Christianity and War

Holy WarPacifismJust WarEarly Christian attitudes towards war.The Life of St Martin.

Holy Wars: past & present

Judaism: conquest of CanaanIslam: conquest of MeccaChristianity: crusades

Common Features of Holy Wars

Absolute and unlimited goalsConflict between forces of good an forces of evilDestruction of the enemy at any costAny means are justifiedNo moral responsibility for the victims

Modern ‘Total Wars’

GenocideAnti-SemitismArmenian Genocide in TurkeyExtermination of non-Muslims in Sudan

Problems with Holy Wars

Mistaken view of God: God does not care for my enemiesMistaken view of the world: black & white pictureLack of moral restraintHoly wars always fail to achieve their goals

Spiritualization of Holy War tradition

Spiritual warfareApocalyptic war

Christ and the Army of Heaven

Pacifism

It is always wrong to go to war‘You shall not kill’ Ex. 20: 13Words of Jesus:

“Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” (Mt 5: 39) “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5: 44)

“Overcome evil with good, rather than return evil for evil.” Rom 12: 17

Statue in the UN garden

Isaiah’s vision of world peace

He [God] shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 2: 4.

Pacifism throughout history

1-3rd c.: Most Christians were pacifistsNon-violent resistance of the martyrsFranciscansMennonitesQuakers

Arguments for Pacifism

Pragmatic argument: “pacifism works”

GhandiMartin Luther King

Witness argument

Strengths of Pacifism

Nonviolent means are sometimes more effectiveReminds that violence is costly: further alienation; human lives; financial expenses of war

Weaknesses of Pacifism

Pragmatic argument is based on anecdotal evidenceGod does not condone sinShallow understanding of sinfulness of human conditionChristians have responsibility to protect the unjustly attacked

Just War

1. Just cause (protection from unjust attack, protect rights, reestablish just political order) .

2. Legitimate authority.3. Last resort.4. Reasonable chance of success.5. Right goal and intention: re-establish peace.6. Proportionality: violence used in war must be

proportional to injury suffered.7. Discrimination between combatants and civilians.

Early Christian Attitudes towards military service & war

Why did most early Christians resist serving in the army?

The viability of two-tiered ethics: ‘natural law’ for the society at large and the ethics of perfection for some in the Church.

Cult of the Saints

Pilgrimages to holy places

Intercession of the saints

Veneration of relics

St. Martin of Tours (d. 397).

An Episode from the Life of St Martin