The just war ethic argues that warfare is sometimes necessary in order to resist or reverse specific unjust actions taken by one government or nation against another, but is also insists that war is always regrettable, is always something to avoid if possible, and is never to be used to establish new vision of a social order.
The just war ethic tradition arises from both biblical and classical sources. In the Bible, the just war principles can be found in rules revealed for engaging enemies outside the territory of the Promised Land (Deut. 20:1-20), in God's judgment of war actions taken by the Gentile nations around Israel( Amos 1), and in the regard Jesus had for moral wisdom relating to the way kings go to war (Luke 14:31).
The NT church included many soldiers serving on active duty and saw nothing morally inconsistent with Christians serving as military professionals. The conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was confirmed by the Holy Spirit with no question of his profession compromising his faith (Acts 10). John the Baptist responded to soldiers in a way that implied they were serving in a morally legitimate profession (Luke 3:14). And when Paul was imprisoned in Rome, many in the Praetorian guard became Christians (Phil. 1:13). As a result Christians soon became to fill the Roman fortresses, military camps, and army companies, and the first persecutions of the church arose because of the high number of Christians serving in the Roman army. While some early Christians opposed military service (Tertullian and Origen), the majority tradition of the church has never considered military service to be inconsistent with biblical standards.
Over time, the just war ethic has developed a common set of criteria that can be used to decide if going to war in a specific situation if right. The include the following: 1)just cause (is the reason for going to war a morally right cause, such as a defense of a nation?) 2) competent authority (has the war been declared not simply by a renegade band within a nation but by a recognized competent authority within the nation? Rom. 13:1) 3) comparative justice (it should be clear that the actions of the enemy are morally wrong, and the motives and actions of one's own nation in going to war are, in comparison, morally right Rom. 13:3) 4) right intention (is the purpose of going to war to protect justice and righteousness rather than simply to rob and pillage and destroy another nation? Prov. 21:2) 5) last resort (have all other reasonable means of resolving conflict been exhausted? Matt. 5:9, Rom. 12:18) 6) probability of success (is there a reasonable expectation that the war can be won? Luke 14:31) 7) proportionality of projected results (will the good results that come from a victory in a war be significantly greater than the harm and loss that will inevitably come with pursuing the war? Rom. 12:21, 13:4) 8) right spirit (is the war undertaken with great reluctance and sorrow at the harm that will come rather than simply with a "delight in war" Ps. 68:30).
In addition to these criteria for deciding whether a specific war is "just", advocates of just war theory have also developed some moral restrictions on how a just war should be fought. These include: 1) proportionality in the use of force (no greater destruction should be caused than is needed to win the war) 2) discrimination between combatants and noncombatants (insofar as it is feasible in the successful pursuit of a war, is adequate care taken to prevent harm to noncombatants? 3) avoidance of evil means (will captured or defeated enemies be treated with justice and compassion, and are one's own soldiers being treated justly in captivity? 4) good faith (is there a genuine desire for restoration of peace and eventually living in harmony with the attacking nation?)
In conclusion, if a war is just, it should not be viewed as morally wrong but still necessary, nor as morally neutral, but as something that is morally right, carried out (with sorrow and regret) in obedience to responsibilities given by God (Rom. 13:4). Those who sever in a just war should understand that such service is not sinful in God's sight but that they do this as "God's servant for your good" (Rom. 13:4, Luke 3:14, John 15:13, Num. 32:6, 20-23; Ps. 144:1).
*Notes taken from the Christian Ethic section of the ESV Study Bible
* Class Notes, Dr. Daniel Heimbach, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
The just war ethic tradition arises from both biblical and classical sources. In the Bible, the just war principles can be found in rules revealed for engaging enemies outside the territory of the Promised Land (Deut. 20:1-20), in God's judgment of war actions taken by the Gentile nations around Israel( Amos 1), and in the regard Jesus had for moral wisdom relating to the way kings go to war (Luke 14:31).
The NT church included many soldiers serving on active duty and saw nothing morally inconsistent with Christians serving as military professionals. The conversion of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was confirmed by the Holy Spirit with no question of his profession compromising his faith (Acts 10). John the Baptist responded to soldiers in a way that implied they were serving in a morally legitimate profession (Luke 3:14). And when Paul was imprisoned in Rome, many in the Praetorian guard became Christians (Phil. 1:13). As a result Christians soon became to fill the Roman fortresses, military camps, and army companies, and the first persecutions of the church arose because of the high number of Christians serving in the Roman army. While some early Christians opposed military service (Tertullian and Origen), the majority tradition of the church has never considered military service to be inconsistent with biblical standards.
Over time, the just war ethic has developed a common set of criteria that can be used to decide if going to war in a specific situation if right. The include the following: 1)just cause (is the reason for going to war a morally right cause, such as a defense of a nation?) 2) competent authority (has the war been declared not simply by a renegade band within a nation but by a recognized competent authority within the nation? Rom. 13:1) 3) comparative justice (it should be clear that the actions of the enemy are morally wrong, and the motives and actions of one's own nation in going to war are, in comparison, morally right Rom. 13:3) 4) right intention (is the purpose of going to war to protect justice and righteousness rather than simply to rob and pillage and destroy another nation? Prov. 21:2) 5) last resort (have all other reasonable means of resolving conflict been exhausted? Matt. 5:9, Rom. 12:18) 6) probability of success (is there a reasonable expectation that the war can be won? Luke 14:31) 7) proportionality of projected results (will the good results that come from a victory in a war be significantly greater than the harm and loss that will inevitably come with pursuing the war? Rom. 12:21, 13:4) 8) right spirit (is the war undertaken with great reluctance and sorrow at the harm that will come rather than simply with a "delight in war" Ps. 68:30).
In addition to these criteria for deciding whether a specific war is "just", advocates of just war theory have also developed some moral restrictions on how a just war should be fought. These include: 1) proportionality in the use of force (no greater destruction should be caused than is needed to win the war) 2) discrimination between combatants and noncombatants (insofar as it is feasible in the successful pursuit of a war, is adequate care taken to prevent harm to noncombatants? 3) avoidance of evil means (will captured or defeated enemies be treated with justice and compassion, and are one's own soldiers being treated justly in captivity? 4) good faith (is there a genuine desire for restoration of peace and eventually living in harmony with the attacking nation?)
In conclusion, if a war is just, it should not be viewed as morally wrong but still necessary, nor as morally neutral, but as something that is morally right, carried out (with sorrow and regret) in obedience to responsibilities given by God (Rom. 13:4). Those who sever in a just war should understand that such service is not sinful in God's sight but that they do this as "God's servant for your good" (Rom. 13:4, Luke 3:14, John 15:13, Num. 32:6, 20-23; Ps. 144:1).
*Notes taken from the Christian Ethic section of the ESV Study Bible
* Class Notes, Dr. Daniel Heimbach, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
No comments:
Post a Comment