Like so many of you, I was greeted on my return home from church this past Sunday by the news of the attacks beginning in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al-Qaeda. It struck me as ironic that we should strike out in our new war against terrorism on Peacemaking Sunday. However, upon reflection it may not be as ironic as I thought.
President Bush and Prime Minister Blair both spoke about the reluctance to enter into armed conflicts but with a resolve to do so if necessary to bring about peace. Both stressed repeatedly that this was not a war against Islam, but against terrorism. Osama Bin Laden promised no peace for America or Americans until there was peace in Palestine.
I found myself wrestling with the concept of peace as it is expressed in the Bible and the confessional documents of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), trying to make sense out of opposing sides both claiming peace as a goal. I also wondered about the role of government and how do we as Christians relate to our government, particularly in times of conflict. What follows is a sampling of the information I discovered.
We believe and accept that governments are instituted by God and according to the Second Helvetic Confession are charged with a responsibility to: “secure and preserve peace and public tranquility…. exercise judgment by judging uprightly… protect widows, orphans and the afflicted… punish criminals and oppressors,” and when all attempts to preserve peace have failed; to wage war. This is very much what I heard from President Bush and Prime Minister Blair.
The Second Helvetic Confession further urges Christians to be good citizens in response to the needs of our governments to include paying taxes and even laying down our lives and pouring out our blood for the public safety and that of the government. Further, the Larger Catechism in speaking about the fifth commandment (Honor they father and mother) also urges good citizenship and Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 urges us to pray for our leaders.
The Larger Catechism when speaking about the sixth commandment (Thou shalt not kill) makes specific exception in the following cases: “in case of public justice, lawful war, or necessary defense.” It also gives us specific duties related to peacemaking in response to this commandment. These include:
“All careful studies and lawful endeavors, to preserve the life of ourselves and others, by resisting all thoughts and purposes, subduing all passions and avoiding all occasions, temptations, and practices, which tend to the unjust taking away the life of any, by just defense against violence; patient bearing of the hand of God, quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit, a sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep, labor, and recreation; by charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness; peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behavior, forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil, comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.”
The Confession of 1967 describes peacemaking as one of the functions of the church as part of God’s work of reconciliation in society.
“God’s reconciliation in Jesus Christ is the ground of peace, justice and freedom among nations which all powers of government are called to serve and defend. The church, in its own life, is called to practice the forgiveness of enemies and to commend to the nations as practical politics the search for cooperation and peace. This search requires that the nations pursue fresh and responsible relations across every line of conflict, even at risk to national security…. Although nations may serve God’s purposes in history, the church which identifies the sovereignty of any one nation or any one way of life with the cause of God denies the Lordship of Christ and betrays its calling.”These statements all seem to bear out the Biblical injunction that we become ‘peacemakers’ or people who work to prevent and alleviate war and hatred among humanity. These are the ‘peacemakers’ Jesus spoke of in Matthew 5:9. But there remains a deeper peace, one that goes beyond the absence of war. It is this peace that Jeremiah and others in the Old Testament were very careful about proclaiming, for to do so in error was an offense against God. This peace is best summed up in the Hebrew word SHALOM. Shalom is a concept that encompasses peace between people, between God, between humanity and nature, and a wholeness and health that are always a gift from God. It is viewed as one outcome of salvation and never refers to individual, internal peace. This type of peace was mentioned as a hoped for outcome of recent events. It may come to further fruition with the elimination of terrorism in the world and addressing the deep-seated root causes of terrorism.
The church has an important role in promoting and leading the way to bring about God’s shalom or wholeness in particular by seeking out solutions to some of the underlying causes of terror. The Confession of 1967 defines some of our role and one of those causes with these words:
“The reconciliation of (humanity) through Jesus Christ makes it plain that enslaving poverty in a world of abundance is an intolerable violation of God’s good creation. Because Jesus identified himself with the needy and exploited, the cause of the world’s poor is the cause of his disciples. The church cannot condone poverty, whether it is the product of unjust social structures, exploitation of the defenseless, lack of national resources, absence of technological understanding, or the rapid expansion of populations. The church calls every (person) to use his abilities, possessions, and the fruits of technology as gifts entrusted to him by God for the maintenance of his family and the advancement of the common welfare. It encourages those forces in human society that raise (humanity’s) hopes for better conditions and provide them with opportunity for decent living. A church that is indifferent to poverty, or evades responsibility in economic affairs, or is open to one social class only, or expects gratitude for its beneficence makes a mockery of reconciliation and offers no acceptable worship to God.”I urge all of you to pray for our nation and world leaders as we seek to eliminate terrorism in our time. I also urge you to continue in every way to call attention to the plight of those in need for today’s empty bellies can become tomorrow’s terrorists unless we act to bring about fundamental change in our search for shalom. May we be peacemakers in all we do and say to the glory of God almighty. Amen
© A. O’Dowd October 8, 2001
Return to Sonrise Studio
Return to Meditations Page
