Memorial Day in the United States is a time for remembering the men and women who died defending America’s interests. For the most part, America’s chief interest in the world has been freedom. But in the end, the men and women of the American military to do not fight for freedom, for democracy, for right or for truth. They fight, are wounded, and die to defend the interests of the United States of America. Of course we want to believe that the interests of the United States are right and true; that we are fighting to defend democracy and freedom. But those are vague concepts and values. Nations and states have armed forces; ideas and values have, at best, militias or “freedom fighters” or, at worse, “insurgents” and “terrorists” depending on whether we agree with the values or ideologies being promoted or not.
My point is this; it is a dangerous thing to confuse fighting for or dying because of a deeply held belief, and fighting for and defending a country. The teachings of Christianity are irreparably harmed when we conflate the two. For that very reason the subject of whether or not Christians can serve as soldiers has always been a hot topic.
The early church sidestepped the whole issue by listing “soldiering” as a vocation forbidden to Christians (along with teaching and acting) except in special circumstances, and even then with heavy caveats. This was done in obedience to Jesus’ command to “turn the other cheek” and to “love your enemies.” By the time of Martin Luther in the 1500s, however, church and state in western Europe were one and the same. An enemy of the state was an enemy of the church, and vice-versa, and considered fair target for military action.
Luther attacked the issue by applying the “prime directive” of Scripture; that the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the natural law of God are two distinct though inseparable teachings of Scripture. Humanity is saved from eternal damnation by preaching, through the ministry of the church. Humanity is saved from itself in this world by governments, through whom God works to keep evil in check. The church wages war against sin, death and the devil by preaching Jesus Christ crucified for the world, praying for its enemies, and demonstrating forgiveness. The government takes up arms against criminals and its enemies to subdue and destroy them. God even uses other governments to rise up against and destroy those which have become corrupt.
So: can a Christian be a soldier? For Luther the answer was that a Christian – as a citizen – can work for and defend the state. Not as a Christian, but as a citizen. Not in obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but rather in obedience to the law of God written on all people’s hearts. Not in order to promote and defend “Christian values,” but rather to promote and defend the rule of law which God works in all peoples regardless of religion.
Which is why as a Lutheran I believe it is essential to distinguish between service to God as a Christian, and service to country in the military. Of course one can do both. But they should never be mixed up. Otherwise, we’re back in the 1500s – executing heretics. Or worse, we become naive pacifists, who believe God deals with all evil nations and people with hugs and kisses.
May God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – bless and preserve the freedom to worship we enjoy in the United States of America.