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Conflicted over war
By Gary Macy
As most readers are aware, the
question of the proper Christian attitude to war and the military profession
was an anguishing issue for early Christian writers. Some thought that both war
and the military profession should never be undertaken by Christians. Others
believed that the military profession was acceptable as long as a soldier never
killed anyone. The second-century Apostolic Tradition, for instance, equally
forbids soldiers to kill or magistrates to enforce the death penalty: A
soldier in the lower ranks shall kill no one. If ordered to do so, he shall not
obey, and he shall not take an oath. If anyone exercises the power of the sword
or is a civil magistrate who wears the purple, let him give up the office or be
dismissed [from the church]. The Canon of Hippolytus from the late fourth
or early fifth century is particularly considerate of those forced into the
military: A Christian should not voluntarily become a soldier unless
compelled to by someone in authority. He should have a sword, but he should not
be commanded to shed blood. If it is ascertained that he has done so, he should
stay away from the mysteries at least until he has been purified through tears
and lamentation.
Still other writers, especially starting in the fourth
century, argued that under certain circumstances, just wars could and indeed
should be fought. Under these circumstances, the military was a necessary and
even honorable occupation for Christians. Interestingly enough, however, even
these Christian writers were concerned that Christian soldiers take the horrors
of war seriously. Basil, the great bishop of Caesarea (329-79), would enjoin
his readers, Our predecessors did not consider killing in war as murder,
but, as I understand it, made allowances for those who fought on the side of
moderation and piety. Nonetheless, it is good to admonish those whose hands are
unclean to abstain from Communion for three years.
In short, even when necessary and moral, the killing that
occurred in a just war still required extensive ritual purification. According
to early Christian writers, even though a just war was a necessary evil, it was
still an evil. The purpose of war should always be to avoid further war, that
is, to achieve peace. Augustine, an important advocate of the just war theory,
made this point eloquently, Peace should be your aim; war should be a
matter of necessity so that God might free you from necessity and preserve you
in peace. One does not pursue peace in order to wage war; he wages war to
achieve peace. And so, even in the act of waging war, be careful to maintain a
peaceful disposition so that by defeating your foes, you can bring them the
benefits of peace.
Gary Macy is a theology professor at the University of
San Diego. |