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This article was originally published in the August/September 2004 issue ofThe Catholic

Radical(Worcester, Mass. USA)

Christianity and War: Peace Witness of the Early Church

My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Jn 14:27

The early Church embraced a love that rejected the use of violence as contrary tothe will of God revealed by Jesus. The early Christians believed they were called

by Jesus to live out His redemptive peace, repudiating the use of violence as

inimical to His mission. This is not to say that every Christian in the early Church

never used violence, but when they did, it was understood as a sin. Christ-like

pacifism was not just the belief of a few individuals, but the overwhelming

teaching of the Church, and was not intended for only a few, but for all Christians.

This witness is an inspiring testimony of faith from a time when Christians wereoften horribly persecuted.

Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture bear this truth out. No Father of the Church

that we know of ever condoned killing in war until St. Athanasius (circa 354 AD).To join the early Church, one had to prove ones sincerity by changing ones life.

TheApostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus (215 AD) tells us that if a catechumenor believer wishes to become a soldier, let them be rejected, for they have despised

God ...

Scripture teaches that Christ replaced the human understanding of the Law with

His perfect expression of it: You have heard that it was said: an eye for an eye ...

But I say to you: offer no resistance to one who is evil... You have heard that it wassaid: you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you: love your

enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:38-39, 43-44).

St. Paul tells us, do not repay anyone evil for evil (Rom 12:17); although we

are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of ourbattle are not of flesh (2 Cor 10:3-4); and the 1st letter of John (3:15) says that

everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.

The pacific nature of Christianity shines through the early Church writings. St.

Ignatius, a Bishop who was martyred after 98 AD, instructs Christians how they

should regard the rest of mankind ... meet their animosity with mildness ... if theygrow violent, be gentle instead of wanting to pay them back in their own coin.

This advice comes from a man being dragged to Rome in chains by soldiers, to be

torn apart by beasts in front of screaming crowds.

TheDidache (140 AD) instructs catechumens to bless those who curse you,and pray for your enemies: fast for those who persecute you. St. Clement of

Alexandria (200 AD) described that Christians are not allowed to correct by

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violence sinful wrongdoings. Tertullian (200 AD) wrote, Christ says, Love your

personal enemies ... that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father. Do you see

whom patience gains for us as a Father? In this principal precept the universal

discipline of patience is succinctly comprised, since evil-doing is not conceded

even when it is deserved.Origen (248 AD) said, we Christians no longer take up the sword against

nations ... having become children of peace for the sake of Jesus ... Lactantius

(304 AD) wrote, there cannot be a thousand exceptions to Gods commandment:

thou shalt not kill ... When God forbids us to kill, God not only prohibits us from

open violence, but God warns us of the commission of those things which are

esteemed lawful among men ...

St. Maximilian (295 AD) told his military superiors, I am a Christian and

cannot fight. St. Marcellus (298 AD) testified, I threw down my arms for it was

not seemly that a Christian man who renders military service to the Lord Jesus

Christ should render it by inflicting earthly injuries ... Both were martyred. St.Martin of Tours (336 AD) said, I am a soldier of Christ. It is not lawful for me tofight.

Through Gods grace, the voices for Christ-like love continue in the Church:

St. John Chrysostom (347-407 AD): As long as we are lambs we conquer;

even when a thousand wolves stand about ... But if we act like wolves we are

conquered, for then the aid of the Good Shepherd departs from us.

Erasmus (1466-1536 AD): How can you say Our Father while thrusting

sharp steel into the body of your brother?

Rev. John L. McKenzie (1901-1991 AD): If Jesus can be trusted to have said

anything at all, he renounced violence. Pope John Paul II (1920-2005 AD): Once again, with a heavy heart, I repeat

that violence never resolves conflicts but only increases their tragic consequences.The clarity of this witness invites us to reflect upon the truths of Christian

peacemaking. We know the Church grew on martyrs blood, but do we remember

that those martyrs embraced a love that rejected violence? Most Christians have

moved from Jesus way of peace to trusting in the way of the sword under certain

circumstances, claiming this as a Christian act. Let us turn in prayer to the words

and examples of the early Church, which point so clearly to Jesus, the Prince of

Peace. Amen!

(Ed. Note: This article is an excerpt of a much longer one)