Peace is not principally the absence of conflict but, as Augustine puts it, “the tranquillity of order”. Scripture reveals that disorder in society originates in the disorder of the human heart. Any lasting social peace, therefore, cannot be the product of social engineering or negotiation. Real peace begins with man’s reconciliation to God, who orders the soul through charity, and from there can begin healing families, communities and nations.
When we speak about peace politically, we tend to mean treaties, ceasefires or settlements. These are real goods, and often urgently necessary ones. But peace to the Christian is something much richer.
