War in the christian perspective: between duty and incompatibility

Christian teaching, embeded in the word preached by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, promotes peace and supports it. The essence of this idea is grounded in the Savior’s words, blessing those who desire peace and do everything in their power to establish it in the world: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9), as well as in His command to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” ( John 14:27). The Church, as a divine-human institution having the holy mission of guiding humanity to the Kingdom of God – a Kingdom of Peace and Justice – is the one which continues the work of sanctifying humanity and all creation, encouraging, especially through its worship, prayers for the “peace of the whole world”, a legacy left by its Founder, Christ the Lord. Throughout its history, the Church has not disregarded the social aspects of its members’ lives, guiding them to obey earthly rulers (the State) while emphasizing its mission to bring Heaven to earth, focusing more on spiritual life than material concerns. Therefore, starting with the writings of the Apostle Paul, Christian spiritual literature adopted a military metaphor, presenting the Christian as a soldier who must fight against evil, embodied by the devil, making use of all available weapons: faith, the grace of the Holy Spirit, fasting, prayer etc. At the same time, when it comes to war, we find an attitude of complete rejection, considering its moral implications, yet some level of acceptance in the context of "defensive war" – the defense of one’s life and neighbour. Thus, we discover an obvious controversy, which religious moralists (especially those belonging to Islam) have often silenced by advocating, in the name of faith, for “holy war.” No matter how we view the concept, war is unnatural and undesirable for anyone; it only brings about evil, hatred, division, tears, and pain. The Church must remain an apostle of peace, as is its calling.