Bekah,

Thanks for this post. It reminded me of the question that always evades any easy answer for me. That is, the question of the relation between the State and the Church. Certainly, there are legal/institutional separations between the two but they are always encroaching upon each other's territory. That is of course, if there is such a thing as a neutral secular sphere in which both the church and the state can coexist without being hostile to one another. I have a hard time believing that there is such a thing as a neutral secular sphere.

So where does pacifism come in. Yes, the israelites did fight wars. Yes they did go out and conquer other people's land. But we know that a response like that is never as cut and dry as one might hope. David wasn't allowed to build the temple because he loved war too much. The kings of Judah were reviled by the prophets for their neglect of their own people and their focus on their lives and their endeavors. And this is all in Torah. Then Jesus changes the law...you have heard it said an eye for an eye...and now war is not the answer. Not for the follower of Jesus.

Sean has done more reading in this area than I. Specifically, he's read more Hauerwas and more John Howard Yoder--two theologians who are ardent pacifists. Hauerwas's contention is that the church itself, as the body of christ, is a polis...a community that is a political body while being other kinds of bodies. What happens if America goes away...are you still a christian...Hauerwas would ask you which you are first. While I don't find that sort of question as fruitful as it could be, he does put forward a powerful idea. we are christians, a part of the ecclesia, the fellowship, the body of christ, and yet we are a part of this country. that is a tension that becomes more difficult the older i get.

there is a philosophical dilemma that i also wrestle with in regards to this quandry you've introduced. if i am to be responsible to one person, i will not be as responsible if responsible at all to other persons. i hope that makes sense despite how vague it is. how do we reconcile being responsible to our friends and families here by doing violence to other people's friends and families elsewhere? What do we owe to God and what do we owe to the State?

these are the questions that i wrestle with and can't get anything satisfactory when it comes to answers. I share your concern that there isn't a practical solution most of the time. but i think that practicality and efficiency are not always righteous and holy. perhaps there are times when they are and when they are necessary but knowing when is beyond me.

p.s. i can't wait to see you and ian