Political cartoonist Tim Dolighan posted this image December 27, 2023.
Every November I write about the place of violence in our times. This post bridges to Advent and the joyful anticipation of the Prince of Peace in Christ, but as Dolighan’s cartoon illustrates, peace on earth is clearly in peril… and goodwill is on life support too.
What makes the destructive wars so egregious is when religious leaders aid, abet, and in some cases, even lead their warriors to violence.
I can’t explain why Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill endorses and blesses the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It March, 2022, it was reported that Patriarch Kirill
“… Spoke to military leaders and published a statement in honour of Defender of the Fatherland Day. The cleric congratulated Putin for his “high and responsible service to the people of Russia,” declared the Russian Orthodox Church has “always striven to make a significant contribution to the patriotic education of compatriots,” and lauded military service as “an active manifestation of evangelical love for neighbors.” Within hours, bombs began to rain down on Ukraine.
This religious ramp-up to war was the culmination of a decade-long effort to wrap Russia’s geopolitical ambitions in faith — specifically, the flowing vestments of the Russian Orthodox Church. Fusing religion, nationalism, a defense of conservative values … and a version of history that seeks to define Ukraine and other nearby nations as mere subsets of a greater “Russkiy mir” (Russian world), the partnership of Putin and Kirill laid the ideological and theologicalgroundwork for the current invasion.”
We can see an eerie parallel with so called Christian Nationalism in the U.S. as religious leaders conflate the Kingdom of God with their political aspirations. It’s all very sickening.
Meanwhile in Iran and with Hezbollah, Islamic Clerics lead the charge to genocide Israel. Not political leaders; not military generals; they are Islamic Clerics. Whenever Christian leaders call for retribution or violence, clearly they are not speaking in resonance with the Prince of Peace they presume to follow.
Blessing, living, acting, and endorsing peace is costly. How much are you willing to pay? It will be a fraction of what Christ has paid, and continues to give.
As I have said:
It would be better if Christ-followers would actually take Christ’s words to heart in order to live and die as peace-makers rather than as war-mongers.
May you demonstrate goodwill to others; may we see peace on Earth…
More Enigma Than Dogma 
As I see it, Rusty, religious organizations align with political leaders to ensure their survival and maintain their power over their flock. As for the war-mongers, they’re in it for the lucrative military hardware sales. That leaves we the people to strive our hardest to extend goodwill to those we meet in our private and public spaces. Let peace begin with me ❤
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It’s all so grievous to see the profound compromise of values in the hasty desire politics/religion (and sometimes hard to tell them apart) in order to figuratively and literally win a small battle. Indeed let peace begin with us, and our spheres of influence. Grace to you.
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Grace to you, too, Rusty ❤
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As a conservative Christian American, I can safely say that not all who vote conservatively support the extreme Christian nationalism agenda. They simply can’t vote for the destruction of chilren through abortion and the destruction of the poor, disabled, sick and elderly through euthanasia. They can’t vote for the moral destruction of children and adults through the liberal mandate to unceasingly celebrate the LGBTQ+ agenda.
However, to your point, I did write my own candidate in when voting for president this year, as I agree that some of the right’s agenda was getting too violent sounding.
Amen to your call that we Christians truly lay down our lives for our neighbors!
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Thanks for your comments. I agree that “Conservative” and”C-Nationalism” should not be considered synonymous; but it is striking to see how many conservative Christians have not exercised the kind of discernment that would recognize no government will be a theocracy; the only Messiah we have is Christ – not a politician or political party. Good for you to actively engage your candidate – more of this is needed. Grace to you.
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