With the specter of war looming again in current events, I offer the classic principles of "just war" for serious reflection. This summary is from Arthur Holmes 1975 book "War and Christian Ethics." The roots of these principles are from Greek antiquity which informed the shape they took in "Christendom" Europe's attempt to restrain "Christian" princes from waging war against each other. Each of these principles has a parallel in Deuteronomy 20. Perhaps it seems strange for me, a Christian pacifist, to be recommending consideration of the classic principles of just war. I am not so naive as to think any of the nations (kingdoms) of this world who do not acknowledge the Prince of Peace, Jesus as Lord to welcome the Reign of God (as we pray in the Lord's Prayer "Thy Kingdom come ... on earth"), but I do believe that the restraint of war suggests at least a faint hint of Christ's promised peace. I am also not so naive as to suggest that Iran or any number of other nations are not a threat to peace, but I would suggest that arguing "that's the only language they understand" is a tacit admission it is the only language we know how to speak. Perhaps classic just war ethics can begin to teach a new vocabulary.
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