![]() Often, when Roman soldiers converted to Christianity, they "put off the military belt." as they would have said. Their ethical decisions were personal decisions. Apart from a few judges who converted, they were not responsible for the decisions of the Roman Empire. ![]() ![]() ![]() Moreover, they were a marginalized and powerless group. Christians regarded the Roman Empire as the great beast. Two broad and contradictory camps have emerged: the absolute pacifist camp and the "just war" camp.įor the first 300 years of Christianity, Christians were predominantly "pacifist." This was not so much theoretical pacifism as it was practical pacifism. Down through the centuries, Christian ethical thinking on warfare has been of divided mind. The ethics of war have been a challenge in every age. We are challenged by the example of Jesus who told Peter to put away the sword after he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant ( John 18:10-11 Matthew 26:51-52.) But we are also challenged by the advice of Jesus to his followers that from now on "one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one" ( Luke 22:36). Is the war in Ukraine a just war? Is it being fought justly with care for civilians? How should the war be justly resolved?įrom apostolic days Christians have struggled with their obedience to the Fifth Commandment: "Thou shalt not kill." We are aware of the teaching of Jesus to "love our enemies and pray for our persecutors" ( Matthew 5:43-44). My friend Alex Kuzma forwarded me a letter from Marti Bombyk of Ann Arbor for Ukraine, with a report from the Institute for Religious Freedom, detailing that as of January, the Russian military had destroyed nearly 500 religious sites in Ukraine.Īs the fighting intensifies, Christians on both sides should be asking ethical questions. As the war continues, the tragedy of more lives lost, and more children orphaned and captured also continues. The Ukrainian counteroffensive is well under way. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |