Suchergebnisse

1. A CHECKERED RECORD THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE PROBLEMS OF WAR AND PEACE IS CHEQUERED. OFTEN IT MAKES DISMAL READING. VERY OFTEN CHURCHES HAVE CONDONED AND EVEN ACTIVELY SUPPORTED WARS IN WHICH THE SOVEREIGN OF THEIR LANDS TOOK PART. IN MANY CASES ARMY CHAPLAINS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONTLINE PROVIDED MORAL ENCOURAGEMENT BEFORE BATTLES. IN THE EARLY CHURCH, PACIFISM WAS THE PREDOMINANT ATTITUDE OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE. BUT WHEN THE NEW RELIGION ASCENDED TO POWER IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE, IT ALSO LOST ITS POLITICAL AND MILITARY INNOCENCE. CHRISTMAS JOINED THE LEGIONS. THE CHURCH FATHERS DEVELOPED THE FIRST TENETS OF A BODY OF THOUGHT WHICH POSTERITY NAMED THE DOCTRINE OF THE JUST WAR. IT LEGITIMIZED WAR AS A FINAL RESORT IN CASES WHERE NOT PUTTING UP ARMS WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN EVEN GREATER CALAMITY THAN WAR ITSELF.