It’s the 1940s, wartime in England, and C.S. Lewis is living in Oxford. A German invasion of the British Isles seems all too likely, and its military forces are engaged on the various front lines across Europe. Lewis is in his late forties, far too old to be drafted, but too young to stand idly by. What does he do? He serves as a volunteer sentry, carrying a rifle, and keeping watch at night, hoping to keep his community safe. Full disclosure, this picture of what C.S. Lewis did during the second world war is not from any research or a citation I could share. My literature professor Dr. Rick Hill was so vivid in his descriptions of this moment that I can never forget them.
I pestered Dr. Hill constantly about pacifism. There’s a saying that goes something like, “Whatever you look for, you will find.” The same goes for C.S. Lewis. He lived a long time and was a man who continued learning and growing, often changing his views throughout his whole life. If you want to find a couple of lines to call Lewis a pacifist, you could probably do that. At twenty-two years old, I often did. Dr. Hill was kind to me as I asked my questions but explained that if I wanted to call Lewis a pacifist, or claim he had those leanings, I would have to redefine the word.
I have spent the last twenty-five years haunted by the question of the Christian’s role in protecting others. I am comfortable in my view that Christians are called to not participate in violent acts of aggression. I would likely go to jail before I would go to war. Of course, this stance needs to be nuanced as much as any other. Though I am entering that same stage of life Lewis found himself in during the war; I am very unlikely to be drafted or sent to prison for my refusal to serve.
Likewise, I am comfortable in my belief that Christians are called not only to non-aggression but also away from lethal self-preservation. This one is much harder. In those wild hypotheticals in my head, in which I am being attacked on the street, and for some reason I have a gun (which I do not own), how do I not pull the trigger on the one bent on murdering me? In some ways, I have to respond like Miroslav Volf from Exclusion and Embrace: “I can’t, but I believe as a follower of Christ I should be able to.”
Here’s where it gets really messy. What if I am witnessing a homicidal person attack a helpless party and I have the capability to help keep that person from harm? Or, like Lewis or those currently in Ukraine, there is a force invading who is likely to murder thousands, what does one do? This has been the most difficult question in pacifism for me. I find myself in the theatre of my mind, playing sentry much like Lewis. It is with great difficulty that I find myself there, but in the chaos of invasion and murder, I see the need for protectors.
Now, that said, scripture seems to say otherwise. Let’s look at John 18:
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
Peter was not being attacked, per se. His master, Jesus, was being taken away and was not resisting. Peter hoped to keep Jesus from harm and he acted bravely to that end. But Jesus didn’t let him. Jesus, instead of allowing himself to be rescued, allowed himself to be taken to his death.
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
He commands a non-violent response. And, if we look to Luke instead of John, not only does Jesus command non-violence, he heals one of his aggressors.
But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. - Luke 22
I will probably spend the rest of my life on this question. I’m not sure there are easy answers available. Jesus in scripture commands non-violence. The tradition encourages protectors. The story of my life tells me that bullies always win when we back off, but my faith tells me that God will restore all of creation, including our hearts.
How about you? What do you think?