Was Paul a pacifist? Michael Gorman , Professor of Sacred Scripture at St. Mary’s Sminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland, seems to think so. From his book Reading Paul:
It is easy to think of Paul as a preacher or pastor, even as an example. It is more difficult for us to see him as a critic of empire or a peacemaker, much less a pacifist. Yet the turn to nonviolence is at the very heart of Paul’s conversion, and his gospel. Paul’s pacifism…was rooted in his gospel’s proclamation of how God in Christ had treated enemies and insurgents against the divine order with reconciling, suffering love (Rom 3:9-26; 5:6-11; 2 Cor 5:18-19). This nonviolent divine love was then manifested in Paul’s own practice of absorbing violence without retaliation (1 Cor 4:10-13) and communicated to this churches as the only appropriate lifestyle for those converted by and to the love of God (1 Thess 5:15; Rom 12:9-21)…We do not hear the whole gospel according to Paul–or perhaps we do not hear it at all–if we do not hear this essential dimension. Nonviolence is not negotiable for Paul the convert and apostle.”
Gorman then goes on to say rightly how a misinterpretation of Romans 13 has led many to believe that Paul was not, in fact, a proponent of nonviolence
Nonviolence, of course, is something that extends far beyond physical nonviolence and includes the nonviolence of our words as well. Often times it is those pastors and scholars who are teach what the Bible says about nonviolence that are most violent with their words and most dismissive of their detractors. I will confess that, despite my commitment to physical nonviolence that is rooted in the Scriptures, I too have at times been quite violent with my words with those who disagree with me. That is just as contrary to the gospel as physical nonviolence and physical revenge. That is a sin for which I am constantly repenting, and it is an area that I am seeking to grow.
The nonviolence of the gospel is not something that should cause us to argue, or disrespect, or condemn, or slander, but rather it should cause us to rejoice, that our God is one who has sacrificed of himself to make his enemies his friends, despite the fact that we are most worthy of vengeance. He has offered us a way out of the myth of redemptive violence that has so captivated our world. No matter your race, religion, occupation, or socioeconomic status, this is good news.
May we then be nonviolent peacemakers with those we sit in church with, with those we work alongside, with those whom with disagree, and with those who threaten us. Most of all, may we thank God for the nonviolent way of Jesus, our example.
1 Comment
November 3, 2009 at 8:16 pm
This helped.