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Early Christian View
of War and
Military Service
Chapter 5
Significance of the
Early Christian Witness
General Perspective
A. Modern Importance of Early Christian Example
1. Those who lived nearest to the time of the Founder of Christianity were the most likely to be informed of His intentions and will.
a. Jesus made special efforts to clarify His teachings and commandments to His own followers.
b. The early Christians benefited by the personal example of Jesus and the Apostles.
2. Jesus’ followers practiced their ideals in their lives without those adulterations known to have been introduced by the lapse of ages.
a. Consciences were then not dulled by compromise with the world.
3. In taking this stand, the early Christians repelled the very same arguments which are advanced today by opponents of conscientious objection.
a. The common question of what would happen to the welfare of the nation if all took the same stand as the Christians was answered masterfully by Origenes in the reply to Celsus. (See p. 11)
b. The view of Christians as social parasites, benefiting from society yet refusing to cooperate in preserving it, was similarly countered by Origenes in this same treatise where he emphasizes the positive service that Christians do render to the state. (See p. 11)
4. The conduct of these early Christians and others since affords proof that Christian principles are not above the possibility of being carried out by men and represents a foretaste of the future when “peace on earth, good will to men” will become a reality.
B. Necessity and Reasonableness of Early Christian Witness
1. The early Christians were setting the standard of obedience to God’s will.
a. Their example of upright Christian living has been a powerful influence for the moral purification of the world.
b. Any other course would have denied the way of Christianity and detracted from its uplifting moral influence.
2. The early Christian opposition to war, even though it led to suffering, persecution, and martyrdom, involved less conflict and suffering than any other course consistent with faithfulness to their cause.
3. That their actions were prompted through cowardice or fear of death is understood when it is recognized that:
a. Cowards could not have endured torture and martyrdom with the constancy and faithfulness that the early Christians displayed.
b. Christians do not fear death, realizing that eternal life has been gained for them through the love and power of God and the sacrifice of their Lord and Redeemer.
General Perspective
A. Modern Importance of Early Christian Example
1. Those who lived nearest to the time of the Founder of Christianity were the most likely to be informed of His intentions and will.
a. Jesus made special efforts to clarify His teachings and commandments to His own followers.
b. The early Christians benefited by the personal example of Jesus and the Apostles.
2. Jesus’ followers practiced their ideals in their lives without those adulterations known to have been introduced by the lapse of ages.
a. Consciences were then not dulled by compromise with the world.
3. In taking this stand, the early Christians repelled the very same arguments which are advanced today by opponents of conscientious objection.
a. The common question of what would happen to the welfare of the nation if all took the same stand as the Christians was answered masterfully by Origenes in the reply to Celsus. (See p. 11)
b. The view of Christians as social parasites, benefiting from society yet refusing to cooperate in preserving it, was similarly countered by Origenes in this same treatise where he emphasizes the positive service that Christians do render to the state. (See p. 11)
4. The conduct of these early Christians and others since affords proof that Christian principles are not above the possibility of being carried out by men and represents a foretaste of the future when “peace on earth, good will to men” will become a reality.
B. Necessity and Reasonableness of Early Christian Witness
1. The early Christians were setting the standard of obedience to God’s will.
a. Their example of upright Christian living has been a powerful influence for the moral purification of the world.
b. Any other course would have denied the way of Christianity and detracted from its uplifting moral influence.
2. The early Christian opposition to war, even though it led to suffering, persecution, and martyrdom, involved less conflict and suffering than any other course consistent with faithfulness to their cause.
3. That their actions were prompted through cowardice or fear of death is understood when it is recognized that:
a. Cowards could not have endured torture and martyrdom with the constancy and faithfulness that the early Christians displayed.
b. Christians do not fear death, realizing that eternal life has been gained for them through the love and power of God and the sacrifice of their Lord and Redeemer.
Summarizing Views—
Significance of
Early Christian Witness
Cadoux
“It is quite true that the Christian Church stands in a very different position from that in which she stood in the first three centuries of our era. But the question is, is there anything in that difference; is there anything in our modern conditions, which really invalidates the testimony against war as the early Christians bore it, and as Origenes defended it?
“Not, we may answer…the development of…laws making military service compulsory, for the laws of the States can never make right for the Christian what according to the higher law of the kingdom of God is wrong for him. Not his obligations to society, for these obligations he already renders in overflowing measure by the power and influence of his life and prayers as a Christian…Not the unreadiness of the rest of the world to become Christian, for the Christian’s work now as then is essentially one that has to be done by those who constitute only a portion, for the present a very small portion, of society…Not, finally, the offense that lies in its path, for the best service Christians have ever done for the world has been done under the shadow of the world’s frown and in the teeth of the world’s opposition.”[87]
Dymond
“Some of the arguments which, at the present day, are brought against the advocates of peace, were then urged against these early Christians; and these arguments they examined and repelled. This indicates investigation and inquiry, and manifests that their belief of the unlawfulness of war was…the result of deliberate examination, and a consequent firm conviction that Christ had forbidden it…So that the very same arguments which are brought in defense of war at the present day, were brought against the Christians sixteen hundred years ago; and, sixteen hundred years ago, they were repelled by these faithful contenders for the purity of our religions.”[88]
Rev. W.E. Orchard
“The only real objection which can be urged against the revival of the early Christian attitude is that Christianity has accepted the State, and that this carries with it the necessity for coercive discipline within the waging of war without; in which disagreeable duties Christians must as citizens take their part. To refuse this will expose civilization to disaster…
“The truth is that the way of war, if persisted in, is going to destroy civilization anyhow, and the continual demand for war service will, sooner or later, bring the modern State to anarchy…It is a subject that will not cease to vex the Church until we have decided either to make as unequivocal a condemnation of war as we have of slavery, or to abandon altogether any profession of whole-hearted allegiance to the Christian faith.”[89]
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