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The pope has previously called President Trump's threat against Iran 'truly unacceptable,' but he sharpened his critique of the U.S.-Iran war over the weekend.
Some thoughts on God and war.
Be informed, not misled.
"Wars and rumors of wars."
Pope Leo, in a Saturday vigil for peace, called out the "delusion of omnipotence" he claimed is fueling war.
"In prayer, our limited human possibilities are joined to the infinite possibilities of God. Thoughts, words, and deeds then break the demonic cycle of evil and are placed at the service of the Kingdom of God," he said in a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica.
He continued, "A Kingdom in which there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding, and forgiveness. It is here that we find a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive."
In posts on X and during the prayer vigil, the pontiff also warned that war "divides" while hope and faith "unite" humanity.
"Enough of the idolatry of self and money. Enough of the display of power. Enough of war," he wrote. "True strength is shown in serving life."
Leo’s words came on the same day Vice President JD Vance and a U.S. delegation began face-to-face talks with Iran amid an uneasy ceasefire.
They were some of the first American pontiff’s strongest words yet after he called President Donald Trump’s threat against Iran on Tuesday "truly unacceptable."
"Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable," the pope said earlier this week. "There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more so a moral issue for the good of the whole entire population."
As the high-stakes talks began on Saturday in Islamabad, Trump told reporters outside the White House: "We win regardless of what happens. Maybe they make a deal, maybe they don’t."
Well, they did not make a deal. Vice President Vance and the group with him left without a deal.
On Easter Sunday, the Pope urged "those with weapons, lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace."
I've been to the Vatican. It is surrounded by walls, fencing, and security devices. As it should be. I know the Pope understands the importance of all the safety precautions.
Pope John Paul II certainly understood the dynamics of global conflict and was publicly praised for helping President Reagan bring down the Communist Soviet Union.
I found myself wondering if Pope Leo has given thought to the more than 30,000 Iranians who have been killed by their own government for simply disagreeing with it in recent weeks?
Has he considered the fact that the Iranian government has been calling for Death to America, and death to Israel for nearly 50 years? And they mean it.
And they had a delivery system capable of delivering a nuclear bomb to Israel and parts of Europe, now and soon to the US?
Takeaway.
A biblical perspective on war.
Jesus said, in Matthew 24:6 "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," He warned.
In a broken, sinful world, there will be wars and rumors of wars.
Many people make the mistake of reading what the Bible says in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not kill,” and then seeking to apply this command to war. However, the Hebrew word literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice; murder.” God often ordered the Israelites to go to war with other nations (1 Samuel 15:3; Joshua 4:13). God ordered the death penalty for numerous crimes (Exodus 21:12, 15; 22:19; Leviticus 20:11). So, God is not against killing in all circumstances, but only murder. War is never a good thing, but sometimes it is a necessary thing. In a world filled with sinful people (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. Sometimes, the only way to keep sinful people from doing great harm to the innocent is by going to war.
In the Old Testament, God ordered the Israelites to “take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites” (Numbers 31:2). Deuteronomy 20:16-17 declares, “However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them…as the LORD your God has commanded you.” Also, 1 Samuel 15:18 says, “Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.” Obviously, God is not against all war. Jesus is always in perfect agreement with the Father (John 10:30), so we cannot argue that war was only God’s will in the Old Testament. God does not change (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).
Jesus’ second coming will be exceedingly violent. Revelation 19:11-21 describes the ultimate war with Christ, the conquering commander who judges and makes war “with justice” (v. 11). It’s going to be bloody (v. 13) and gory. The birds will eat the flesh of all those who oppose Him (v. 17-18). He has no compassion upon His enemies, whom He will conquer completely and consign to a “fiery lake of burning sulfur” (v. 20).
It is an error to say that God never supports a war. Jesus is not a pacifist. In a world filled with evil people, sometimes war is necessary to prevent even greater evil. If Hitler had not been defeated by World War II, how many more millions would have been killed? If the American Civil War had not been fought, how much longer would African Americans have had to suffer as slaves?
War is a terrible thing. Some wars are more “just” than others, but war is always the result of sin (Romans 3:10-18). At the same time, Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares, “There is…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” In a world filled with sin, hatred, and evil (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. Christians should not desire war, but neither are Christians to oppose the government God has placed in authority over them (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:17). The most important thing we can be doing in a time of war is to be praying for godly wisdom for our leaders, praying for the safety of our military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, and praying for a minimum of casualties among civilians on both sides (Philippians 4:6-7).
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Bold. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.
