JUST WAR

We are at war. There is no denying it. Our nation has started a war against Iran, and the outcome will not be settled quickly or easily. As the warfare bleeds into other nations, reigning destruction in ever widening circles, soldiers, sailors, and civilians die and chaos reigns. There is no such thing as a “good war.” Christians since the earliest days of Christian thought have agreed on this point. The question has been is this war a just war?

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Ambrose and Augustine, two of the greatest theologians of the early church, posited that a war could be considered just. But you can’t just declare it so. Ambrose said that war could only be defensive in nature – a response to attack. He also taught that a war’s purpose had to be divine will, not human or national gain. Augustine went a little deeper into the subject, but his conclusions were essentially the same as those of Ambrose. They also agreed that the true purpose of war must be to establish peace.

There are a lot of Christian leaders claiming that this current war is “God’s will.” Further, they are claiming that the president is “God’s anointed,” carrying out God’s will. This leaves me nearly speechless. I would say that both claims are grossly misinformed and even blasphemous. 

I don’t see any evidence that God was consulted in this matter or that the war we now embrace advances the aims of the reign of God revealed in Jesus Christ. I do see that the aim of the war is deeply rooted in national and personal goals, which make it an unjust war. As to being God’s anointed, that is something reserved for Christ alone (Christ is the Greek word of “Anointed”). 

You will have to forgive me if this offends. My parents served during the Korean War and history has shown the folly of that encounter. I grew up in the shadow of the Vietnam War, one of the least just wars ever waged according to the standards of Ambrose and Augustine. Every conflict of my life has been driven by power and economic forces that have nothing to do with God’s will to establish shalom – peace and wholeness for all creation and every nation.

If non-combatants are dying and the powerful are gaining more power and wealth and privilege, it is not a just war. If it was not declared after reasoned debate according to the laws of the land, with Congress exercising constitutional powers, it is not a just war. The collective effect of constant unjust war is to create enemies, not establish peace.

We must pray and work for peace. 
Pax Christi, Tim Olson – Lead Pastor



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