Is Liberty University About to Become an Army Barracks?

By now, most anyone in the U.S. paying attention on social media knows about Liberty University’s president, Jerry Falwell, Jr., issuing an appeal to his students to take concealed-carry classes, acquire permits, and arm themselves, because,

“…if more good people had concealed-carry permits then we could end those Muslims before they walked in killing.”

Apparently the many-thousands-of-students responded quite enthusiastically (lots of applause).

But there’s a small problem, according to those students. There’s been a no-gun policy in the student dorms. Where are all those 18-22 year-old students going to store those guns that their president is now encouraging them to acquire (when they’re not carrying them, that is)?

NBC News online is reporting that the president will now end the ban on firearms in residence halls on Liberty’s campus.

It’s really hard to imagine all of this ending well.

In an op-ed piece for the Boston Globe, Peter Enns offers an apt warning:

There are obviously dangerous ramifications to his idea. Encouraging more than 14,000 residential students with underdeveloped frontal lobes to carry concealed weapon sounds like it might have some unintended downsides. Heaven help the Muslim who harmlessly wanders onto campus. And let’s not even bring up liability insurance.

His point about the “underdeveloped frontal lobes” is a good one. I remember (mostly quite fondly) my freshman and sophomore days living in a dorm on a Christian college campus. I recall more than a few incidents of foolish pranks (with some unintended negative consequences), reckless accidents, hallway tussles, and so on. It’s pretty hard to imagine all that going on in college dorm life, with the added dimension of firearms in every room.

And then you add the even more serious point Enns raises: xenophobia, anxiety, and a conceivable reckless urge to perform some “heroic” act that might end up with some tragic consequences.

As Enns also observes, for a president of a Christian university, Falwell doesn’t seem terribly interested in supporting his advice to take up arms by Scripture.

But could he?

I do think it’s intriguing that, as Jesus approached the time of his crucifixion, he advised his disciples to buy a sword if they didn’t yet have one:

He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.” ³⁶ He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

His point seems to be something like, “Look, the situation is rapidly changing. Things are going to get rough, you might find yourselves in a situation where you need some self-defense. It was very common for people to carry a sword on the roads, as highway robbery was a common phenomenon in those days. But Jesus does seem to be indicating that serious persecution is on its way.

Then the disciples hurriedly show Jesus the two swords they already have between them. His response, “It is enough” (v. 38) is probably means something more like: “Enough already, we don’t need to keep talking about this.” As if perhaps to say, “It’s not that important, guys, because the kingdom is not about swords and violence.”

And then we know what follows soon after:

While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; ⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.

In the parallel passage in Matthew, Jesus rebukes the violent action of his disciples: ““Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword (Matt 26:52).”

I don’t know that the Bible has anything definitive to say about gun-use and concealed-carry licenses (how could it?).

However, it’s terribly unwise to urge thousands of college students to arm themselves and to then open up the campus and residences for munitions storage.

I also wonder whether, to all this sound and fury about “good guys” arming themselves against the “bad guys,” Jesus might respond much as he did to his disciples:

“That’s Enough! That’s not what the kingdom of God is about.”

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