logo

War, peace, and United Methodism

If one were to sit down and read all of the numerous statements issued by various United Methodist leaders, it would be easy to believe that there is no support within our denomination for the Allied military action in Iraq.

“There are those who believe the Bible commands us to obey the authorities, to follow the flag, and to kill our enemies,” says Jim Winkler, general secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society in Washington, D.C. “That is a false gospel. It is the gospel of fleeting popularity.”

This kind of absolutist rhetoric is not surprising. Mr. Winkler is consistent in his pacifism—having even been outspoken in his opposition to the war in Afghanistan following the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States. As he says, “War is an immoral choice.” While we respect Mr. Winkler’s personal opinions, we grimace when it is portrayed that he speaks for all United Methodists. That is patently untrue. Unlike Mr. Winkler, most United Methodists are not viscerally anti-military. Instead, we are grateful to the veterans in our congregations who sacrificed for their country. Winkler’s above statement is an outrageous slap in the face to men and women who faithfully serve this country in the military.

Furthermore, Mr. Winkler’s various public statements give off the mistaken impression that United Methodism is no different in its theological views on the issue of war and peace than the Quakers or other historically recognized “peace” churches.

The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church make clear that “most Christians regretfully realize that, when peaceful alternatives have failed, the force of arms may be preferable to unchecked aggression, tyranny, and genocide” (Para. 164, Article G). We agree. Is it too much to ask for someone to head our social action agency who also believes in the United Methodist position?

The great Christian thinker Reinhold Niebuhr once observed: “Whenever the actual historical situation sharpens the issue, the debate whether the Christian Church is, or ought to be, pacifist is carried on with fresh vigor both inside and outside the Christian community.” This is one such instance.

Although we respect the convictions of pacifists within United Methodism, we do not share their view. Instead, we agree with Saint Paul who taught that the governing authorities have reason to “bear the sword” and that they are “an agent of wrath to bring punishment” to those who do evil. We also agree with Saint Peter who wrote that governments were established by God to “punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (1 Peter 2:14).

Additionally, we believe that loving your neighbor—a commandment from Jesus—sometimes involves using military force for reasons of defending the defenseless, protecting the innocent, punishing evildoers, and promoting justice. These types of arguments have been made by theologians such as Aquinas, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Reinhold Niebuhr.

It was Paul Ramsey, United Methodism’s most profound moral theologian, who said that “forces should be repelled and the bearers and close cooperators in military force should be directly repressed, by violent means if necessary, lest many more of God’s little ones should be irresponsibly forsaken and lest they suffer more harm than need be.”

We do not view war whimsically. “What men write about war, saying that it is a great plague, is all true. But they should also consider how great the plague is that war prevents,” the great reformer, Martin Luther said. “If people were good and wanted to keep peace, war would be the greatest plague on earth. But what are you going to do about the fact that people will not keep the peace, but rob, steal, kill, outrage women and children, and take away property and honor? The small lack of peace called war must set a limit to this universal, worldwide lack of peace which would destroy everyone.”

There are many United Methodists who are tired of hearing their leaders talk about peace, but fail to mention freedom and justice. We are becoming increasingly impatient with denominational leaders who pompously claim to speak for us on polemical political issues that Christians of goodwill may disagree upon.

Evangelicals do not have a monolithic voice on political issues. We are well aware of those who were reluctant to support this war, as well as those who outright oppose it. Nevertheless, we do note that according to the latest Gallup polling data, church-going Americans support the war in Iraq by an almost two-to-one margin. 

As Christians, however, we can cross political lines by joining in prayer. Saint Paul has made it clear that it is the role and responsibility of all believers to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings…for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

We encourage readers to take time to pray for a resolution to this conflict—bringing peace, freedom, and justice to the Iraqi people. Our brave men and women in the military service—particularly the prisoners of war and those missing in action—as well as the innocent civilians in Iraq, need our prayers. We also remember the families of those who have lost loved ones in this war. May God bring them comfort in this very painful time.

—The Good News editorial team



Click here to send your response plus the title of this article to us at Good News.

Good News | 308 East Main St. | P.O. Box 150 | Wilmore, KY 40390 | 859-858-4661 | 1-800-487-7784
info@goodnewsmag.org | About Us | ©2007 Good News magazine