The Big Questions About the Christian LifeSýnishorn

Are Christians Allowed to Fight in War?

I’ll be right upfront here and tell you there are different views within Christianity about this.

Many Christians believe you shouldn’t bear arms in war under any circumstances. That view is called pacifism, and it has a very long and illustrious tradition within Christianity. Pacifists will either refuse to join the army altogether, even if they’re conscripted or join and serve in non-combatant roles like medics.

However, other Christians believe it’s okay to serve your country by bearing arms and killing your enemy in war.

Which view is right?

I’m not sure. Let’s allow people to follow their conscience and convictions on this and other complex issues.

Let’s look at pacifism first. Pacifism has a long and ancient tradition within Christianity. Jesus appeared to teach pacifism in many of his sayings, such as these: “love your enemies,” “all who draw the sword will die by the sword,” “blessed are the peacemakers,” and many other sayings.

During the first 300 years of its existence, the Christian church was firmly pacifist, officially refusing to serve in the army or use violence of any kind. As long as its focus was on the idea that the kingdom of Christ was essentially not of this world, they held fast to pacifism.

Well-known modern Christian pacifists include Leo Tolstoy and Martin Luther King Jr. You don’t have to be a Christian to be a pacifist. Just think of Mahatma Gandhi, for example. These great people have brought about tremendous change for good in our world.

Let’s now look at the opposite view. The idea of Christians fighting the army also has a long history. In fact, by the third century after Christ, there were significant numbers of Christians serving in the Roman military.

In Constantine’s time, the pacifist position of the church changed because of the united interests of the government and the church. The church developed the “just war” concept; the idea was that waging war is justified under certain conditions.

Those who argue for the Christian option to bear arms say that Christianity aims to promote peace and justice, and war can be the tool to help achieve this under certain circumstances. Waging war might be the lesser of two evils. It might achieve more good than doing nothing, particularly if the aggressor is evil.

I don’t have a definitive answer. I will say that if you come to a position on this issue, you must always be consistent with the message of Jesus Christ. You have to weigh up all the ethical issues and be respectful of the viewpoints of others.

– Eliezer Gonzalez