I was raised Mennonite, and though now an Anglican (in the ACNA), I have come back to something of the pacifist position I was raised with. For most in that part of the Mennonite tradition, the state not only is authorized to bear the sword, but it is necessary for the state to do so, to stop evildoers (Romans 13). But followers of Christ are not to take vengeance against those who do evil against them, but is to allow place for God’s wrath, meaning his judgment (Romans 12, just prior to that). And part of that wrath, according to Romans 13, is through the state, using the sword for their (Christians) good.

I believe the scriptural exegesis in support of so-called Christian Pacifism, while of course interpretive, is most importantly in keeping with Jesus’s teaching (Sermon on the Mount, etc.) and the rest of the Final/New Testament. While the teaching of just war is based on something other than scriptural exegesis. Perhaps such a basis is sound in that it is grounded in a wisdom within general revelation. But I think it a stretch to justify war on the basis of the First/Old Testament along with the rest of scripture. How can we compare the phenomena of the Theocracy of Israel at that time, what happens in scripture there not even meeting the standards of just war theory?

While I greatly respect the argument advanced here, and know Christians who I believe are solid followers of Christ, and yet participate in the military, and while I know the best and most scholarly of Christians don’t always see eye to eye on this, I think the most straightforward interpretation of the Final/New Testament would be on the side of followers of Jesus refusing to take the life of another, which while not without problems, or arguments from scripture in opposition to that (the centurions, etc.), has less problems from scripture, than the approach which not only justifies war, but by that subjective justification justifies Christian participation, even sanction of such. Which I believe is not the calling of the church in the world, and therefore not a role Christians can fulfill, in contrast to the calling of the state. A big subject indeed.