'It's Just War' - Should Christians Fight? Debate

On March 28, 2014, Anchor-Cross Publishing and Followers of the Way sponsored a debate on the subject of just war. We sought to bring leading thinkers together to discuss the issue in historic Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston. Speaking on behalf of just war were Dr. Peter Kreeft (professor of philosophy at Boston College) and Dr. J. Daryl Charles (Berry College). Speaking against just war and for biblical nonresistance were David Bercot and Dean Taylor.

[TimMartinBlogger]

I wish they would've gotten another Presbyterian and not had a Roman.
EDIT: They should've gotten two proper Reformed people.

[peterrodriguez]

I'm a combat veteran and served in Iraq and Afghanistan with Marines. I saw much death and violence, eventually leading to issues of PTSD, depression, anxiety and insomnia. I wasn't a believer throughout all of this.

When I look back, I can say neither side was the "good" side. Psalm 11:5 reinforces that for me. I cannot reconcile any good from the violence I saw. What men say is good, God says is evil.

Now that I believe, I believe in carrying my cross and following the path Christ provided by loving my enemy. Even if that means it's unpopular to men, or that my "enemy" will kill me. A true follower of Christ will understand this; death of the flesh is not the end of life. To endure and/or die because you follow Christ's word is not weakness. Christ says those that die in his name are blessed. Those that love violence likely can't comprehend this or understand a believers love for God, but we can't serve two masters. I choose to serve Christ and know that vengeance belongs to Him alone.

[KOGmissions]

Well done David Bercot and Dean Taylor! Thank you for using Scripture to make your points, rather than Augustine, C.S. Lewis, other writers, philosophers, or family members and their jobs! You both clearly spoke the truth about love, in love. Thank you for representing the biblical non-resistance way of life with integrity. Jesus didn't lower the bar because of all the "what ifs, " but still demanded complete and radical obedience. (And thank you for wisely addressing all the typical "what ifs" as you did! That has helped me many times when discussing this topic.) Amen! If to follow Christ, we must FOLLOW CHRIST!

[SoundFaithChannel]

This video had so much influence on me. After watching it, my mind truly had no more conflict. War could no longer be justified. The two Kingdoms suddenly became obvious to me and that our warfare is not of this world. We bless those who persecute us and ask for forgiveness on their behalf as they are killing us.

[gilgaidola]

This is extraordinary!! When I was 18 or 19 years of age I struggled with the idea of going to war and it terrified me to say the least. I feared of being killed..but what I feared more was killing another human being..I used to think I was strange because I didn't believe war was right. But years later I found a people who believe the things I did..I am deeply grateful to to God that He helped me discover the anabaptists.
God Bless you all !!

[jackbullock]

Using the early church to justify pacifists doesnt completely make sense to me. The apostoles died and justifiably so...for the faith, as we are all called to do if necessary. But standing for the innocent is just as much of a Christian value as dying for the faith.

[edwardlake]

Thanks for setting up this debate. I do find David Bercot and Dean Taylor's position to be more in line with Christ's teachings. I'm praying for grace to live out these commands.

[calvinpeterson]

Dean's closing statements are gold. Romans 8 simply does not sound like just war theory!

[antonypotsiar]

My conclusion, pacifism is a moral option for the christian not a moral obligation. Holy/just violence is a moral option but not a moral obligation.

[samtaylor]

Interesting debate, however I would really have liked to see a third position argued, which is the libertarian non-aggression principle position. I don’t agree with a pacifist position, however I’m also completely against the logical conclusion of what people most commonly refer to as just war theory. I think there is a huge difference between an individual right to self defense and justifying war. Also I think Romans 13 is the most incorrectly interpreted biblical passage especially in Christian vigorous defense of statism.

[simonsaimeesamat]

The Pacificts duo sound like regular pastors of a local church. As a Christian I can relate well with them. the other two sounds like a typical philosophers and their arguments make sense from world point of view.

[LiesJohannes]

Amen! Dean and David did a great job defending Non resistance!

[greenbean]

Peter Kreeft will definitely steer clear of Rwanda in future debates. Rwanda was 95% Christian (58% Catholic) when the killing started. If we Christians (I'm Catholic) had remained faithful to the teachings of Jesus, the massacres don't happen. The same for Fascist Germany - no Christians to man the German armies or the concentration camps and WWII doesn't happen.

The JW proponents were soundly beaten.

[AndreyDzyadyk]

Listening to this debate you kind of get a feeling that the pro just war professors still need a life and mind changing encounter with Jesus Christ and his teaching

[georgeolo]

I'm even more confused than before! Ultimately, I think the "non-resistance" side won this debate with altogether more cogent arguments, and I am personally erring on this side of the argument myself. However, one thing I still find confusing is why a) John the Baptist did not tell the roman soldiers he speaks with to refrain from killing and leave the army, as per Dean Taylor's actions, and similarly b) Cornelius the Roman Centurion is not told to cease being a Roman soldier and leave the army to enter into a less violent occupation. Do any proponents of the non-resistance have any responses on these instances? Thank you.

[johnserrato]

Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent. Call Bible things by Bible names, and do Bible things in Bible ways!

Thanks David and Dean for standing with scripture!

[StevenWilliams-yrnr]

Amen to Dean and David! Our sole purpose on Earth as Christians must be to know Christ intimately, and to make Him known to others... or, in other words, to receive agape love, and give the same away...

[josephgorscak]

:) "AMEN PACIFISM" :)
TRUE BIBLICAL TEACHING :)
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” ‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

[stealthspoon]

Very good. OT has no teaching of just war, and the just war teaching was absent for the first 300 years of Christianity. Non resistance was the original teaching. Good comment by Dean, "Can someone be a follower of Christ without following Christ?"

[steventylerplumlee]

I loved..  Bercot and Taylor's introductions and endings!