Chaplain Captain Career Course
Hybrid Phase 1
The Theory of Just War
Angel L. Berrios
Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras
The Just War Theory
Presenting the Issue
ISIS
War is Hell
Theological Issues
Genesis
Man’s Bad Choice
New Insights
Evil and War
Seven Rules
Possible Solutions
Killing – A Necessary Action
Purpose of a Military
In a periodical entitled, A Killing Mind: Understanding the Psychological Effects of Combat, Dave Grossman writes, “Killing is what we do in the military. We don’t want to kill anyone. We want our enemies to not commit terrorist acts. We want them to not commit criminal acts to not murder their own citizens; but when we fire a weapon at somebody the goal is to kill them, and we are not messing around.” A fair question to ask is how can it be right for Soldiers to kill another human being? When is it ok or is it ever morally right? I think of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a terrorist organization that was formed several years ago in the midst of the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011. ISIS has committed unconscionable war atrocities against innocent people that has been exposed to the entire world via social media. Of course, these war crimes and barbaric acts are not new to both ancient and modern history, but the difference today is that our society and world community simply didn’t think people could still be so evil and heartless. With ISIS specifically as an example, is war justifiable?
Concerning a theological perspective on the justification of war, we must go back to the beginning, the book of Genesis. In the first two chapters of Genesis, the word “good” is mentioned more than seven times in reference to God’s creation, affirming that what God created was acceptable and right. In the third chapter of Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s instructions to not partake from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This disobedience was translated into sin. When sin became part of the human race, man became bad and evil, taking on a sinful nature that has been part of us until now. Sin is evil, wrong, destructive, relentless, inhumane, merciless, cruel, etc With the introduction of sin came the shedding of man’s blood by man himself; the first incident being when Cain killed his brother Abel in the fourth chapter. From then to the present, killing and wars have had a real and prominent part of the story of humankind. War and humankind are ‘joined at the hip” like Siamese twins, inseparable.
The world is evil, depraved and estranged from God’s original intentions as noted in the first two chapters of Genesis. When God created man, He made him as a free moral agent with the ability to choose right from wrong. Anything less than this ability to choose right from wrong would have produced a mere robot. So, the reason God made man with a personal will (free moral agency) was so that man could choose to love and serve Him, rather than “program” man to do so. Unfortunately, according to the Scriptures and history in general, man chooses wrong (war) more often than right (peace). The Bible says that sin always results in destruction, and this is why there is war and killing in the world today. Therefore, in a real sense God is not to blame for the evil in the world, if not the man is. Man chose wrong, therefore humankind is responsible for the evil and depraved condition, we see all around us.
Along with the above theological understanding of the justification of war, the following is a good way of having Soldiers understand the issue of killing. He/she must realize that killing is justifiable at times and that as a Soldier, killing is ones ultimate duty. The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship websites provides an article, The Just War by Arthus Holmes in where he elaborates on seven rules by which justice in war can be implemented. First, there is just cause - all aggression is condemned; only defensive war is legitimate. Second, there is just intention, which means the only reason for war is to secure a just peace. Third is the last resort, when all negotiations and diplomacy have failed. Fourth, a formal declaration of war must be officially declared by the highest authorities. Fifth, limited objectives - total war is never justified. Sixth, proportionate means- weaponry and force should be limited to what is needed and never overbearing. Finally, noncombatant immunity - no civilians, POW’s or casualties should be subject to attacks. These seven rules of engagement demonstrate that warfare (killing) can be a controlled and reasonable means of obtaining peace.
According to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, there is a time for everything under the sun. Here Solomon, the author, writes, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” He proceeds to give a list of things that are done under the sun. He states in verse three that there is a time to kill and a time to heal; verse four, a time to weep and a time to laugh. And in verse eight, he concludes his list by stating that there is a time for war and a time for peace.
I am aware that while writing Ecclesiastes, Solomon was struggling with the whole purpose of life, therefore some things that were written wasn’t really conclusive truth. However, the statement that there is a time for war and a time for peace can be supported by the rest of Scripture.
The famous Edmund Burke quote states that, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Considering the evil, injustices and depraved condition of the world we live in, just wars are a necessary action. The Soldier must understand that killing is his/her training and job. In the periodical mentioned earlier, A Killing Mind: Understanding the Psychological Effects of Combat, Grossman further writes, “What we have to do is embrace this four-letter word ‘kill’. It is a worthy and honorable thing to kill our nation’s enemies. We don’t want to do it; we have been forced to do it, but it is a worthy and honorable thing. We need to embrace that dirty four-letter word. When you do that, you are able to live with what you have to do.” Grossman concludes his article by affirming, “the Soldier’s job has always been to close and kill the enemy. That’s what you do. As for the NCOs it is their job to prepare their warriors’ mind, body, soul, a spirit to kill the enemy, to inoculate them and make them righteous warriors.”
Since I have joined the Army as a chaplain, I have been asked several times whether I thought killing was right or wrong. My answer is the answer I would give to any Soldier who is struggling with this issue in their conscience. A country must have a military in order to protect its citizens from foreign invaders, to attain its status as a sovereign nation and to assist partner nations who may face threats of their freedom and sovereignty by a foreign invader. In an article by Robert Holmes, he writes concerning Augustine’s view on just war, “When there is no command by God, war may be waged only by those with legitimate authority, and only for a just cause. Augustine was not, however, specific on what causes can be considered just. He has been interpreted narrowly, as saying states may go to war to avert (defensively) or avenge (offensively) a violation of their rights, or broadly, as saying war may be waged to redress any wrong against God's moral order.” Aristotle believed that we make war in order that we may live in peace. Starting a war or conquering a nation is never right. Cicero concurs by stating that when there is a dispute the first course of action should be diplomacy and then one should only result to physical force if diplomacy does not solve the problem. An enemy who does not cooperate in discussion can expect possible retaliation from the threatened nation. (Both Aristotle and Cicero agreed that war is not honorable and it should always be avoided).
The Soldier must clear his conscience of the task of picking up a weapon and fighting by not only understanding the role of a Military, but also by seeking his/her higher power so that his/her higher power can guide him/her by instilling peace and a clear conscience to fulfill their rights as a citizen and duties of a Soldier.
Bibliography
Grossman, Dave. "A Killing Mind: Understanding the Psychological Effects of Combat ". Killology Reseach Group (March): 2012
Holmes, Arthur F. “The Just War”. Intervarsity Christian Fellowship/USA Review (May): 2007
Holmes, Robert L. “A Time for War?”. Christianity Today Issue 67: Augustine (September): 2001
Endnotes
