The Anti-War Christian Right Must Speak Upby
Bill Barnwell
Two days ago I was flipping through the TV channels and came across a sermon from Pastor John Hagee. Well, I thought it was a sermon at least. Instead of being an encouraging message from the Scriptures, what was instead being preached was a bellicose call to arms and militarism. Hagee sounded more like a politician delivering a militaristic political speech at a Republican conference than a pastor expositing the Word of God. Hagee, a televangelist and author, is pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a church of more than 17,000 people. It was Hagee’s television preaching that ministered to me in my teens and taught me what the Bible said about salvation and the Christian life. In my testimony, I always credit Hagee with giving me an interest in the Bible and Christianity in general. Yes, something good can come out of televangelism. So imagine my frustration listening to this politicized sermon cheering on the War Party. This pastor is hardly alone, however, in his enthusiasm for war. The tone of pulpits all across America has grown increasingly belligerent since 9/11. These pastors are claiming to be the authoritative voice for all right thinking conservative Christians everywhere. The perception they are giving is that if you are a Christian and you are a conservative, then the only way to be a good patriot and responsible believer is to hold their position on the warfare issue. Not only that, but only "liberal Christians" or theologically irresponsible believers would dare be in opposition to the current militaristic mindset that is so prevalent in Evangelicalism today. This is simply not true and must be met with eloquent voices on the Christian Right who are committed to peace. Conservative Christians who are opposed to the war in Iraq and the trigger-happy nature of the Right in general need to speak up. There is no reason that our voices should be drowned out by a loud chorus of hawks. While Hagee and others are influencing thousands, we are influencing few. These hawkish believers need to realize that their opinions on these matters are not the only viable option for traditionalist Christians. More importantly, the Church on a whole needs a renewed debate on matters of war and peace. Many in the pews have not been exposed to the other side in this debate. Instead alternative opinions have just been lambasted as "liberal," "unpatriotic," "cowardly," and even "heresy." What we need is more pastors and more church leaders who are willing to speak up, even in the face of opposition, and show that a conservative pro-peace position can be intelligently defended on Scriptural, moral, practical, and political grounds. In the minds of many conservative Christians the current war euphoria on the Right is not only good, but it is God’s Holy Will. They believe that their detractors "aren’t willing to stand up to the terrorists" and are sappy unrealistic idealists. Pro-peace arguments are maligned as left wing and dangerous for the Church and for America. Why do they so ardently believe this? Because that’s what their leaders tell them to believe. Because there is a void of conservative and influential pro-peace Evangelical leaders giving the alternative view. Thoughtful Scriptural proponents of non-violence – pastors, Christian academics, Christian leaders, and laypeople – need to give the other side of the story. Where are the pastors making the case that the current militarism is actually detrimental to the Church and the Christian movement? Where are the pastors talking about the horrors of war and the fact that millions of innocents are affected by it? Where are the church leaders and lay Christians out there passionately advocating peace? Why has this task been left to the theologically questionable left-wing churches? Something is wrong when the conservative Church has become one of the biggest cheerleaders for war. What the Christian Right needs to realize is that you can be a strong traditionalist, dedicated to strong moral values and a strict reading of God’s Word and still be a proponent for peace (See my earlier column "In Defense of the Gospel of Peace: An Evangelical Antiwar View"). It’s not just left-wing Christians or heretical "christians" who believe in peace. If that message got out to the conservative Christian masses, more would be comfortable at least taking a look at the other side. If you are a pro-war Christian reading this, you need to understand that John Hagee, Jerry Falwell, Ralph Reed and other "Big Name" celebrities of the Christian Right do not hold a monopoly on truth. You can hold a very Biblical theology and still be opposed to the war in Iraq and aggressive militarism in general. You can even be a conservative Christian in good standing if you are occasionally critical of the Bush administration. The issue warfare and militarism is admittedly Scripturally debatable. I don’t presume infallibility and realize I am prone to error and failure. I also admit, and let me stress this, that most on the Christian Right who strongly disagree with me on this issue are good and thoughtful people who love God, love their country, and are convinced that they are simply teaching people what is correct. But what is wrong with a debate? Why are so many of my Evangelical friends so reluctant to consider other points of view on what almost all of us admit is a debatable theological issue? For whatever Hagee’s faults I continue to admire him as a preacher and am sure he feels he is preaching to America what it needs to hear. I equally admire other leaders of the Christian Right for the many good things they do and their commitment to Scripture and the Church. But on this issue I must part company with them. Too much is at stake to let the prevailing bombastic position on the Right go unopposed, if even for the sake of theological and academic debate. Thoughtful conservative Christians who believe in peace need to add better balance to the troubling fatalistic obsession with war, violence, the Middle East, Israel, and the rapture that is currently dominating conservative circles of the Church. What we need is not another sermon glorifying war or another doomsday prophecy book, but rather some thoughtful defenses of peace from conservative Evangelical perspectives to add some balance on this issue. Even if you are a pastor or a church leader who supports the prevailing view, you at least owe your people the chance to see the other side of the story. I’m sure some would be shocked to learn that another side even exists, and that it’s not "liberal" or "unpatriotic." If "iron sharpens iron" then we owe it to ourselves and our people to have this debate. July 28, 2004 Bill Barnwell [send him mail] is a pastor in Swartz Creek, Michigan, and a Master’s of ministry student at Bethel College. Copyright © 2004 LewRockwell.com |
It
can not take place, however, if pro-peace Christians retreat into
oblivion. Your input and voice is urgently needed. I encourage all
peace-supporting conservative pastors, church leaders and lay Christians
to speak up and get the message out that there is another thoughtful
point of view out there. Your voice could make a difference, but
only if you make the effort. I hope and pray that you do.