Arguments for Just War (Counterculture series)

[KyleB]

Steve,

In your lectures on War vs. Peace in the Counterculture series, you ran out of time at point "L" of "Arguments for Just War". I have always been curious what the remainder of the points were and your responses to them. Do you happen to have those available in a text document anywhere?

Thanks,
-Kyle

[steve]

It has been a long time since I taught that lecture, and I have not listened to it for over a decade.These are the notes from which I taught that lecture (I think! I do not always follow the notes closely). It looks like I only listed the arguments from the other side, and answered them from the top of my head:


I. Preliminary considerations

A. We must recognize our prejudices

1. We must be aware of the degree to which we have bought into the worldly culture
2. Our own reasoning may be based on worldly presuppositions
3. We are in danger of believing what we most want to believe

B. Christians submit to Christ and the teaching of Scriptures, regardless of the cost.

II. Biblical Theology of War

A. On the Divine level

1. Used by God to judge wicked nations (Ezek.14:21/Isa.10:5-6, 15/Hab.1:6/Matt.22:7/ Rev.6:1-4/Amos 3:6)
2. The nations thus used may subsequently be judged for their excesses (Isa.10:12, 24-25/ Zech.1:15; 14:2-3)
3. God is able without military force to accomplish similar objectives (Matt.26:52-53/Hos.1:7/2 Kings 19:34-35)

B. On the human level

1. Motivated by greed (Isa.10:7, 13-14/ James 4:1-2)
2. Victory does not always go to the superior force (Josh. 7:3-5/Judges 7:7/2 Chron.20)
3. It is better to trust in God than in weapons (Ps.20:7/33:17-18/Prov.21:31/Isa.31:1)
4. Though Israel sometimes fought in war with God’s approval, they were to do so or not only as directed by God’s command. He often forbade them to fight a present enemy (Num.14:40-45/2 Chron.20:15-17/Jer. 32:5; 38:2)

III. The “Just War” Theory

A. Advocated by many Christians (since Augustine) in an effort to place some wars on an ethical parity with capital punishment.

B. Originated with Plato. Adopted by Augustine. Developed by Thomas Aquinas and others.

C. Some of the distinctives of a “Just War”

1. Objective: to restore a just peace—not retaliation or territory acquisition;
2. Entirely defensive;
3. Proportionate force;
4. Non-combatant immunity

D. There is no example or advocacy of such an ethic in the Scriptures (Deut.20:10-18)

IV. Christian Ethics of forcible resistance

A. General considerations:

1. Self-preservation and survival cannot be the Christian’s chief priority (Matt.16:24-26)
2. Self control is greater than military exploits (Prov.16:32/Rom.12:17-21)
3, To suffer (even to die) with a clear conscience beats surviving without one (1 Pet.3:13-18)
4. It is safe, by obeying God dangerously, to leave our fate in God’s hands (1 Pet.4:19)
5. We are commanded to love our neighbors and enemies as we love ourselves (Matt.5:43-48).
6. Love for neighbor might require resistance of a violent enemy, though not necessarily by use of deadly force (Luke 9:54-56)

B. Specific scenarios

1. When there is no mortal danger (Matt.5:38-42; 10:23/Luke 21:20-21/Acts 22:24-25)
2. When you are in mortal danger (James 5:6/1 Pet.2:21-23; 4:19)
3. When others are in mortal danger: reasonable, proportionate, non-malicious (Matt.26:52/Deut.19:19-21)

C. General warfare is in a separate class from the above scenarios

1. Warfare does not have strict justice as its objective, but rather the interests of a secular state
2. The Christian soldier must be yoked with unbelievers by oaths of allegiance, and serve under the command of the ungodly (2 Cor.6:14).
3. Warfare includes more than defense against direct assault. It also involves destruction of property and harm to non-combatants.
4. Even those who are combatants (on the other side) may be our Christian brothers and sisters.
5. God may be on the side of our enemies, and we may find ourselves engaged in “fighting against God”

V. Christians’ Relationship to Domicile Nations

A. A nation within the nations (Ex.19:5-6/1 Pet.2:9-10/Col.1:13/Acts 17:7)

B. Citizens elsewhere; pilgrims here (Phil.3:20/1 Pet.2:11/Heb.11:13-16/John 18:36)

C. Obedient to governmental authority when such involves no disobedience to Christ (Rom.13:1-7/1 Pet.2:13-14/ Acts 5:29)

D. Priests of God (Rev.5:10/Num.1:2-3, 47-50/1 Chron.28:3)

E. Peacemaking Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace (2 Cor.5:18-20/Matt.5:9/Isaiah 2:4/Rom.3:17)

F. Soldiers in a different warfare (2 Cor.10:4-5/Eph.6:10-20/2 Tim.2:3-4)

VI. Arguments from the “Just War” camp (then directly from their books)

A. The ethics of war

1. God sanctioned and even commanded His people's participation in war in Old Testament times!
a. Jesus sanctioned the Old Testament as scripture (e.g., John 10:35).
b. The New Testament approves of Old Testament wars (Hebrews 11).

2. Did morality change with the coming of the New Testament?
3. Paul sanctions the use of the sword in Romans 13?
4. Are there different standards of morality for some than for others?(i.e., Christians can’t fight, others can)
5. God approves of violence in the interests of justice, like the violence of the cross, for instance
6. Since God's holy angels engage in warfare (e.g., Rev.12:7), fighting wars must be permissible.
7. The use of the "warfare motif" for the Christian life (e.g., 2 Cor.10:4-5) suggests that war is not, in itself, a bad or offensive thing.
8. Capital punishment is sanctioned by God. There is no difference between war, capital punishment, and defending your wife from a rapist.
9. Our freedom of religion was won and has been maintained by men who have fought in wars. Isn't one who enjoys the benefits of a free society obligated to defend that society?
10. Moral or spiritual persuasion is not enough to stop aggressors.
11. Christian pacifism is a surrender to the philosophy of the politically Left and the theologically liberal.
12. If only non-Christians can fight the nation’s wars, what if everybody in a nation became Christians? Who would defend the nation?

B. The teaching and example of Christ

1. Are we to take the Sermon on the Mount literally? What about hyperbole?
2. The teachings of Christ about love of enemies apply only to personal enemies.
3. In a sense, killing an evil man can be compatible with loving him.
4. Jesus said He did not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt.10:34).
5. Jesus advised his disciples to buy swords for self-defense (Luke 22:36).
6. Jesus said there will be wars until the end of the world (Matt.24:6-7).
7. Jesus told His disciples to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Matt.22:21). We should thus obey rulers.
8. Jesus did not tell military personel to leave the army, and even commended some for their faith (e.g., Matt.8:10)!
9. If Jesus taught pacifism, then the charge that He was trying to overthrow the Roman government could never have been brought against Him (Luke 23:2).
10. Is the example of Jesus literally to be followed, or was He a special case?
11. Jesus was sometimes violent, like when He cleansed the temple (e.g. John 2)!
12. Jesus and the apostles used miraculous force against evil people (John 18:5-6).

C. The witness of church history

1. Many important Christians have supported the use of war.
2. The majority if church fathers were silent on the subject of war.
3. The church fathers who condemned military involvement were not like modern pacifists.
4. The reformers supported war.
5. Many modern Christian thinkers oppose pacifism.
6. War has played a positive role in church history.
7. Many godly Christians have fought in wars

[KyleB]

Thanks Steve!

How is the Las Vegas series coming along?

[steve]

In small increments. One per month.