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The Southern Baptist Convention is coming up and I’m looking forward to what kinds of statements my Baptist brothers are preparing to make by means of resolutions. Here’s a brief history of Southern Baptist Resolutions concerning war:
Resolution on Peace
New Orleans, Louisiana May 1917
RESOLVED, (1) That we deeply deplore this awful and sorrowful calamity which has caused these leading nations to drench the earth in the precious blood of their own loyal citizens.
(2) That we reaffirm our faith in the righteousness of the Sermon on the Mount, and our confidence and infallible wisdom of him who has taught us to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, and to do good to them that despitefully use and persecute us.
I love how they struggled with the issue of war here. WWI was a horrible event, however, Southern Baptists still struggled with war in light of Jesus’ command to love our enemies.
Resolution on War and Peace
Baltimore, MD June 1940
1. That we hereby express our utter abhorrence of war as an instrument of International policy and our profound conviction and belief that all International differences could and of a right ought to be composed by peaceful diplomatic exchanges, and, when these fail, by arbitration.
6. That while we acknowledge the right of national self-defense, our utter abhorrence of war and its attendant evils compels us to voice the conviction that even a defensive war should be waged only as a last resort after every effort has been made to reach a settlement of international problems in fairness to all the nations involved.
8. Baptists have always believed in liberty of conscience and have honored men who were willing to brave adverse public opinion for the sake of conscientious scruples. A considerable number of members of churches of our Convention, through their interpretation of the moral teachings of Christ, have reached the position of a conscientious objection to war that prohibits them from bearing arms.
The Convention ought to accord to them the right of their convictions as it accords to others the right to differ from them, and ought to protect them in that right to the extend of its ability.
9. Because war is contrary to the mind and spirit of Christ, we believe that no war should be identified with the will of Christ. Our churches should not be made agents of war propaganda or recruiting stations. War thrives on and is perpetuated by hysteria, falsehood, and hate and the church has a solemn responsibility to make sure there is no black out of love in time of war. When men and nations are going mad with hate it is the duty of Christ’s ministers and His churches to declare by spirit, word, and conduct the love of God in all men. In time of war it is our Christian responsibility to prepare for peace. We would, therefore, urge our churches to think and work toward a Christian social order in which a just and lasting peace can be realized.
Wow! Supporting conscientious objectors! War is contrary to the will of Christ? Imagine that!
The Korean War:
Recommendation Concerning World Order And Peace
Chicago, Illinois May 1950
1. Because we must have a renewal within our consciences of the basic incompatability of war with the moral principles and purposes of Christianity and because we need desperately to have new aspirations for world peace, we urge upon our people not to abandon the ultimate goal of peace and not to surrender to the inevitability of war as the only possible solution of international disagreements. We further call upon the President of the United States and upon those who determine American foreign policy not only to “keep open the door” to peaceful negotiations, but also to pursue aggressively every course that will lead us to peaceful settlements of international problems.
2. We recommend that our churches give serious consideration and study to all of the means being employed to promote world peace and that we give as Christians our prayerful support to the work of the United Nations Organization.
The War in Iraq:
On The Liberation Of Iraq
Phoenix, AZ June 2003
WHEREAS, Scripture commands individual Christians to love our enemies, but it also commands civil authorities to restrain evil and to punish evildoers through the power of the sword (Romans 13:1–5);
Crap like this is why the “Liberal” Baptists want Baptists to emphasize the teaching of Jesus over the teaching of Paul. It’s really hard to justify violence and war with Jesus’ teaching. With Paul, not so much. But even if this were a proper interpretation of Romans 13:1-5, (Which it is NOT!) all of the tension between having to go to war and the evil involved in it are gone. Not even a suggestion that war is contrary to the will of Christ!
A rich heritage of peace shot to hell. God forgive us. We don’t want to punish evildoers otherwise we’d be in Darfur spreading freedom. We want to protect our interests, but we are too blinded by sin and greed to recognize it. Maybe that’s why some people hate us. Southern Baptists not only have become a tool for the current administration, they have abandoned traditional Baptists beliefs and misused Scripture to do so! What a joke! It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad and sinful.
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