Rector’s Reflections
Monday 7th October 2024
Christians and the Ethics of War
Today I am starting a fresh series of reflections, on the subject of Christians and the ethics of War. Is it morally appropriate for Christians to volunteer to serve in the Armed Forces? Is it ever morally justifiable for a country to go to war with another country, and if so, in what circumstances might this be acceptable? Is there ever such a thing as a “Just War”? Are there moral limits to the actions which can be taken in the pursuit of victory? These are just some of the questions that come to mind when we start to reflect on the ethics of war.
I have chosen this topic for two reasons. Firstly, there is the current situation in the Middle East. Sadly, we have become used to seeing pictures of destruction and suffering on the nightly news, and our hearts go out to all the innocent people who have been caught up in the terror and carnage of war. And of course the Middle East is not the only part of the world where there is ongoing warfare or serious civil unrest.
There is a second reason for choosing this topic. It is the time of year when our thoughts begin to turn to Remembrance Sunday. Soon we shall the familiar poppies for sale, and think about communities gathered around war memorials up and down the land. Christian ministers will be tasked with leading prayers, and preaching sermons. What might one say on such an occasion? What should one say? What should we be praying for? Who should we be praying for? Should our focus be solely on giving thanks to God for our victories, and all who have fought for our country, or should we also remember our enemies, and those who fought against us?
There is clearly much to think about, and we shall explore some of the issues and questions in the days ahead. It is a large subject, and my aim is to seek to explain why the issues are complex, and why Christians hold different views on the ethics of war. Some Christians have been committed pacifists – using that term “pacifist” in a broad sense. Other Christians have felt a calling to serve in the Armed Forces. Some Christians have embraced the concept of a “Just War”, defining and exploring what that slippery term might mean when applied to the complexity of human conflict. Others have felt that the concept of a “Just War” is morally worthless, and in any event incompatible with the Christian faith. There have been further debates among Christians about the moral rules which should apply in a course of a conflict. For example, during the 2nd World War, there was some debate over the morality of the carpet bombing of German cities. Was this carpet bombing morally acceptable? Some said it was, in part because it was felt that it would help to achieve victory. Others baulked at the widespread destruction of civilian life, and felt that it was unacceptable for countries who desired to save “Civilization” from the evils of Nazism to do so by adopting an “uncivilized” means of waging war. In effect, would carpet bombing make the Allies as morally reprehensible as the Nazis?
The mention of the carpet bombing of German cities leads us on to consider the debate over the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was the dropping of the Bomb morally justified? And if it were justified, in the particular circumstances pertaining in 1945, are there any situations in today’s world where the use of nuclear weapons would be morally acceptable? Some would argue that the destructive power of modern nuclear weapons has meant that the traditional ethics of war have become outmoded. Others would disagree, and argue that the traditional ethics of war would still apply, at least to the limited use of nuclear weapons. The same comments can be made on the destructive potential of chemical and biological warfare.
These are just some of the questions which have challenged Christians and non-Christians down the centuries. We shall explore these and other issues further in the days ahead.