With war in Europe and the Middle East – how do you define a just war?

Apr 28, 2024Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

It was the writer of Ecclesiastes who said:

¹There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven … ⁸a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3.1,8)

But the problem is with so much hurt caused by war, and with conflict in both Europe and the Middle East, how do you know the ‘right’ time to go to war and can it ever be just?

Even before we can consider this question, we must be unequivocally clear that war is terribly costly and will always be a dreadful, dreadful tragedy – the price of which for many in terms of human life and suffering will always be too much and the misery unbearable – and that’s even before we have considered the subsequent damage caused to society, economics and the environment. War is awful and must always be considered a last resort!

So how can we possibly contemplate it and ever call it just? Well, there are six conditions generally required for a war to be classified as just.

The reason for going to war in the first place must be just. i.e. a morally right or just cause, such as defending a nation (Revelation 19.11).
The war must be called by a legitimate legally recognised national authority such as a government. It can’t be called by private individuals or corporations (Romans 13.1).
There must be a genuine desire for comparative justice. It should be clear that the actions of the enemy are morally wrong and that the motives of one’s own government should be, in comparison, morally right. There must be a genuine intention to establish good and restrain evil (Proverbs 21.2). Revenge, conquest, economic gain and matters of ideological superiority are poor motives for conflict and do not remotely satisfy the conditions for a just war.
There must be a reasonable chance of success (Luke 14.31); will the good results that come from victory be significantly greater that the harm and loss caused?
Only sufficient force must be used, and civilians should not be involved. Will conflict be proportionate and conducted with a right intention discriminating between combatants and noncombatants? Will those captured be treated with justice and compassion according to the rights and norms set out by international law?
Finally, as mentioned previously, is the war a matter of last resort; have all other diplomatic avenues and possibilities been extinguished?

These are the generally accepted criteria for a just war, made all the more difficult when it’s impossible to distinguish between military personnel and civilians, which is sadly so often the reality in many theatres of war. Which is why the Christian and many others will appreciate the Gospel imperative to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Mark 12.31), living together in love and peace – and Jesus’ own words, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God’ (Matthew 5.9).

So let us continue to pray for our governments and world leaders, that they will do everything they can to live justly, to promote peace and protect the innocent.

“The fruit of righteousness will be peace.” Isaiah 32.17

Russia and the United Kingdom – a tale of two elections!

Apr 9, 2024Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

As I write this month’s letter, there is a lot of political angst in the papers about the Prime Minister’s decision not to hold the general election on 2^nd May as has been predicted by most papers and political pundits. Pat McFadden, Labour’s election co-ordinator said, “The British public have the right to expect an election to be called by the 26^th March and held on the 2^nd May. Rishi Sunak should stop squatting in Downing Street and give the country what it desperately needs – a chance for change with a Labour government”. Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, accused the Prime Minister of ‘running scared’. Whether we should agree with these sentiments or not is not for me to say, but surely Rishi Sunak was right when he replied, “There won’t be a general election on that day but when there is a general election, what matters most is the choice.”

Which of course immediately made me think about the other enormously important election taking place at this time, which is the election of Vladimir Putin as Russia’s President for six more years. We are told by the media that the result is not in doubt because Mr Putin has no credible opponent, for not only has he changed the rules by forcing through an amendment which gives him personal exemption from the law which states that no Russian President is allowed to serve more than two terms in office, but he has taken every opportunity to crush meaningful opposition. Most opposition figures are either in prison, exile or, like the most charismatic figurehead Alexei Navalny met an untimely death. Despite the televised superficial veneer of running the election, the reality is that deep down there is no actual substance – no freedom, no democracy and no choice! A point that has been made by a few brave individuals who have either spoilt their ballots, poured paint into election boxes or discretely demonstrated their discontent.

The Christian will be aware that the Bible tells us to pray for those who are in authority and this we do with sincerity, but we also do it in the knowledge that Jesus himself was not afraid to be critical of the political and religious authorities of his day, especially when he thought that they were taking advantage of the people and abusing their God given political positions. The Psalmist reminds us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry: the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (Psalm 34.15-16), and in the previous verse “turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34.14). Ultimately, how we behave is a choice – a choice to stand up to tyranny, promote peace and seek the common good – or not. The much-quoted statement by Edmund Burke, recently restated by Alexei Navalny still holds true – “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. It may appear that our general election is still some way off, but we all still have a choice as to how we wish to live and the society we wish to live in. Let’s use that choice wisely and cherish it!

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6.8

When war is looming, it’s essential that we act with wisdom, integrity & prayer!

Feb 24, 2022Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

As I write this letter, the West is becoming increasingly alarmed by the number of Russian troops gathering on the borders of Ukraine. President Putin has repeatedly said that Russia has no intention of invading Ukraine, and his government has repeatedly accused the West of ‘histrionics’. In fact, hopes raised by President Putin’s recent statement that the Kremlin has authorised a partial withdrawal of its forces were quickly dashed by NATO’s chief, Jens Stoltenberg who insisted that satellite imagery showed no evidence of such a withdrawal, in fact, strategically, quite the reverse. This was swiftly followed by Liz Truss our own foreign secretary urging the West at a press conference in Kyiv, to ‘wise up’ in its dealings with Russia.

She no doubt has a point – when war is looming, and peoples’ lives are at stake it is beholden upon all of our national leaders to act with prudence, wisdom and caution. Concerns that Russian information might be misleading or that their tacticians might be engineering a so called ‘false flag’ provocation to justify a military invasion of Ukraine are as shocking as they are deceitful. This is why the West must ensure that it acts with wisdom and integrity, powerfully speaking to those who threaten harm, and with care to those who are in harm’s way. Every nation has the right to defend itself, but the engagement of warfare should always be a last resort.

The Christian will be aware that although Jesus commanded his disciples ‘to love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 19.19), he also commanded them to ‘love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5.44). This is not a soppy, sentimental, ‘wishy-washy’ sort of love, but a love that allows the individual to keep a clear head and a clear perspective, not allowing oneself to descend into a mindless anger or hatred. Let’s pray that our national leaders will continue to act with as much tact and diplomacy as they can muster to encourage peace and deter the minds of those who might be tempted to go to war out of greed and evil self-interest.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12.17-21

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Since writing this initial post, Russia has invaded Ukraine, we therefore continue to pray for the people of Ukraine, and trust that they will not only be able to endure this ordeal with integrity and courage, but that the Western nations will do all that they can to ease their suffering, confront aggression and promote peace.

Remembrance Sunday – Are we in danger of forgetting?

Nov 11, 2021Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

Later this month we will be observing Remembrance Sunday, the annual occasion when we as a nation can come together to mark and remember with gratitude all those who gave their lives serving their country throughout two world wars and other conflicts. This simple act of remembrance is supposed to encourage us to strive for peace as we appreciate the incredible cost of war and the damage that it does to all concerned. Yet it seems as if the world in which we live is more fragile than ever, not only in terms of the environment marked by the COP26 climate conference, but by the volatile nature of world relations. Although we may have got used to the almost routine launching of missiles by North Korea over the seas of South Korea, the world was shocked by the belief that China had launched a hypersonic missile that flew around the world at five times the speed of sound. Senator Lindsey Graham said, “If in fact, the Chinese have developed a hypersonic missile that can deliver a nuclear weapon, it’s a military game-changer when it comes to nuclear forces – God help us all”. “We have no idea how they did this,” another US intelligence official is quoted as saying. Despite the fact that the Chinese may simply be developing their space technology and that respective nations are still seeking investment and wishing ‘to do business’ with China, the International Institute for Strategic Studies has concluded that its global ambitions are clear, for in terms of tonnage, China has launched more submarines and warships than any other nation, equivalent to the entire Royal Navy every four years.

And yet, as recent events in Afghanistan remind us, military take overs by dictatorial regimes do not always lead to greater freedoms, security, prosperity or peace. We seem to be in danger of forgetting ourselves and the terrible cost of war and hostility. Surely, the heart of the problem is the problem of the human heart! – especially when people, countries and nations seek to manipulate, gain control and take advantage of those around them. The Christian will be mindful of the words of Jesus, who reminded the crowds that “out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, .. theft, murder, .. greed, .. arrogance and folly” (Mark 9.21-22). The recent death of Sir David Amess was a tragedy, but his family were absolutely right when they called for a change of heart. “Our hearts are shattered,” they said. “We ask people to set aside their differences and show kindness and love to all”. Jesus had said something similar when he had commanded his disciples “to love each other as I have loved you” (John 15.9). Loving like this requires a real change of heart, mind and perspective; one that does not seek to simply better oneself, but puts the other person first so that collectively we might all live better lives of freedom, love, joy and peace. These are the goals, values and ambitions that we should strive for and those that previous generations fought so hard to protect at great cost. So let us all take a moment to come together this Remembrance Sunday – ‘lest we forget’.

Be careful … that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Deuteronomy 4.9

The Incredible Art Of Forgiveness

Apr 24, 2018Jan 2, 2020Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

The Trial Begins Of Two Men Accused Of Murdering Stephen Lawrence

In the light of the recent chemical weapons attack upon the Syrian citizens of Douma, alongside March’s assault upon Sergei and Yulia Skripal when a Novichok nerve agent was used in Salisbury, one could be forgiven for thinking that the world has sunk to a new low and that the world had become a much darker and dangerous place. What has become of our moral values, common decency and respect for human life?

In recent weeks, we have seen the American, French and British authorities take military action against those who use chemical weapons, but there have also been two incredibly moving stories which perhaps given the circumstance have not been given the prominence that they rightly deserve. The first was the comedian Patrick Kielty’s BBC documentary entitled “My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me”, exploring the legacy of the Good Friday Agreement as it reached its 20th anniversary. Patrick’s story is poignant as his own father was murdered by paramilitary gunmen during ‘The Troubles’ – men who were subsequent released from prison as part of the agreement. Patrick’s view was nuanced, because although he admitted that he couldn’t forgive the gunmen, he accepted that their release was necessary if there was ever to be reconciliation. He was stunned by an interview with Richard Moore, who as a child had been totally blinded by a rubber bullet fired at him by a British soldier – and yet Richard had forgiven his assailant and had made great strides to find him in order to say so, resulting in a lasting friendship. How could Richard forgive the soldier so?

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[Patrick Keilty carrying his father’s coffin in 1988]

This was followed by an amazing interview given by Neville Lawrence, the father of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, whose story has regularly been in the headlines for 25 years. Two men had been convicted of Stephen’s death and yet it’s understood that five were involved. Neville revealed how he had forgiven them all for the murder of his son. Like Patrick, Neville’s story was incredibly hard and painful, and described as a ‘life sentence’ that would never go away, and yet he had forgiven his son’s murderers. How could this be possible?

It seems that both Neville and Richard had discovered an ancient Christian truth which is that forgiveness is not dependent upon the perpetrator saying sorry or even being met with. It’s an act of the heart and mind which allows the victim to find peace, ‘to let go’, and won’t allow any anger, hurt or pain they feel to fester and become a well of bitter malice within them, which probably does nothing to bring about reconciliation, and may not even be known by the perpetrator, but simply mars and cripples their own life henceforth. It comes from a deep-seated understanding that you are not going to hold a grudge or allow hurt to define you. Naturally, this isn’t easy – and shouldn’t be remotely confused with ‘letting other people get away with it’ or not wanting justice. Neville Lawrence wants justice as keenly as ever he did – it’s just that he won’t allow his anger and hurt to corrupt and corrode his heart and soul.

True forgiveness isn’t ‘a trick of the mind’; it isn’t secretly hoping for revenge or holding on to resentment. It has to be genuine and is therefore both a true art and an act of grace. Whether forgiveness is or isn’t asked for, it certainly isn’t deserved – it can only be given. It’s therefore a beautiful thing – a gift, which allows the victim to find peace, and can wonderfully, occasionally lead to repentance and reconciliation by all parties.

The Christian will see clear parallels between this and the Gospel story – how our sin naturally makes us all perpetrators, leading to the death of Jesus upon the cross where he graciously and lovingly takes upon himself the punishment for our sins (justice demands it) so that we might be reconciled and freely forgiven by God when we turn to him in sincerity, faith and repentance.

The stories of Richard, Neville (and perhaps even Patrick, who began to wonder if he had actually forgiven his father’s murderers after all) demonstrate that by God’s good grace and mercy there is still a lot of love and light in the world – and the world isn’t quite as dark as it might be.

“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” Luke 11.4

The Rohingyas – Where Are The Peacemakers?

Sep 16, 2017Jan 10, 2020Stephen Thorp Leave a comment

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There have been many sad and sorry stories about trouble spots around the world – about people who have been caught up in the midst of war, civil unrest, barbarity and violence, but none are so poignant at the present time as that of the Rohingyas. The Rohingas Muslims are from the Rakhine state in Myanmar (formerly Burma). They are a ‘stateless’ people who have faced many years of persecution from the Buddhist majority and deep seated historic tensions have fuelled the latest catastrophe, sparked by the actions of Rohingya militants earlier in August. However, the scale of the military response from the Burmese Generals alongside Buddhist monks has been vast and unprecedented, driving hundreds of thousands of Rohingya, men, women and children, across the border and into squalid relief camps in Bangladesh.

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This terrible situation has become even more tragic as the Burmese leader is Aung San Suu Kyi – the 1^st State Counsellor of Myanmar (akin to our Prime minister), the former ‘non-violent’ civil rights campaigner and leader of the National League for Democracy who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. Quoted in 2007 as saying “I do not hold to non-violence for moral reasons, but for political and practical reasons”. This statement may ironically shed some light on her current, bewildering silence as the leader for Myanmar. Does she now believe that for political and practical reasons, violence against the Rohingyas is justified? Has she been persuaded by her Generals that violence is necessary? Is she prejudiced against the Rohingyas? Admittedly, it may appear that her actual power is very limited, but her ambivalence seems to perfectly illustrate the statement often attributed to Edmund Burke that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men (or women) do nothing”. Which is such a shame, as for many years she was held up as the shining light and beacon for civil rights and democracy. It seems that this mantle has now passed to another recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize – young Malala Yousafzai, herself the victim of violence in Pakistan. “We can’t be silent right now,” she says. “The number of people who have been displaced is hundreds of thousands …. This should be a human rights issue. Governments should react to it. People are being displaced, they’re facing violence. We need to wake up and respond to it,” she continues, “… and I hope that Aung Sang Suu Kyi responds to it as well.”

The Christian will be aware that when Simon Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, tried to protect Jesus and prevent his arrest by the temple guards, Jesus warned him urgently to put his sword back into place “for all who live by the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26.52) and had conversely famously promoted the cause of peace in his ‘sermon on the mount’; “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” he said “…blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God,” (Matthew 5.7,9). So, where are today’s peace makers? Well, they are all around us – in fact they are us! For like Malala Yousafzai, we should be encouraging our government to act swiftly to put pressure on the Myanmar government and not to stand silent. There may be very little that we can do personally, other than to pray for peace and support relief organisations and charities that we know are working in the area, but we can also be clear that these sorts of actions will never be seen by us as being part of a just, fair, civil and democratic society.