A lot of wars have been fought over religion. Well, let me rephrase that: a lot of wars have been justified by religious beliefs. Is there a connection between religious freedom and world peace? Does peace bring religious freedom, or does religious freedom lead to peace?
I’m sure that anyone reading this can think of examples of wars fought in the name of religion:
- The Jewish wars of the Old Testament
- The Crusades
- The Islamic conquests of the early Middle Ages
- Constantine’s vision telling him to conquer in the sign of the Cross
- The “Troubles” of Northern Ireland
- Muslims vs. Hindus in Kashmir
- Sikh separatists in India
This is not a complete list, of course. History is littered with conflicts that were fought or justified by religious beliefs. But Jesus came do announce a different Kingdom, a different kind of Kingdom, and He never directed His followers to build that Kingdom through violence. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) calls us to make disciples by being witnesses to the Kingdom, teaching and baptizing others. So either I’m missing a body of teaching which encourages us to make converts by force, or mankind has either misunderstood or ignored what Jesus did teach.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9).
Am I just picking on Christians? Not at all; the list above includes almost every major religious group in the world. But I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, so I have to start with “my own house.” The fact is that Jesus called us to be peacemakers, not “war-makers.”
Now, before anyone gets too excited, I’m not suggesting that Christians cannot be soldiers, or that it’s a sin to fight in a war. Governments are responsible to defend their citizens. Many people feel called to serve in the military. Individual Christians may feel that fighting is against their conscience, and we should respect those beliefs.
Some Christian Views of War
Beyond that, churches and theologians should address the circumstances under which war is permissible from a Christian perspective. I’m not Roman Catholic, but I attended a Catholic law school. I’m aware of the “just war” doctrine.
My own denomination, the Church of the Nazarene, offers this guidance to its members: “The Church of the Nazarene believes that the ideal world condition is that of peace and that it is the full obligation of the Christian Church to use its influence to seek such means as will enable the nations of the earth to be at peace and to devote all its agencies for the propagation of the message of peace. However, we realize that we are living in a world where evil forces and philosophies are actively in conflict with these Christian ideals and that there may arise such international emergencies as will require a nation to restore to war in defense of its ideals, its freedom and its existence.
While thus committed to the cause of peace, the Church of the Nazarene recognizes that the supreme allegiance of the Christian is due to God, and therefore it does not endeavor to bind the conscience of its members relative to the participation in military service in case or war, although it does believe that the individual Christian as a citizen is bound to give service to his or her own nation in all ways that are compatible with the Christian faith and the Christian way of life.
We also recognize that, as an outgrowth of the Christian teaching and of the Christian desire for peace on earth, there are among our membership individuals who have conscientious objection to certain forms of military service. Therefore the Church of the Nazarene claims for conscientious objectors within its membership the same exemptions regarding military service as are accorded members of recognized noncombatant religious organizations.” (Manual of the Church of the Nazarene, paragraph 923.)
What Does It Mean to Be Peacemakers?
The Biblical concept of peace involves much more than the mere absence of war. True peace involves wholeness and health in our relationships with God and with our fellow human beings. This is the type of peace that is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it is the peace that Jesus gives us (John 14:27). So how does our peace impact the peace of others?
“Concerned that our great Christian heritage be understood and safeguarded, we remind our people that both political and religious freedom rest upon biblical concepts of the dignity of humankind as God’s creation and the sanctity of one’s won individual conscience.” (Manual, paragraph 920)
“Further, we resist any invasion of these principles by religious groups seeking special favors. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who have been denied such freedom, either by political or societal restrictions.” (Manual, paragraph 920).
Actively Seeking Peace and Justice
Jesus calls us to “seek first God’s Kingdom” (Matthew 6:33). That is not only for “our own good”; it is also to demonstrate that God’s Kingdom enables us to experience our highest purposes and potential. To that end, Christians are called to seek peace and make peace by acting justly. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
My denomination describes this calling: “We affirm that acting justly involves the compassionate care for those in our immediate surroundings and also being able to name injustice, and denounce the powers that cause it. Acting justly and loving mercy have often brought the people of God in conflict with the ruling powers and principalities of the day. God’s justice calls us beyond equal treatment, beyond tolerance of one another’s differences, and beyond simply reversing the role of oppressed and oppressor. By Jesus’ example, we are called to a justice whereby we are willing to give ourselves up for the sake of another” (Manual, paragraph 921).
Is Religious Freedom Necessary for World Peace?
I would argue, from a Christian perspective, that the answer is “Yes.” Christ calls us to see all men and women as our brothers and sisters, regardless of their religious beliefs. People everywhere should have the freedom to believe – or not believe.
In Jesus’ day, the Roman Empire lauded what it referred to as Pax Romana. The “Roman Peace,” however, was achieved through the overwhelming force of the Empire. “Religious freedom” was grounded in compulsory worship of the Emperor. In other words, you would worship any way you wanted, as long as you pledged allegiance to the Emperor and made a sacrifice to him every year. Clearly, this was not religious freedom. Those who refused to comply with the requirement of emperor worship were persecuted and even killed.
As Christians, we should recognize that a call for religious freedom does not change our commission to “make disciples.” Instead, it creates an environment where we are free to bear witness to the transforming power of the Gospel. I don’t believe that God forces anyone to believe in Him. Instead, He calls us to demonstrate what it means to live in His Kingdom, under His sovereignty. If following Jesus is as good as we say it is, we shouldn’t have to force anyone to believe. Our transformed lives, and the peace that He gives, should be apparent to everyone!
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