Inner peace in Christianity and Islam: HSC Studies of Religion

Criteria (NESA 2025 marking guidelines, Q33). 17 to 20: a sustained and reasoned explanation of how TWO religious traditions support adherents towards achieving inner peace, integrating the statement effectively throughout, with detailed, relevant and accurate information and integrated terminology. 13 to 16: a reasoned explanation, statement integrated. 9 to 12: some explanation, refers to the statement. 5 to 8: a description of how at least ONE tradition supports adherents. 1 to 4: general statements.

Plan (Christianity and Islam). The statement makes love the thread: integrate it in every paragraph.

1. Christianity: God's love as the source. Peace comes from a relationship with God expressed through love, forgiveness and reconciliation (NESA's guidelines); "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (John 14:27). The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) makes love of God and neighbour the root of peace.
2. Christianity: love as forgiveness. Forgiving "seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18:22) releases resentment; the sacrament of reconciliation brings "peace and serenity of conscience" (Catechism 1468).
3. Christianity: prayer. Philippians 4:6-7; meditation on Scripture brings comfort, "reminding Christians of God's love" (NESA).
4. Islam: love of Allah through submission. Allah is Al-Wadud, the Loving ("the Affectionate" in Sahih International, Qur'an 85:14) and As-Salam (59:23); "by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured" (13:28).
5. Islam: love expressed in practice. Salah ("O Bilal ... give us comfort by it", Abu Dawud 4985), dhikr, sawm and tawbah; love of others, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself" (Bukhari 13).
6. Islam: the greater jihad. Mastering the nafs out of love for Allah (Tirmidhi 1621).
7. Conclude on how love links inner peace to peace with others in both traditions.

Source: NESA, 2025 HSC Studies of Religion II examination and marking guidelines.

Criteria (NESA 2024 marking guidelines, Q33). 17 to 20: a sustained and reasoned analysis of how ONE religious tradition fosters inner peace, integrating the statement effectively throughout, with detailed, relevant and accurate examples and integrated terminology. 13 to 16: a reasoned analysis, statement integrated. 9 to 12: some analysis. 5 to 8: general statements. 1 to 4: general statements about religion and/or peace.

Plan using Christianity (NESA's "answers could include" used Christianity). Organise by the statement's two words, values and actions.

1. Value: faith in Christ. Believers are forgiven and brought into right relationship with God, "the source of inner peace" (NESA); John 14:27.
2. Value: love of God. The Great Commandment; a loving relationship with God through prayer, Saturday/Sunday worship and meditation "can provide a sense of peace and purpose" (NESA).
3. Value: forgiveness. Forgiving others and oneself "can release the burden of resentment" (NESA); Romans 12:18.
4. Action: prayer. Philippians 4:6-7; the Rosary and Lectio Divina (both named in the guidelines).
5. Action: sacraments. The Catholic sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and the Orthodox sacrament of Confession give "a tangible pathway to inner peace" (NESA); Catechism 1468.
6. Action: worship and community. NESA cites COVID-19 online services continuing "a pathway to inner peace during a tumultuous, difficult and isolating time".
7. Analyse. Show why each works (it restores relationship, removes guilt, builds trust) and where limits lie (inner peace is not the absence of suffering; John 16:33).

Source: NESA, 2024 HSC Studies of Religion II examination and marking guidelines.

Criteria (NESA 2019 marking guidelines, Q33). 17 to 20: a detailed, relevant and accurate explanation of how TWO religious traditions guide individuals to "find peace", a comprehensive understanding of significant aspects of each tradition, and relevant, accurate terminology in a cohesive, well-structured response. 13 to 16: detailed and accurate explanation. 9 to 12: some detail. 5 to 8: simple statements about ONE or TWO traditions. 1 to 4: general statements about peace.

Plan. NESA's guidelines listed both Islam and Christianity; mirror them.

1. Islam. The guidelines note that the Qur'an "refers to Islam as the path to peace"; inner peace is gained "through practice, reading of sacred texts and absolute surrender to Allah through the overcoming of nafs" (NESA); meaningful prayer lets adherents reflect on their actions and priorities; the example of Muhammad.
2. Christianity. Peace is found "in union with God"; inner peace comes "through communion with God, Christian practice and right relationships with self and others"; Paul's teaching on love (NESA).
3. The stimulus. Both traditions agree that inner peace comes first, and both say it "is inextricably connected to world peace" (NESA, for each tradition), so finding peace within makes peace elsewhere possible.

Source: NESA, 2019 HSC Studies of Religion II examination and marking guidelines.

The sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (Catholic). The penitent examines their conscience, confesses their sins to a priest, expresses contrition and receives a penance and absolution in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Catechism teaches that for those who receive it "with contrite heart", reconciliation "is usually followed by peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation" (Catechism 1468), so the burden of guilt is lifted and the person's relationship with God is restored.

Marking: 1 for naming a practice, 1 for accurate description, 1 for linking it to inner peace with evidence.

Salah is offered five times a day facing Makkah, preceded by wudu (ritual washing). It interrupts daily life with regular remembrance of Allah, whom the Qur'an says is the source of rest for hearts (13:28), and "prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing" (29:45). The Prophet called for the iqamah with the words "O Bilal ... give us comfort by it" (Abu Dawud 4985), showing that prayer itself is a source of calm.

Marking: 1 for describing salah, 1 for a link to peace, 1 for supporting evidence.

Meaning

Jihad means striving. The greater jihad is the inner struggle against the nafs, the ego and its selfish desires, to submit fully to Allah. "The Mujahid is one who strives against his own soul" (Jami at-Tirmidhi 1621).

Why it brings peace

The Qur'an says: "He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption]" (91:9-10). As the self is purified, the believer's desires align with Allah's will, which removes inner conflict. The goal is the "reassured soul" invited to "return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing" (89:27-28).

How it is practised

Through salah, sawm in Ramadan ("that you may become righteous", 2:183), controlling anger ("the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger", Bukhari 6114), honesty and generosity.

Evaluation

It is a lifelong discipline rather than a single act, which is why it produces a stable peace; NESA's guidelines describe inner peace as gained "through absolute surrender to Allah through overcoming nafs".

Marking (Original): 5 for an accurate definition, sources, explanation of how the struggle produces peace, and examples of practice.

Similarity

Both see prayer as the primary means to inner peace because it restores the believer's relationship with God. Christians are told to bring every anxiety to God, and "the peace of God ... will guard your hearts" (Philippians 4:6-7); Muslims believe "by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured" (13:28).

Difference in form

Muslim salah is obligatory, fixed five times daily with prescribed words and postures, and communal on Friday. Christian prayer is highly varied: set liturgy (the Mass, the Divine Liturgy), personal prayer ("go into your room and shut the door", Matthew 6:6), the Rosary, Lectio Divina and contemplative meditation.

Difference in focus

Christians pray to the Father through Christ, often in the Spirit; Muslims pray directly to Allah without any intermediary, facing the Ka'bah.

Marking (Original): 5 for a clear similarity and two differences, each with evidence from both traditions.

Thesis

Christianity and Islam both teach that inner peace is not self-generated calm but the fruit of right relationship with God, and both give adherents a set of beliefs, values and daily practices to reach it.

Christianity: teaching

Peace is Christ's gift (John 14:27), found even in trouble (John 16:33); the restless heart finds rest in God (Augustine, Confessions 1.1); peace is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Christianity: practice

Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:6); forgiveness and the sacrament of reconciliation (Matthew 18:22; Catechism 1468); the Eucharist and Sunday worship; contemplative traditions such as Lectio Divina, the Rosary, Christian meditation and Taize prayer.

Islam: teaching

Islam and salam share the root S-L-M; peace is the fruit of submission to As-Salam (59:23); hearts are assured by remembrance (13:28); Allah sends sakinah into believers' hearts (48:4).

Islam: practice

Salah five times daily; dhikr; sawm in Ramadan (2:183); tawakkul (65:3); tawbah (39:53); the greater jihad against the nafs (Tirmidhi 1621; 91:9-10); Sufi devotion.

Demonstrate the link

In both traditions inner peace overflows into peace with others (Romans 12:18; Bukhari 13), which is why NESA calls it "inextricably connected to world peace".

Judgement

Both provide a coherent pathway; neither promises the absence of suffering, but both promise a peace that holds within it (John 16:33; 94:5-6).

Marking (Original): top band needs both traditions, teachings and practices supported by accurately cited texts, a clear link between each practice and inner peace, and some diversity (for example Catholic confession versus Protestant direct confession; Sufi dhikr).