Fighting for Peace--
Can a War Be Just?

By the Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Gard

The daily news is filled with wars and rumors of wars. People throughout the world watch and debate the merits of potential conflict in the Middle East and the Korean peninsula. Claims and counterclaims are made by politicians and statesmenand by religious leaders. How do we make sense of all these words?

Christians live with the tension of serving the Prince of Peace and, at the same time, serving Him in a world comprised of fallen people. As Christians, we are citizens of two kingdoms. One kingdom, the "Kingdom of the Left," is established by God as His servant of justice (Romans 13:1-7). This kingdom is charged with wielding the sword against those who would do evil.

It is this governmental authority, established by God, which engages in the warfare so prominent in today's headlines. When may Christians support and participate in wars fought by the world's governments? This is a difficult question and one with which each Christian must struggle. Lutherans have answered by permitting Christians to serve in combat if the war meets certain criteria (the "Just War Theory" attributed to St. Augustine). These include:

Is there a "just intention"? In other words, is the intention of the war to bring about ultimate peace?
Is the war to be fought after all peaceful attempts at resolution are exhausted?
Has a properly constituted government formally declared war?
Will civilians be protected as much as possible?
Will the war be waged in such a way as to be proportional to the evil being fought?
Are the objectives of the war limited?
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is the cause for war a "just cause"? In other words, is the war fought in self-defense and not as an act of aggression?

In today's world, as in every period of conflict in history, Lutherans can and will take differing positions on whether a particular war meets these criteria. In the midst of these debates, Lutherans must also remember two important privileges.

First, we have the privilege of engaging in a more important war than any fought by any state. This is the warfare of the Church, the "Kingdom of the Right." St. Paul tells us that we are engaged in a struggle against the spiritual forces and powers of evil (Ephesians 6:10-16). Here is the great battle in which all Christians are soldiers. Unlike worldly wars, however, the outcome of this war is already decided. On the Cross Jesus cried out "It is finished" and on Easter He was raised in victory over sin, death, and hell. There this war was decided not by us or by our strength but by the Son of God.

Second, we have the privilege of coming before the throne of God in prayer. We pray for our government. We pray for our troops and their families. We pray for our enemies. And we pray for peace.

The Rev. Dr. Daniel L. Gard, Commander, Chaplain Corps, United States Naval Reserve, and Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind.