Rector’s Reflections
Monday 14th October 2024
Christians and the Ethics of War
Last week, we looked at some the general ethical approaches which Christians might take when considering the ethics of war. These general approaches are shared by people of all faiths and none, and have no necessary connection with Christian belief or practice. Such approaches can be based on the application of rules derived from Natural Law theories or rules set out in written agreements between nations, such as the Geneva Conventions of 1949 with their Additional Protocols. Sometimes a rules-based approach is cast in terms of Just War theory. But there are other approaches, which do not look at the morality of war in terms of rules. For example, some approaches take a Consequentialist approach, looking at the likely consequences of a particular course of action.
But there are also approaches to the ethics of war which have a particularly Christian character, and we shall look at some of these in the days ahead. By saying that they have a “particularly Christian character”, I am not saying that they are views shared by all Christians, or that such views represent a perfect understanding of the life and teaching of Jesus himself. But what I am saying is that some Christians certainly do hold these views, and they do so largely because of their Christian beliefs.
Let me start with the doctrine of Absolute Pacifism, meaning by “Absolute Pacifism” the doctrine that warfare is forbidden by the Gospel in all circumstances. Under this definition, Absolute Pacifism has no place for any doctrine of Just War. It holds that wat is always wrong, whatever the circumstances. There are no ifs and buts. War is always wrong.
The doctrine of Absolute Pacifism has been associated with the Anabaptists and the Quakers, but is has also been held by some of the members of more traditional churches, such as the Church of England. An example of an Anglican Pacifist was Dick Sheppard (1880-1937), the famous Vicar of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields. In 1935 he published a book with the clear title, We say “No”: The Plain Man’s Guide to Pacifism , and in the following year he founded the Peace Pledge Union. Looking back, I think it is fair to say that the Anglican movement for Pacifism grew out of a natural revolt at the death and suffering caused by the 1st World War. It lost support during the 2nd World War, as many Christians embraced Just War theory in order to justify the war against Nazi Germany. However, Anglican pacifism came back to life in the 1960s, with a growing awareness of the threat posed by Nuclear Weapons. Perhaps you belong to Christian CND.
It goes without saying that not every Christian would agree with the doctrine of Absolute Pacifism. Christians have served in the armed forces since at least the 2nd Century onwards, and many members of our current armed forces are Christians. Many Christians are perfectly happy with some form of the Just War theory : in other words, while most Christians would say that War is a bad thing, they would also say that there are some exceptions, and in these circumstances, while war might not be a good thing, it is a lot better than doing nothing and letting evil triumph.
I think much depends on how we respond to the fact that we do not live in an ideal world. There are some bad people out there, and some evil political regimes. Given this reality, what do we do about it? Do we pretend this evil does n’t exist, or acknowledge its existence but leave it in God’s hands to sort it all out in God’s good time? Either approach would encourage Absolute Pacifism. Or do we face the facts, and say that we need to deal with world as it is, and not as we like it to be? Do we argue that God has given us the responsibility to apply and if necessary to enforce the values of the gospel, not just in our own lives, but in our communities and in our International Relations? Yes, we might well make mistakes, and sometimes we might be blind to our own hypocrisy and self-interest. But at least we are trying to promote the values of the gospel – love, mercy, peace and justice. An Absolute Pacifist might well reply that given human sinfulness, no attempt to meet force with force will promote the values of the gospel, and what is needed is a radical re-formulation of the values of society as a whole. After all, Jesus himself refused to take up weapons against his enemies. We need to follow Jesus’ example, and throw away our weapons. To which a reply might be: this is all very well, but we are not Jesus, and we’re not living in the Holy Land back in the 1st Century AD.
What do you think? What do you think of Absolute Pacifism as a Christian approach to the ethics of war?