianity and Islam guide adherents toward inner peace?

The contribution of TWO religious traditions to peace in the context of the individual: demonstrate how TWO religious traditions guide the individual in achieving inner peace (this page: Christianity and Islam)

HSC Studies of Religion II, Religion and Peace. How Christianity and Islam guide the individual to inner peace, the teachings (peace as Christ's gift, submission, forgiveness, the greater jihad) and the practices (prayer, sacraments, meditation, salah, dhikr, sawm, tawbah) with verified texts, and the 2019, 2024 and 2025 HSC questions with NESA's criteria.

15 min read →