Thoughts on war, part 1

“The church deplores war and all other forms of violent conflict and urges the peaceful settlement of all disputes. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice.

We reject the use of war as an instrument of foreign policy and insist that every peaceful and diplomatic means of resolution be exhausted before the start of armed conflicts. Similarly, we oppose the increasing reliance on preemptive strikes unless they can be clearly demonstrated to be proportionate in response, delimited in human casualties, and undertaken in response to clear and immediate threats to human lives.”

~ United Methodist Church Social Principles: The Political Community

I was asked this week, what The United Methodist Church thinks about the bombing of Iran. I gave a quick answer, but felt like I needed to expand and reflect on the airstrikes, the death of soldiers and civilians and the prospect of a unending war in the Middle East.

First, the UMC’s official position is stated clearly in our “Social Principles,” a prayerful and thoughtful effort of the General Conference (our rule-making body) to speak to the issues in the contemporary world. The section on war was adopted in 1972 and has been amended throughout the years.

I have always been a pacifist and in dealing with various congregations, my approach to war and the military has shifted. My first appointment was at Kailua UMC, on Oahu, near the Kanehoe Marine Base. Our congregation was comprised of various military branches and I was there just 3 months before the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. During those years, it was necessary for me to adjust my way of dealing with issues of war and military service. Being a passionate pacifist, I was called to pastor military families in a time of war, so I needed to develop my empathy, compassion and understanding to the pressures, stresses and challenges that military families face.

At my core, I am a Matthew 26:52 disciple:

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.