THE HISTORIC BRETHREN PEACE POSITION
Editorial
September/October, 1972
Volume 7, Number 5
The message in this issue of the Witness is a study of the peace position
as held historically by the Brethren. Needless to say, the historic position
is no longer the position held by most Brethren nevertheless the historic
position is the biblical position. An earlier issue of the Witness (Vol. 6, No. 1), distinguishes between biblical nonresistance and humanistic pacifism by saying: "Pacifists have confidence in a revolutionary upward progress of mankind. The pacifist ideal of a political order requires participation in political activities. He considers it necessary to work
for a just world order. He urges disarmament; he lobbies among legislators;
he aims to establish a new social order; he ignores the necessity of regeneration
and relies largely on education and legislation to achieve his social and
political ends. On the other hand, the believer in biblical nonresistance
sees no possibility of reforming human nature apart from the grace of God.
The nonresistant Christian believes that his allegiance with the higher
kingdom forbids (or at least drastically limits) his participation in earthly
government. He sees no chance of a just world order, unless and until men
are born the second time. He makes a contribution to his government through
godly and peaceable living rather than through direct political action."
Dean M. Kelley, in Why Conservative Churches Are Growing
(New York: Harper and Row, 1972), describes the early Anabaptists by saying,
"Theirs was a stance not so much of pacifism as of nonresistance."
--H.S.M.
The Historic Brethren Peace Position
by Harold S. Martin
Harold R. Peat was declared a hero during World War II because he captured
more German soldiers than any other person on record. When he returned
to America, he wrote a book in which he tells his experiences during the
war. He says, "I pointed my gun toward a German soldier one day; I heard
him cry, 'No please don't; my wife, my family, my children' - but I didn't
give him time to finish that sentence; with a vicious swing of my weapon
I crushed his skull into a hundred bits." Mr. Peat continues, "That look
of horror in his eyes still haunts me down to this day. I'm a murderer;
I killed seven men; and yet according to the laws of the land I go free;
no judge or jury will ever convict me." Harold R. Peat was right on one
point, but he was wrong on the other! He was right when he said, "I'm a
murderer; I killed seven men." But he was wrong when he said, "No judge
or jury shall ever convict me." For unless he repents, God (who is the
Judge of all the earth) will convict him. The Lord hates hands that
shed innocent blood (Proverbs 6:17).
Some say, "But the soldier who kills during warfare is not responsible!"
James Russell Lowell answers that argument with a bit of poetry:
If you should take a sword and draw it,
And go and stick a fellow through;
The government ain't gonna answer for it,
God'll send the bill to you.
It is simply not possible to transfer the guilt for our conduct
-- to another person or institution. If a man sins, he does it by his own
free choice, and he alone will have to answer for that sin. The
Church of the Brethren (since its beginning in 1708) has continuously registered
its opposition to militarism and violence. In this message we want to think
about three factors related to the biblical view of war and peace.
1. THE HISTORIC POSITION
The church during the early centuries refused to participate in war.
Church historians say that until A.D. 174, there is no evidence that Christians
ever served in the army. Athenagorus was a powerful writer during the period:
He said, "We do not go to war with those who plunder and rob us, but to
those who smite us on one side of the face, we offer the other also." Another
writer (during the early centuries) says, "Christians do not serve as magistrates
or soldiers for the Emperor. Instead, they serve in the church for the
salvation of men." But in the fourth century, a, important event occurred.
Constantine (the Roman Emperor) declared himself a Christian - and soon
Christianity became the state religion. The church grew rapidly in numbers.
Christianity became a popular religion, but it lost much of its original
purity. The original nonresistant faith of the early Christians was gradually
discarded. Many churchmen no longer condemned warfare, hut rather tried
to justify it. Since the days of Constantine, with only a few exceptions,
the church has strutted down through the centuries with the sword in one
hand and the cross in the other - and preachers have repeatedly argued
that killing (when serving as a soldier for one s country in warfare) is
not murder, but merely some kind of courage.
In the the sixteenth century (during the Reformation in Europe), there
were groups of people known as the Pietists and Anabaptists - who refused
to participate in war, and practiced nonresistance in their daily
lives. These Christians tried to follow the New Testament literally. They
believed that the state was necessary to punish evildoers and so they obeyed
the rulers and generally paid their taxes - but they held that the state
is not the supreme authority, and that if the demands of the state
conflicted with the laws of God - they would have "to obey God rather than
men."
It was these people (the Pietists and the Anabaptists) that influenced
the early Brethren. Way back in the days of the American Revolution, the
Brethren are on record as being opposed to participation in war. The Annual
Meeting of 1781 said, "It has been unanimously concluded that we should
not take part in war, nor in blood-shedding." The Annual Conference of
1864 (at the time of the Civil War), admonished Brethren to adhere to the
teaching on nonresistance. The special Conference in 1918 urged Brethren
not to enlist in the armed forces, nor to wear the military uniform. And
it was in 1935 that the Church of the Brethren drafted the statement which
says, "All war is sin; it is wrong for Christians to support it, or to
engage in it."
The early Brethren position on war (the historic Brethren stand) was
this: The Brethren believed in the "doctrine of two kingdoms" - the kingdom
of Christ, and the kingdoms of this world. The church held (and this is
the position many of us hold today) that there are two classes of people
in society - the Christian and the nonchristian. The state embraces
all the population; the church is made up exclusively of believers
in Jesus Christ. The primary function of those who belong to the kingdom
of Christ, is to preach the Gospel of salvation, and to evangelize the
lost; the primary function of the kingdoms of the world, is to maintain
Law and order in a society that ignores God. The kingdom of Christ lives
according to the ethic of love; the kingdoms of the world, use the threat
of force. According to this belief, it is permissible for the government
(the state - which embraces all the population) to do some things, which
it would be wrong for the church to do. For example, the church cannot
use the sword (Matthew 5:43-44), but the civil government
sometimes has to use it (Romans 13:4).
The Brethren looked upon the state as necessary for the punishment of
evildoers (and for maintaining law and order), but the church was a separate
kingdom, apart from the state. Early Brethren would not participate in
armed resistance, because Christians were members of Christ's kingdom,
which was not of this world. This has been the historic position of the
Church of the Brethren.
It's true that during the 1930's and 1940's (as Leslie Eisan says, in
his book Pathways of Peace), "The Brethren became increasingly
concerned, not only to abstain from war itself, but to join
with others in their efforts to prevent war through social action."
One of their goals was to build a society of mutual tolerance and good
will, and to build a world of universal brotherhood. But today (as
Dale Brown says in Brethren and Pacifism), many "who
marched from New Windsor to conquer the world through love, were disillusioned
when they met the hard realities of urban ghettos, and the entrenched evil
of power structures." They soon discovered that mere political pacifism
was not ushering in an age of peace, as they had hoped that it would.
And so today, there's a need to look again at the older, historic, Anabaptist
position.
2. THE BIBLICAL TEACHING
Rufus Bowman, in The Church of the Brethren and War, says,
"Their attitude toward the New Testament, was the most significant factor
in making the Church of the Brethren a peace church." The early Brethren
regarded the Scriptures as an infallible rule of faith and practice, and
they appealed constantly to the Bible, to verify their statements about
war. There are several New Testament principles underlying the teaching
on war and peace:
(1) Love is the supreme law.
Jesus says, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another"
(John 13:34). The Apostle Paul says, "Love works no ill to his neighbor"
(Romans 13:10). And again, our Lord Jesus said, "But
I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them that curse you" (Matthew
5:44). And so the basic principle is that the Christian should seek
at all times to actively promote the welfare of others (even of those who
might be his enemies).
(2) Peace is the Christian's obligation.
Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9).
Paul writes, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no
man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). And again,
"As much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans
12:18). It takes two to start a fight. The Bible says, "See to it
that you are not one of them." Each of us must practice peaceful personal
relationships with his fellowman. And one who is a peacemaker does not
hold a grudge against others; he doesn't participate in divorce and remarriage
and family quarrels; he never sues at the law, but like the early Christians,
takes joyfully the spoiling of his goods (Hebrews 10:34).
(3) Retaliation is to be avoided.
The New Testament says of Jesus Christ, "When he was reviled, he reviled
not again" (1 Peter 2:23). In Romans 12 we read, "Beloved,
never avenge yourselves, but rather leave it to the wrath of God." And
so the New Testament teaches concepts that are contrary to the spirit of
war. Following Jesus Christ involves turning the other cheek, going the
second mile, avoiding retaliation, and even praying for those who persecute.
The Bible also speaks concerning church and state. As stated earlier,
the Brethren held a two-kingdom concept of church and state. The belief
is solidly based upon the words of Jesus, when He said, "My kingdom is
not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants
fight.., but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36).
Obviously, two kingdoms are spoken of in this passage - the kingdom of
Christ, and the kingdoms of this world. The church and the state (according
to the words of Jesus) are two distinct, separate bodies. The church is
spiritual in character; the state is political in nature. The church is
ruled by love; the state is ruled by force. Christ is the head of the church;
the king (or president) is the head of the state. The task of the church
is to proclaim the Gospel; the task of the state is to maintain order.
Romans 13 describes the servant of the state as "an avenger to execute
wrath upon him that does evil." The officers of the state don't go out
to capture the criminal with New Testaments under their arms they go armed
with weapons suited for the destruction of human life. The kingdoms of
this world do not follow the Christian ethic. Jesus said so! He said, "If
my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight." The kingdoms
of this world do fight. But those who comprise the kingdom of Christ, live
by the standards of the New Testament.
The Christian belongs to a kingdom not of this world. Paul (in
Romans 12), speaking to Christians, uses the pronouns "we" and "us".
In Romans 13, speaking of the state, he uses the pronouns "they" and "them".
The attitude of Jesus toward the state was one of practical indifference.
Jesus did speak out against false religious leaders, but He never attempted
to demonstrate against the civil powers. He made no attempt to control
the Roman government, nor to dictate government policy. The sword belongs
to the kingdoms of the world, but Jesus says, "I have chosen you out of
the world."
3. THE CONSTRAINING MOTIVE
There are a number of reasons for standing in opposition to war. Some
are opposed to war because of a mere desire for survival. They have a fear
of death and destruction in this gruesome atomic age. Others are pacifists
because they believe simply that human life is sacred. Still others refuse
to participate in war because they believe in the doctrine of progress.
They believe the universe is constituted in such a way that mankind will
eventually move toward perfection - and the elimination of war is one more
step in this evolutionary surge. But the Brethren have historically refused
to participate in war - not primarily for the above named reasons - but
because of loyalty to Jesus Christ and obedience to the teachings of the
Scriptures.
The Anabaptists (and the early Brethren) emphasized discipleship. Martin
Luther and the other Reformers talked about salvation by faith. They said,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved." The Brethren believe
that too. But our forefathers said, "One must not only believe on
Jesus - to be a Christian, means to follow Christ in one's daily
life.'' The early Brethren practiced nonresistance because of their obedience
to the teachings of the Bible. When Elder John Naas was approached by the
army officers and urged to become a soldier under the King of Prussia,
he said that he had already enlisted in a most noble army. The king
said, "Who is your captain?" Naas replied, "My Captain is the great prince
Immanuel, our Lord Jesus Christ. I have espoused his cause - and therefore
I cannot and will not forsake him." The constraining motive for the practice
of peace, was loyalty to Jesus and the Scriptures.
Note carefully (in conclusion) that men fight wars basically because
man is at war with God. None of us can have peace in his heart (nor peace
with his fellowman), if first of all he does not have peace with God. Each
one of us, has deep within -- passions and drives that only Jesus Christ
can control! Each on of us in his natural state, is lost and separated
from God by sin. The crucial question is: "How can a holy God and a sinful
man be reconciled?" And the answer is that God Himself (moved by love and
mercy), acted in our behalf -- and provided the means of atonement. He
sent His Son into the world, who was crucified at the hands of wicked men,
and His blood was spilled from a Cross -- and this way (in the plan of
God), Jesus secured a reconciliation between God and man. He made peace.
The Bible says that God "set forth Jesus to be a propitiation for our sin,
through faith in his blood" (Romans 3:25). To "propitiate"
means "to turn away wrath." God's wrath is heavy upon because of our sins
(He's displeased with us) -- but if we believe that Jesus shed His blood
to cleanse from sin -- God's displeasure is turned away! It's propitiated!
And there is reconciliation (peace) between us and God. This is the Gospel
- and when I experience this grace and forgiveness and pardon and peace
in my own heart I can't help but show the same grace toward my fellowman.
My plea is a call to accept Jesus Christ as Saviour and Master -- and
to let Him live in your heart, following the way which "resists not evil."
The foregoing message was delivered at the 1971 Church of the Brethren National Youth Conference held at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana.