When you give life, do you have the right to take it?

Is the church ever justified in endorsing war?

Exodus 20:13 ­ Do not murder

Genesis 9:6 ­ shed blood if blood shed to Noah

Exodus 22:2 ­ self­protection is excuse to kill

Luke 14:31 ­ war as a natural thing on earth?

Romans 13:4 ­ government avenger on evil

Romans 12:18­19 ­ be at peace with all men if possible, don’t take vengeance

Revelations 19:11­21 ­ Jesus who “wages war”

Numbers 31:7 ­ God commands war against Midian

Luke 22:35­38 ­ Jesus tells his disciples to pick up swords

49­52 ­ but then prevents his disciples from starting a scuffle

John 2:15 ­ the cleansing of the temple (violence?)

James 4:1­2 ­ the origin of war (lust)

Matt. 26:51­56 ­ Jesus points out that violence is an option (angels), also live by the 
sword die by the sword

Isaiah 2:3­4 ­ swords into plowshares

Luke 3:14 ­ John the B does not tell Soldiers to leave jobs

Acts 10:1 ­ Cornelius is a soldier
John 18:36 ­ Jesus says my kingdom is not of this world or we’d be fighting

2 Cor. 10:3­4 ­ weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual

1 Peter 2:21­23 ­ our example (from Jesus), do not return ill for ill

Hebrews 10:32­34 ­ joyfully suffered wrongs, knowing that this life is not all

Acts 5:29 ­ obey God rather than men
1 Peter 2:13­14 ­ Government punishes evil doers

2 Tim 2:3, Philemon 2, Phil. 2:25, ­ soldier verses

2 Timothy 4:7, 1 Timothy 1:18 ­ fought good fight, wage a good fight

Eccles. 3:8 ­ a time for war, a time for peace

Matt. 8:5 ­ a centurion is praised

I Chron. 28:3 ­ David not allowed to build temple because “man of war”

Exodus 15:3 ­ The Lord is a warrior

1. God on occasion ordered His people to go to war (Exodus 17:16; 
Numbers 31:1,2; Deuteronomy 7:1,2; 1Sa 15:1­3).
2. He instructed His people in how to make war ( 2 Samuel 22:35).
3. God strengthened His people for war (Leviticus 26:7,8).
4. The Bible says it is God who gives victory in war (Numbers 21:3; 
Deuteronomy 2:33; 3:3; 2 Samuel 23:10; Proverbs 21:31).
5. It is God who brings an end to war (Psalm 46:9).
6. Wars are often a punishment for sin (Numbers 21:14; Judges 5:8).
7. It is God who scatters those who have a bloodlust and delight in 
war (Psalm 68:30).

Just War Theory
St. Augustine (354 ­ 430) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1225­1274) are primarily responsible 
for formulating the theory of the Just War which has remained the majority Christian ap­
proach to war to this day. There are many variations on the just war theory, but these 
are the basics:

• There must be a just cause for the war.
◦ War must be waged only in response to certain, grave and lasting 
damage inflicted by an aggressor.
◦ The motive for war must be advancement of good or avoidance of 
evil.
◦ The ultimate objective of war must be to bring peace.
◦ Revenge, revolt, a desire to harm, dominate, or exploit and similar 
things are not justification for war.
• Every possible means of peacefully settling the conflict must be exhausted 
first.
• There must be serious prospects of success; bloodshed without hope of 
victory cannot be justified.
• The war must be declared by a legitimate authority. Private individuals or 
groups should seek redress of their rights through their governments, not by acts 
of war.
• The war must not cause greater evil than the evil to be eliminated.
• Non­combatants (civilians) must not be intentionally harmed.
•Prisoners and conquered peoples must be treated justly.
Church Positions on War
Here are the official positions on war of the three largest Christian denominations in the
United States:

Baptist:

XVI. Peace and War. It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on prin-
ciples of righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christ they
should do all in their power to put an end to war.

The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. The supreme need of
the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all the affairs of men and nations,
and the practical application of His law of love. Christian people throughout the
world should pray for the reign of the Prince of Peace.

• Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38; Romans

12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2. Adopted by the Southern
Baptist Convention June 14, 2000. From
http://www.sbc.net/2000_comparative_report.html
Catholic:

2307. The fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life.
Because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently
urges everyone to prayer and to action so that the divine Goodness may free us
from the ancient bondage of war.

2308. All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of
war. However, "as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international
authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be
denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.

2309. The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigor-
ous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous
conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations

must be lasting, grave, and certain;

all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or
ineffective;

there must be serious prospects of success;

the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be
eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in
evaluating this condition.

These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war"
doctrine.

The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential
judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.

2310. Public authorities, in this case, have the right and duty to impose on cit-
izens the obligations necessary for national defense. Those who are sworn to
serve their country in the armed forces are servants of the security and freedom
of nations. If they carry out their duty honorably, they truly contribute to the com-
mon good of the nation and the maintenance of peace.

2311. Public authorities should make equitable provision for those who for reas-
ons of conscience refuse to bear arms; these are nonetheless obliged to serve
the human community in some other way.

2312. The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the
moral law during armed conflict. "The mere fact that war has regrettably broken
out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties."

2313. Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and

treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its
universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions.
Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the
extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a
mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide.

2314. "Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities
or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits
firm and unequivocal condemnation." A danger of modern warfare is that it
provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific weapons—es-
pecially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons—to commit such crimes.

2315. The accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of

deterring potential adversaries from war. They see it as the most effective means
of ensuring peace among nations. This method of deterrence gives rise to strong
moral reservations. The arms race does not ensure peace. Far from eliminating
the causes of war, it risks aggravating them. Spending enormous sums to pro-
duce ever new types of weapons impedes efforts to aid needy populations; it
thwarts the development of peoples. Over-armament multiplies reasons for con-
flict and increases the danger of escalation.

2316. The production and the sale of arms affect the common good of nations
and of the international community. Hence public authorities have the right and
duty to regulate them. The short-term pursuit of private or collective interests
cannot legitimate undertakings that promote violence and conflict among nations
and compromise the international juridical order.

2317. Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and

pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars.
Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace
and avoiding war:
From Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, copyright © 1997, United
States Catholic Conference, Inc.,
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art5.htm

Methodist:

War and Peace

We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We

therefore reject war as a usual instrument of national foreign policy and insist
that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dis-
pute that arises between or among them; that human values must outweigh milit-
ary claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of so-
ciety must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deploy-
ment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production,
possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, we en-
dorse general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international
control.

From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church--2000, ¶165C. Copyright
2000 by The United Methodist Publishing House,
http://www.umc.org/abouttheumc/policy/world/c-warpeace.htm

Military Service

We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations.
From the beginning, the Christian conscience has struggled with the harsh realit-
ies of violence and war, for these evils clearly frustrate God’s loving purposes for
humankind. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will
live together in peace and justice. Some of us believe that war, and other acts of
violence, are never acceptable to Christians. We also acknowledge that most
Christians regretfully realize that, when peaceful alternatives have failed, the
force of arms may be preferable to unchecked aggression, tyranny and genocide.
We honor the witness of pacifists who will not allow us to become complacent
about war and violence. We also respect those who support the use of force, but
only in extreme situations and only when the need is clear beyond reasonable
doubt, and through appropriate international organizations. We urge the estab-
lishment of the rule of law in international affairs as a means of elimination of war,
violence, and coercion in these affairs.

We reject national policies of enforced military service as incompatible with the

gospel. We acknowledge the agonizing tension created by the demand for military
service by national governments. We urge all young adults to seek the counsel of
the Church as they reach a conscientious decision concerning the nature of their
responsibility as citizens. Pastors are called upon to be available for counseling
with all young adults who face conscription, including those who conscientiously
refuse to cooperate with a system of conscription.

We support and extend the ministry of the Church to those persons who con-
scientiously oppose all war, or any particular war, and who therefore refuse to
serve in the armed forces or to cooperate with systems of military conscription.
We also support and extend the Church’s ministry to those persons who con-
scientiously choose to serve in the armed forces or to accept alternative service.

Wars are fought on the battlefields of the globe, but they are waged first 
in human heart. It is in this light that Christian philosopher Arthur 
Holmes writes, "To call war anything less than evil would be self­decep­
tion. The Christian conscience has throughout history recognized the tra­
gic character of war. The issue that tears the Christian conscience is not 
whether war is good, but whether it is in all cases avoidable."