peace
greatly desirable state of harmony, represented in Hebrew by ‘shalom’ and Latin by ‘pax’. Biblical perspectives are not naïve regarding the ease with which it can be achieved. For instance, Jeremiah warns against announcing it when it has not yet been realised and, instead, abusive corruption lurks beneath the social surface (Jer: 6:14). The words of Jesus also make it very clear that such are the demands of the gospel that it too can lead to social disharmony. Nevertheless, the ‘communion of saints’ found in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-7) and prized in the official creeds, or again the Reformation notion of ‘commonwealth’, all celebrate the desirability of generalised human friendship and an end to violence.