The Bible does not give a definitive answer concerning the question of war. Like so many other ethical questions in contemporary society that are complex in scope, but which may seem to beg a single (and sometimes simple) answer, war is neither explicitly condemned, nor is it unquestioningly valued or approved in the Bible.

Using the Bible to Justify War

Any justification for non-violence based on the Bible must contend with numerous texts that either take war for granted, that positively invoke the image of war (for example, Exodus 15; Deuteronomy 33; Judges 5; Habakkuk 3, Psalm 68), or that outright command war (for example, Exodus 17.14-16; Deuteronomy 25.17-19; 1 Samuel 15.2-3). Texts such as Deuteronomy 20 give specific rules for how ancient Israelites were to conduct war. While one could argue that these rules actually attempt to set limits on war, it is equally possible to argue that these rules render war intelligible and purposeful in light of ancient Israelite culture. To that end, Deuteronomy 20 and scenes from Joshua, Judges, and other texts make the task of justifying acts of war that much easier (and the task of denying divine approval for war that much harder). History is littered with the bodies of those who have been killed by governments, armies, and persons who appealed to texts such as Judges 6.21, 27.

U.S. Judge Robert Elliott did exactly that when he cited those texts as a reason to overturn the conviction of Lt. William Calley for the 1968 massacre at My Lai, Vietnam. Similar biblical texts were used to authorize attacks on civilians during the European Crusades, Oliver Cromwell's campaigns in Ireland, Puritan exterminations of Native Americans, and Boer displacements of the indigenous peoples in southern Africa. Thus, the Bible can be, and has been, used to justify war, often without much difficulty.

Biblical Exhortation for Living Peaceably

On the other hand, any justification of a divinely-sanctioned or "just war," will nevertheless have to contend with numerous texts that either regard war as something to be endured, or that look forward to a time when all wars will end. Other texts commend practices of living peaceably, (cf. Romans 12.17, 18) which implicitly or explicitly, seem to run counter to the values and practices required for war. Some texts, especially many of those found in the Book of Revelation, give an added dimension to the issue by using the metaphorical language of war when invoking non-violent protest against the demonic abuses of Roman imperial domination and idolatry, while still looking forward to the day when Christ returns as a messianic warrior to defeat both Rome and Satan in war (see chapters 17-19).

There are others, however, who appeal to texts such as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), which has a long history of interpretation, as supporting the practice of non-violence, which includes opposing war. Frequently in the modern period, however, the political interpretation of these texts has been dismissed. Jesus' teachings, in particular, are seen as blueprints for dealing with individual ethics, not relationships between groups. Yet, from the early Christian martyrs to early modern Mennonites, Anabaptists and their spiritual kin who were often martyred by other Christians, to Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi, these and similar biblical texts have been read to justify pacificism and non-violent political resistance.

A Spirit of Discernment

There are no easy answers. History already shows how the Bible can be, and has been, used as either a tool for peace or a weapon of war (conducted in the name of peace). And, the legitimacy of either usage cannot be decided by the Bible alone, since the Bible itself poses the very question. Rather, in determining the legitimacy of an interpretation is the work of discernment, a process done in conversation with the Bible, with the particular factors about violence that matter in a given case, and the specific commitments and interests of the community to whom one is accountable. Discernment is not simply a matter of imposing one's predetermined opinion on the biblical text, picking and choosing which texts give us the definitive view of God. Discernment does, however, involve reading the Bible in light of, and as part of, one's larger sense of what the Christian life is all about.

by Eric Thurman
PhD Candidate, Drew University, Madison, NJ