Peace’s Synonyms: Conciliar and Post-Conciliar Catholic Social Thought Perspectives

Abstract

Peace remains one of humanity’s most desirable and cherished treasures. The preciousness of peace becomes most evident when it is absent due to violence, armed conflict, war, inner turmoil that leads to lack of sleep, trauma, and at times thoughts of vengeance. As simple as the term may seem, peace carries multiple meanings depending on the perspective one takes to describe it. I call these multiple meanings peace’s synonyms. Scripture accounts for peace as shalom, a state of individual and communal wellbeing, social harmony, righteousness, and peace as a fruit of justice, forgiveness, and love. This essay focuses on synonyms that peace has assumed since the 1960s within the Catholic Church’s social thought, with a specific focus on Conciliar and post-Conciliar Papal encyclicals and messages on peace.