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| Russian guards in Moscow's Red Square |
When someone is in trouble we’re faced with a dilemma: do we
step in (and if so, how?) or refuse to get involved? The dilemma becomes harder
when one party is powerful or violent, or when it’s clearly a case of “six of
one and half a dozen of the other”. Western nations have a history of
intervention in other countries’ conflicts, with mixed results. Civil war in
Syria is currently raising the question at an international level.
Christians are often divided over such action. The New
Testament is set in a conflict-ridden society and focuses mostly on personal
conduct and church discipline. But it does suggest principles which have
implications for wider situations, with a common thread: prevention.
Prevention of
conflict
The New Testament knows nothing of the blame culture; it focuses
on “us” not “them”. So we’re to “love our neighbour as ourselves” (Mark 12:31).
Violence stems from self-centred desires for something (from a product to promotion)
or to control people, property or resources (James 4:1-2). The first step in
preventing violence is to eliminate selfishness from ourselves.
Peacemaking
Then we may be able to prevent a conflict escalating. We can
“turn the other cheek” which implies forgiveness (Matthew 5:38-42) and “love
our enemies” by doing good to them (Luke 6:27-33), neither repaying evil with
evil nor taking revenge (Romans 12:17-19). If we do seek justice, it’s to be
proportionate not punitive (only “an
eye for an eye”, Exodus 21:24).
Jesus, Paul and James encouraged active peace-making
(Matthew 5:9; Romans 14:19; James 3:18). When people fall out, Jesus says go
and talk, if necessary with mediators (Matthew 5:23,24; 18:15-17). There’s a
theological basis to this; “reconciliation” is at the heart of the Christian message
(2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Having been reconciled to God, Christians are to be
reconciling people.
This always demands patience and usually requires privacy. When
former Finnish President Martti Ahitisaari was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in
2008, hardly anyone knew that for 30 years he had brokered peace in numerous places
including Namibia, Aceh, and Kosovo. The watching world demands progress
reports but warring parties need to find face-saving solutions away from public
glare. So do private individuals locked in conflict.
Victim support
While the process of conciliation is going on, people may be
suffering. Throughout the Bible God shows himself sensitive to the cries of
oppressed and vulnerable people, from the Israelite slaves in Egypt (Exodus
3:7) to the common people exploited by rich landowners in the 8th
century BC (Amos 5:7-24). Jesus commended the Good Samaritan who assisted a
stricken Jew (Luke 10:25-37), and told of the positive spiritual effects of
social service (Matthew 25:31-46). We can offer practical help through charities,
and church leaders can raise public awareness and encourage political action
through statements and letters.
Enforcement
Finally, there may come a time when further conflict can
only be prevented by physical intervention. The New Testament recognises the
authority of legitimate government to take decisive action against wrong doers
(Romans 13:1-7). The “just war theory” gives Christians a yardstick to assess
possible action. It requires that intervention should be a last resort; in
defence of aggression; for limited ends; to restore peace; be proportional; and
respectful of non-combatants.
However, there’s also a caveat. Why are we intervening in this situation and not that one? There are numerous conflicts
at present, often unreported but all causing suffering: Sudan, Kenya, Mali, Congo,
Somalia, Yemen, among others. We come back to the personal question: what
really motivates my (or my country’s) actions? Discuss!
Think and talk
1. Re-read the text
and look up the Bible references. To what extent might your previous views need
to be modified by them?
2. You don’t love your enemy by killing him or
exacting revenge. Loving enemies is counter-intuitive, but a mark of the
radical new ethic of God’s Kingdom. Think of practical ways to apply this in
personal and corporate conflict situations, real and imagined.
3. Find out about organisations involved in
conciliation. Try these to begin with: Fellowship of reconciliation, http://www.for.org.uk/; Concordis
International, http://concordis-international.org/;
Bridge Builders, http://www.bbministries.org.uk/.
Aid charities such as World Vision (http://www.worldvision.org.uk/what-we-do/)
and Christian Aid (http://www.christianaid.org.uk/whatwedo/)
include advocacy as part of their work to relieve suffering.
© Derek Williams 2013
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