WAR…What is it Good For?
My best friend, who I’ve known since kindergarten, was in the U.S. Marines. If you’ve ever seen the show Reacher, he is a leaner more charismatic version of Alan Ritchson’s character from the show. We attended the same church, went to the same school, and played football together in a “Friday Night Lights” kind of town. After high school we went our separate ways and didn’t talk for over ten years. He went into the military, and I went into full time ministry.
After he experienced several deployments to the Middle East and I had several years of ministry under my belt in the South we reconnected at a funeral. I suggested we have lunch to catch up and it didn’t take long for us both to realize we were not the same people. Our religious and political worldviews had shifted over the years. It was also surprising to find that although we had taken very different paths in life, we had come to similar conclusions about God, religion, politics, and morals. His understanding of the world changed after being overseas and many of my inherited beliefs had slowly unraveled through education while working through my own and others existential questions while in ministry.
Since that lunch conversation our childhood friendship has rekindled, and our families do a lot of life together. In fact, he was traveling with me when I randomly saw Tim Clark and John Fehlen at the Nashville airport on the way to Sarasota Florida to interview someone for my NPO. It’s probably obvious why I bring up my best friend in light of Marc LiVecche’s book, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury. The moral and philosophical concepts explored within this book have been the topic of conversation over several steak dinners and whiskies throughout the years since we’ve reunited.
During my friends third deployment he began wrestling with the ethics and ideologies of war. Shame and guilt started eating at his soul due to the violent nature of it all, which is what LiVecche’s book is tackling. LiVecche says, “Many do not present—or do not only present—the paranoia, hypervigilance, or other typical responses to life-threatening ordeals. Instead—or additionally—they display what is best described as soul wounds: crippling degrees of guilt, shame, sorrow, or remorse.”[i] Marc proposes strategies to prevent high degrees of emotional and psychological trauma he refers to as “moral injury”. He believes moral bruising is inevitable in war, but moral injury may be preventable if soldiers are better prepared morally, theologically, and psychologically when taking the lives of others in combat before deployment.
This preparation means introducing doctrines of just war theory to young people long before they step foot onto a battlefield. Marc in his chapter, Neither Sin nor Paradox, pulls heavily from St. Aquinas while exploring the complexity of war who says, “Aquinas’s three conditions necessary for the just resort to force—sovereign authority, just cause, and right intention—”.[ii] Another noteworthy concept he mentions is “Consequently, any ethic of war claiming to be a Christian ethic must commit to the view that killing can at least cohere with, if not be a manifestation of, love.”[iii] This is certainly a complicated topic, not unlike other issues we’ve dealt with over the semester, and one that I feel is out of my lane since I have never been in the military or had to wrestle with the aftermath of killing a human being. Marc LiVecche admits this is the case for him as well as a researcher and author. Living in a world where it is “kill or be killed”, at least for those of us living in peaceful areas in the 21st century, is extremely foreign. I feel it unwise to make rigid moral judgements around this subject and I can see, as LeVecche points out, how not protecting those we love could lead to just as much moral injury as doing what is necessary to protect them.
Paul, in the famous 1 Corinthians 13 “wedding passage” about love, says “…it always protects…”
Would it haunt me if I took a life even while protecting my family? Most likely.
Would it haunt me if I allowed someone to hurt my family out of pacifism. Most certainly.
I have an ethic that life is sacred, but I have a love for my family and others in a world that does not share my ethics. We live in a time that has not fully developed into the ideal “kingdom of God” Jesus preached about several thousand years ago. What I see LiVecche and other Christians throughout history doing is working through practical matters in the real world, Christian realism, with the love and Spirit of Christ in mind as much as possible. I’ve concluded that intention is such a major factor in this theological conversation about war and violence. Two people can perform the same action with very different motivations. I believe God will judge the depths of our hearts in the end which is why legalism is better suited for the courtroom not churches, religion, or theology.
Part of my friend’s crisis happened after questioning the complex motivations of those responsible for sending him overseas, those he fought alongside, and even those within himself. When it comes to war where humans are involved, money, ego, pride, control, fear, hate, fundamentalism, ignorance, insecurity, and prejudice can ultimately be at the root of what can appear to be noble or just actions.
My friend also felt like he and others were desensitized, whether intentionally or unintentionally, to the humanity of “the enemy” which bred a callousness toward certain people groups as a whole. This callousness slowly melted during unexpected experiences, some during shared meals with Middle Easterners, which sounds a lot like Jesus’ approach in life. Dismissing unfortunate incidents as “causalities of war” to cope or justify certain actions in battle became increasingly unsettling. My buddy began his career in the military feeling his actions were completely justifiable, but left questioning much of it. He has found a balance at this point in life, but what do you do when you discover both sides of war may have questionable motives?
One of my favorite stories concerns St. Thomas Aquinas, a man mentioned in Marc LeVecchi’s book. Aquinas spilled gallons of ink formulating various theologies, including those that touch on just war theory. It is reported that he stopped writing after a vision he had and said, “I can write no more. I have seen things that make my writings like straw.”[iv] What he meant by this has been highly debated and Christian leaders are quick to argue this statement should not negate his years of theological contribution. However, it may illustrate that many of us who follow Christ are doing the best we can to figure this religious, moral, and ethical stuff out in a complicated, ever evolving world, but likely coming up short. However, this will never stop us from seeking to find what Christ’s love looks like even on a battlefield.
[i] LiVecche, Marc, ‘Introduction’, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury (New York, 2021; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Apr. 2021), https://doi-org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/oso/9780197515808.003.0001, accessed 4 Apr. 2024.
[ii] LiVecche, Marc, ‘Neither Sin nor Paradox’, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury (New York, 2021; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Apr. 2021), https://doi-org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/oso/9780197515808.003.0004, accessed 4 Apr. 2024.
[iii] LiVecche, Marc, ‘Neither Sin nor Paradox’, The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury (New York, 2021; online edn, Oxford Academic, 22 Apr. 2021), https://doi-org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/oso/9780197515808.003.0004, accessed 4 Apr. 2024.
[iv] Reginald of Piperno. “The Life of Saint Thomas Aquinas.” Translated by Anthony Damico. In The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, vol. 1, edited by Fathers of the English Dominican Province, xi-xiv. Westminster, MD: Christian Classics, 1981.
About the Author
Adam Harris
I am currently the Associate Pastor at a church called Godwhy in Hendersonville, TN near Nashville. We love questions and love people even more. Our faith community embraces God and education wholeheartedly. I graduated from Oral Roberts University for undergrad and Vanderbilt for my masters. I teach historical critical Biblical studies at my church to help our community through their questions and ultimately deepen their faith. I love research, writing, learning, and teaching. I oversee our staff and leadership development. Before being at Godwhy I worked as a regional sales coach and director for Anytime Fitness. I've been married for over 13 years to my best friend and we have two amazing boys that keep us busy.13 responses to “WAR…What is it Good For?”
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Adam,
These two sentences truly state the paradoxes that we can potentially face in times of war and on what stance we take:
“Would it haunt me if I took a life even while protecting my family? Most likely.”
“Would it haunt me if I allowed someone to hurt my family out of pacifism? Most certainly.”
No matter which stance you take, there is a cost to what you believe. War is certainly a wicked problem with great complexity. As a pastor, have you experienced congregants having varying views regarding the current wars in Ukraine and in the Gaza Strip, and if so, how do you navigate this?
Thats a great connection Esther, it really is a wicked problem, one of the most wicked problems since human history. When it comes to war happening around the world we, like most congregations, have people with different views. We really try to encourage listening to one another, and acknowledging the fact that most of us don’t have all the information. We also try to encourage folks to do what they can to help in their own way. I love what Russell is doing with his app to help. Thanks for the response Esther!
How do you and your husband navigate these real world issues?
So you threw the question back. Ha! Ha! We are on the same page. As you stated, encouraging “listening to one another,…acknowledging the fact that most of us don’t have all the information” and urging people to get involved to help in some way often disarms the “it’s my way or the highway” attitude. I would also add the stance of curiosity along with listening. Curiosity tends to lean towards a growth mindset that perhaps I don’t know everything, as well as not having all the facts, whereas a closed mindset says what I know is all that is needed so that makes you wrong.
Ha, I did indeed!! Love that response, curiosity is becoming a superpower in my book. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Adam~
Might you be preparing to preach this in a sermon very soon?!? You wrote: “My buddy began his career in the military feeling his actions were completely justifiable, but left questioning much of it. He has found a balance at this point in life, but what do you do when you discover both sides of war may have questionable motives?”
What a good way to sum up what many of us are reflecting upon as we move from Holy Week back into Ordinary time! Let us know when you preach this sermon!
Thanks for the response Pam, if I do a sermon on that Ill send it over to you! I’m sure its just a matter of time, this book got the ol wheels turning. War and violence in a world with very diverse values, belief systems, and developmental levels is truly a complex and “wicked” problem.
Hi Adam,
You wrote, ” I feel it unwise to make rigid moral judgements around this subject and I can see, as LeVecche points out, how not protecting those we love could lead to just as much moral injury as doing what is necessary to protect them..”
Jenny Dooley asked me what people “like me” need to hear and I had no response. I think, however, you may have answered my question. Friendship.
Your ability to connect, listen, compare and be involved is what we need. Marc stated that perhaps the clinical therapist should not be center stage and that peers (military men) should serve as part of the healing process.
But what if those with similar experiences are not available? (As is probably the case for most churches). Then this friendship/commitment is needed.
I recommended this book because I felt that more conflict is coming. Seemingly, I felt we were ignoring the conflicts currently going on (Ukraine, now Israel/Middle East). My over riding question is “Are you ready (as a church) to help soldiers put on their armor for their soul (As Jenny Dooley wrote) before, during and after deployments?
I know my church is not.
Shalom…
Yeah, I am out of my lane here, which is how I feel with alot of our topics, so making strict judgements about this stuff being on the outside feels out of place. The best thing I can do is listen and attempt to understand what people like you (who I consider a friend) and my friend in the story wrestle with after war. Theory and practice seem to be worlds apart in this arena. I spoke with a couple of people this week intentionally about their experiences in the military and it is a wicked and layered problem. Appreciate your service Russell. Thanks for the response, glad you recommeneded this. Its good to engage this arena, even if uncomfortable, to stay well rounded in our theologies and ethics.
Adam, this was a compelling post and I so appreciate your wrestling through it intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and relationally.
I think often we choose ‘only one’ and build opinions on that, but we are whole people with lots of overlapping parts and it’s all necessary to engage, which I think you do so well.
To me, your money quote was this: “I believe God will judge the depths of our hearts in the end which is why legalism is better suited for the courtroom not churches, religion, or theology.”
Amen.
(PS Now I can’t get “Good God…Absolutely Nothing” out of my head).
Thanks for the reply Tim, I had almost forgotten that you had actually met this guy at the airport with me. Hearing his stories over the last few years has given me a lot of food for thought. War is such a “wicked problem”.
Ha, that song is ALL I could think about when trying to find a title for my post so I thought… lets do it.
Adam,
This was a truly impactful and important post. Thank you for sharing your friends story and the evolution of your friendship over the years. It is important to acknowledge that we can love and care for each other even when all of our views and beliefs are not aligned. I had to come to terms with this about 8 years ago.
You made these very profound statements/questions:
Would it haunt me if I took a life even while protecting my family? Most likely.
Would it haunt me if I allowed someone to hurt my family out of pacifism. Most certainly.
It is hard to know what we would feel and I am in no hurry to find out. I pray that I never have to defend my family in such a way… the primal need to protect would most certainly take over. And I know that I would have wounds from my actions.
You have left me with much to think about.
Thanks, Jonita, I hope I never have to find that out either. From what I’ve read, we are not wired to kill, which is why in whatever circumstance it can haunt some of us. Appreciate the response.
It’s so interesting that the research shows that we are not wired to kill. I believe that yet I get confused at times when instinctively so many people resort to violence.