|
 |
| |
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
Any
thoughts? ... Tell us what you think here |
|
|
The
issue of war is as present today as it ever
was. No matter how hard you try to dodge the
issue, eventually everyone has to wrestle
with it. And the fact is that views we hold
about war can literally be life-altering,
and not just for ourselves. ALOVE looks back
on how the Church has responded to war through
the ages.
The history of Gods chosen people recorded
in the books of the Old Testament remind the
Church that Yahweh purposed the salvation
of the whole of humankind through the birth
of a nation in preparation for the incarnation
of his Son.
But the issue of how the Israelites dealt
with their enemies and God’s part in
that may seem at odds with the peace-endorsing
Jesus of the New Testament. Further, some
have cited the first testament as justification
for war and, more specifically, war on religious
grounds. Certainly, the Church itself has
never kept entirely clean hands in this regard.
Deuteronomy contains within its pages a set
of guidelines for war (Chapter 20). It does
not make for light bedtime reading. There
are occasions where Yahweh calls for the destruction
of, ‘anything that breathes’ (Deuteronomy
20:16). The well known story of Joshua (the
anointed one, having the same name as Jesus)
and the battle of Jericho, has Yahweh intervening
to bring down the walls and Joshua ‘devotes’
all that is in the city to the Lord as an
offering, to be destroyed, Joshua 6:17.
These set Yahweh as the divine warrior (Isaiah
51:9; 63:1-6), who works with or alone to
bring about his desired outcome (Deuteronomy
6:19,20:4; 23:14; 25:19; 33:27; Joshua 10:19,
10:25; 2Kings 17:39, 2 Chronicles 20:29).
This kind of holy war is not carried through
into the New Testament, and to those who would
try to use these OT passages as justification
for contemporary war, must understand that
they were limited to ancient Israel only.
This kind of ‘holy’ war cannot
exist in our time.
As we look to Jesus in the New Testament,
there is a distinct lack of physical violence
to his actions. To the woman caught in adultery
where the punishment was death by the Jewish
law, Jesus intervened (John 8:1-11). He insisted
that his hearers prayed for and loved their
enemies in (Matthew 5:44 – which ironically
would have made his audience’s blood
boil).
The temple incident sees Jesus righteously
angry but no one is harmed (Luke 19:45). His
response to the violence inflicted on him
was to keep his mouth shut (Isaiah 53:7; Luke
23:9) like a lamb to the slaughter. And when
Peter tried to defend Jesus at his arrest,
Jesus chastised him saying ‘Put
your sword back in its place; for all who
take the sword will perish by the sword’
(Matthew 26:52).
Before looking at the Joshua of the Old and
the Jesus of the New, Jesus clearly rules
out war in his name. The so-called ‘Yahweh
War’ of the OT has no place for the
church. To fight in his name is not an option.
You may be experiencing head spin when trying
to match the actions of God with Joshua and
Jesus’ actions in the New Testament.
You are not alone. These are some of the ways
which others have thought about this issue: |
|
|
•
|
It has
been noted that the end times talked
about by Jesus (Mark 13:14-27, Matthew
24:15-31) and in the book of Revelation,
contain a much more frightening picture
of judgment than anything in the OT.
It is because God is Holy and Just
that some, will, by their own actions
be separated from him for eternity. |
|
| • |
It is just
this eschatological overview that links
the OT and the NT. Jesus still does
battle but with the spiritual powers
behind the evil systems of people (Colossians
2:15) but the end battle is yet to come.
Another approach may be to see God keeping
his covenant through the ages by honoring
the blessing for faithfulness and hardship
for disobedience, keeping Israel intact.
Both the eschatological and the spiritual
views may be of some help. |
|
|
So, holy war
is out but what can be said of war in general?
How has the Church thought and dealt with
it.
It is fair to say that it has ebbed and
flowed, mostly following conflicts. The
early church conquered Rome without a sword
being drawn. However, when in power (with
people to protect) the Church’s mood
changed. Augustine in the 4th century was
reluctant to formulate the principles of
a so-called’ just war’, however
in his view; the aim was to have as its
goal the establishment of justice and the
restoration of peace. The Medieval Church
supported knights and in more, recent times
the Catholic Church as part of Vatican II
recognized pacifism as compatible with its
teaching (relating to nuclear weapons) ‘Pastoral
Constitution on the World’. Also,
pacifism, ‘Peacemaking, the Believer’s
Calling’ by the Presbyterian Church
(USA).
Do you know anyone who is presently caught
up in the on-going conflicts? How do you
support them as an individual? Would you
join up? Is going to war wrong under any
circumstances?
The issue is important and complex and this
may be the time to add some mental study
to the strength of your gut reactions.
|
|
|
|
Further
reading:
Show Them No Mercy, 4 Views on God and Canaanite
Genocide: ISBN 0310245680
Radical Discontinuity, C. S. Cowles. Moderate
Discontinuity, Eugene H. Merrill. Eschatological
Continuity, Daniel L. Gard. Spiritual Continuity,
Tremper Longman III. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Youthwork -
The Partnership ...
ALOVE,
Youthwork Magazine, Youth For Christ, Spring Harvest and
Oasis are working together to equip and resource the Church
for effective youth work and ministry. |
 |
|
|
|
|
