Should Christians Favor Bombing Iran?
We can’t ignore questions like this. Everyone is talking about it. It’s all over the news. Coworkers are making comments. Family members too.
It’s actually an age-old question that takes us deep into our Christian roots. Genuine followers of Jesus have always struggled with the morality of warfare. It seems to fly in the face of Jesus’ teaching.
But then what do we do in this fallen world with massive injustice, genocide, and the threat of encroaching armies?
Augustine was the first Christian theologian to write extensively on the topic. Some of his views were influenced by Aristotle, but he gave a distinctly Christian perspective. Augustine argued that Christians should always strive for peace, but he also acknowledged that war is sometimes unavoidable in a fallen world. It can only be considered “just” if it protected the innocent, restored peace, and was used as a last resort against significant injustice.
His views led to a lot of writing and debating in the medieval era. But medieval times were also a bloody period with millions of professing Christians warring against each other.
Scholastic thinker Thomas Aquinas wrote even more extensively on his Just War theory. He divided his philosophy into three areas: Justice of War, Justice in War, and Justice after War. He codified his three conditions for a war to be just: 1) legitimate authority, 2) just cause, and 3) right intention.
Just War Theory is an ethical framework that outlines conditions under which a war can be considered morally justifiable. But it is just that…a theory. I think too many have spent more energy on philosophical exercise than actual practice.
Bottom line: war is horrible. Innocent people are killed. Most combatants are young and giving their lives because they are sent to the battlefield, not necessarily to protect other innocents or to produce a lasting peace. So much war is boys killing other boys.
That doesn’t answer our question about Iran. No doubt, Iran has been a long-standing sponsor of terrorism. It was — and still is — important that they not gain nuclear capability.
I’m watching as things unfold, and praying for God to reveal Himself in a big way. Whether it’s the Israelis or the Iranians, they all need Jesus more than anything.
The reality is, this world will continue to burn all around us. But our allegiance is to an eternal King, and a better Kingdom that is not of this world. Our mission is far more important than any short-lived peace in this world. We’re focused on eternity. It’s the spiritual war for the souls of men and women that we should be focused on.