Worship for the Week Beginning 14th November 2021

Time to Reflect

Our Readings today clearly teach us that it is the Christian peacemaker’s calling to counter acts of hatred. 

But how we should do so is where we differ. There are many shades of opinion about war and peace in the Christian community.

You might hold that the words of Jesus expressly prohibit all Christian involvement in war. You might not think they refer entirely to that, but to personal relationships, and you might say that there is a case for defending your nation against unjust attack.

You might argue it is morally acceptable to attack another nation or group in order to prevent them doing evil. Most of those Christians who believe that war may sometimes be justified generally agree that it must be a last resort, not a first resort, that the response must be proportionate, and that care must be taken only to engage with those genuinely involved in the war – not an easy matter.

 Dr. John Roth has written a book titled, “Choosing Against War” (2002. Intercourse, PA.: Good Books). He asserts that the goal of pacifism is not effectiveness in terms of calculated outcome, but faithfulness to the witness of Christ (page 149). He makes a good point.

On the other hand, Dr. Reinhold Neibuhr, knew first-hand the terror of tyranny from having lived under German Nazism of the 1930’s. In his book, “Christianity and Power Politics” he says that there are inherent contradictions between the law of love and peace, and the sin of humanity. The sinful hearts, he argues, will never be able to fulfil the law of love and peace. International conflicts are always; he says, conflicts between sinners. He goes on to say, however, that the victory of tyranny is always morally intolerable. When some people violate the gospel law of love, a violent response is sometimes the result. He dismisses the tenants of pacifism but admits that we must always take them seriously because we must have their witness to keep us from blindly dashing into war.

One of my heroes of the faith is St. Francis. After rejecting his wealth and deciding to live a life of poverty, he and a dozen other men formed a group calling themselves “The Lesser Brothers.” In 1219, during the Fifth Crusade, Francis, who opposed killing in all forms, decided to go to preach the gospel to the sultan whose Muslim forces were opposing Europe’s Christians. Francis was captured, held prisoner, and beaten. He was brought before the sultan and asked if he was ready to become Muslim. To do so would mean that he would live. Francis instead said that he had come to seek the sultan’s conversion to Christianity. For a month, the two men visited every day, and while neither converted the other, they developed a strong friendship. Francis was given a passport that allowed him to visit Christian holy places under Muslim control, and the two men parted as brothers.

Let’s be honest. Peace, in all our endeavours, is elusive. But we are people who worship the Prince of Peace. I pray that we may all look for ways to be like him. That is the goal of our living and the goal of faithful Christians everywhere.

Those who search for peace are blessed. Those who seek to find and make peace discover their true place in God’s family. Christian peacemaking is not merely something we speak about: it is something we show by the way that we live. ‘They shall know we are Christians by our love.’ ‘See how they love one another.”

The story is told of two old men who, in the early years of the Christian church, had gone out into the desert to live together and to pursue Christ with all of their hearts. They lived together for many years but never quarrelled. One day, one of the men said to the other, “Let’s quarrel with each other like other men do.” The other said, “I do not know how quarrels begin.” So the other said to him, “Look, I will put a brick down here between us and I will say, ‘This is mine.’ Then you can say ‘No it is not, it is mine.’ Then we will be able to have a quarrel.” So they placed the brick between them and the first one said, “This is mine.” His companion replied, “This is not so, for it is mine.” To this, the first one said, “If it is so and the brick is yours, then take it and go your way.” And so they were not able to have a quarrel. (“The Ladder of the Beatitudes” Jim Forest. 1999. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books. page 135).

Blessed are those who make peace in all their endeavours, be it individual or corporate. These are the ones who are doing God’s work.