The churches and the bomb = an analysis of recent church statements from Roman Catholics, Anglican, Lutherans and Quakers concerning nuclear weapons

Abstract

The issues raised by the possession and use of nuclear weapons have been considered by the churches in ways that have drawn on the traditions of both Christian pacifism and the just war. An historical survey of these traditions shows that both are attractive for different reasons, but neither offers a complete and totally coherent Christian response to the moral problems associated with "conventional" or nuclear war. In chapters 2=5 the recent statements concerning nuclear weapons of four churches are presented in turns Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Quaker. Chapter 6 contains an analysis of these church statements using some key theological variables. The theological differences are to some extent disguised by the degree of practical consensus that has emerged from the churches during the 1980s. A more critical relationship has developed between church and state. It is now appropriate for the Church to seek to be a community witnessing to the present possibilities of being God's peaceable kingdom as a sort of "counter culture" within our world. In chapter 7 an attempt is made to see how best the discussion in the churches can be moved on in a fruitful way. A key element of this is the discussion of the theology of power. There is an urgent need for the vision of alternatives to present realities. The church has often been seen as the sustainer of vision. However, our experience is of vision being available to people on the margins of society and the churches need to sit patiently with people on these margins in order to hear of more possible worlds than our current realpolitik allows. The conclusion is therefore paradoxical. The church must be more of a distinctive community in order to be a witness to the world of God's peaceable kingdom. It must also sit with those on the margins of society, not necessarily in the churches, who have the capacity to offer vision to help liberate us from our nuclear crisis.