Pacifism and the East

[Milk_And_Honey]

I would like to know what the east’s relationship is to the pacifism movement. The priest in an article I read says the just war theory is Roman, but he says the Orthodox also came up with a theological explanation to allow violence. What is the theology he’s referring to? Are there different streams of thought? Is Fr. Emmanuel’s position common in Byzantine Catholics or Melkites? Has there been a public statement of belief from any eastern group about pacifism or the role of war?

A Military Chaplain Repents
by Rev. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy

Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy is a priest of the Eastern Rite (Byzantine-Melkite) of the Catholic Church. Formerly a lawyer and a university educator, he is the founder and the original director of The Program for the Study and Practice of Nonviolent Conflict Resolution at the University of Notre Dame. He is also co-founder, along with Dorothy Day and others of Pax Christi-USA.

 

[Milk_And_Honey]

Fr. Emmanuel’s daughter, Teresa Benedicta McCarthy, was the cause for the canonization of Edith Stein (Saint Teresia Benedicta of the Cross), whose feast it is today.

 

[Pork_Roll]

While I agree that the bombing of civilian targets during WWII was morally reprehensible, the church hasn’t been wrong for 1700 years. BXVI and JPII spoke out against both Iraq wars for instance. I think the popes spoke out against WWI. But pacifism is cowardice in my opinion.

 

[jonathan88]

That’s really a nice post. I am happy to see it here.

 

[Milk_And_Honey]

I’ve been doing more reading since I posted this. This page and the links on it have been helpful.

orthodoxwiki.org/Just_war

It only covers Orthodoxy. I’m going to look for statements from modern Eastern Catholic leaders like the Melkite patriarch next.

 

[5Loaves]

…The priest in an article I read says the just war theory is Roman, but he says the Orthodox also came up with a theological explanation to allow violence. What is the theology he’s referring to? Are there different streams of thought?..

I have no idea what that means… You might be interested in the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, including the section “Must I be a pacifist to join the Orthodox Peace Fellowship?” midway down this page.

*Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy is a priest of the Eastern Rite (Byzantine-Melkite) of the Catholic Church. Formerly a lawyer and a university educator, he is the founder and the original director of The Program for the Study and Practice of Nonviolent Conflict Resolution at the University of Notre Dame. He is also co-founder, along with **Dorothy Day ***and others of Pax Christi-USA.

Jim Forest was until recently the international secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship and editor of its quarterly journal, In Communion. He worked closely with Dorothy Day as staff at the Catholic Worker community in Manhattan, later writing a biography of Dorothy.

 

[Pork_Roll]

Nor was the most famous example of absolute pacifism Gandhi by any means a coward as he of course famously served in WWI himself tending to wounder and injured troops during that period.

I didn’t mean to imply all pacifists were cowards only that pacifism when used as an excuse to not defend the innocent using force when necessary is cowardice. I think you brought up a good point though.

 

[Milk_And_Honey]

I have no idea what that means… You might be interested in the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, including the section “Must I be a pacifist to join the Orthodox Peace Fellowship?” midway down this page.

Jim Forest was until recently the international secretary of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship and editor of its quarterly journal, In Communion. He worked closely with Dorothy Day as staff at the Catholic Worker community in Manhattan, later writing a biography of Dorothy.

Thank you! I was asking if there are different ways of understanding it, like there are different ways of understanding hell. The links are providing great information to answer that.

 

[5Loaves]

Thank you! I was asking if there are different ways of understanding it, like there are different ways of understanding hell. The links are providing great information to answer that.

You could try contacting Jim Forest through his website. He might be happy to have some exchange with you on the topic, or suggest others who would. He was quite robust when we had him come to speak at my parish a year or 2 ago. It looks like he isn’t writing much on his blog so not sure what he’s up to.