Can a Christian Scientist support war?

Lately I have been wondering what Mary Baker Eddy would think about the problems going on around the globe and, more specifically, American foreign policy. Some religions condemn war, such as the Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers. I know Christian Scientists who support specific wars for various reasons and some who do not support war under any circumstance. Having never heard of a Christian Science position on war and living in a country involved in a war, it seems important and timely to get a strong grasp on whether or not war can fit into our spiritual beliefs. To find out, I decided to do some reading of Science and Health and Miscellaneous Writings with a question in mind: Can a Christian Scientist support war?

In search of the answer, I was struck by the firmness of a statement by Mrs. Eddy in Miscellaneous Writings. In a letter to the editor of the Concord Daily Patriot on May 28, 1907, she wrote, “…here let me say that I am absolutely and religiously opposed to war, whereas I do believe implicitly in the full efficacy of divine Love to conciliate by arbitration all quarrels between nations and peoples.” Can we support war if Mrs. Eddy was entirely opposed to it? Mrs. Eddy expresses her love of peace and opposition to war in many letters to various newspapers and in articles in the Christian Science Journal and Sentinel. 

Mrs. Eddy was in such support of peace that she accepted the appointment to be first American Fondateur of the Association for International Conciliation in 1907. This was an early peace organization that advocated diplomacy and understanding between nations. It was started by French diplomat Paul-Henri-Benjamin Baluet d’Estournelles, winner of the 1909 Nobel Peace Prize. In her letter of acceptance, published in The New York Times, she said, “To aid in this holy purpose is the leading impetus of my life. Many years have I prayed and labored for the consummation of ‘on earth peace, good will toward men.’” She goes on to explain, “When pride, self, and human reason reign, injustice is rampant. Individuals, as nations, unite harmoniously on the basis of justice, and this is accomplished when self is lost in Love — or God’s own plan of salvation. ‘To do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly’ is the standard of Christian Science.” Are we doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly? Or are we more concerned with pride, self, and human reason?

Fred Morrison / photo

A student protester at a rally in Chicago

In a beautiful article in the Boston Globe published in December 1904, Mrs. Eddy says, “The Principle of Christian Science demonstrates peace.” She speaks in the same paragraph about the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” She says that if we obey this one commandment, that is enough to “still all strife.” We make gods of the things we fill our thoughts with and of the things that we allow to control us. We all need to ask, ‘what is controlling me?’ Is it money, revenge, anger, hate, pride, patriotism? It is difficult to let go of these things. It can feel good to be angry and we can feel justified in revenge, but shouldn’t we instead fill our thoughts with Love and forgiveness? In Science and Health, page 467, Mrs. Eddy tells us that once we accept the first commandment and realize that we have but one Mind, “Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established.” As Christian Scientists, we are charged with the duty of recognizing the one Mind and accepting no other power. We cannot accept the power of violence, pride, or hate.

But what of patriotism? A devotion to one’s country might sound like a good thing. I think that we must first devote ourselves to God’s law, however. Although we are charged to be law-abiding citizens, that does not mean that we should blindly accept and support the actions of our government. Mrs. Eddy says in her Fondateur acceptance letter that, “Human law is right only as it patterns the divine. Conciliation and peace are based on the enlightened sense of God’s government.” How can we allow ourselves to place human government above divine governance? We need to look at governmental actions with a critical eye and ask if these laws are reflecting divine law. 

As Christian Scientists, people who understand the power of thought and prayer, we are in a special position to do good in the world and for the world. In fact, in the Manual of The Mother Church on page 45, we find that, “It shall be the duty of the members of The Mother Church and of its branches to promote peace on earth and good will toward men; … and they shall strive to promote the welfare of all mankind by demonstrating the rules of divine Love.” Acknowledging this, can we promote peace and good will with warfare and violence?

Some might say that war isn’t really that bad, but it has surely become increasingly ugly. In World War I, which began shortly after Mrs. Eddy’s death, ten percent of those killed were civilians. With the rampant increase in the number of deaths and the amount of destruction that is the result of modern warfare, I can only imagine how appalled Mrs. Eddy would be. Currently, a staggering ninety percent of war casualties are innocent civilians including women, children, and babies. Most destroyed buildings are homes, hospitals, schools, and churches — not government targets. How can we, as Christian Scientists, support this sort of evil?
As the United States government considers more wars in the Middle East, it is the duty of enlightened individuals to speak out against what Mrs. Eddy calls, “…evil, barbarous, devilish.” It may be said that this is impractical, but I argue that war has never solved any problems and that we should trust in the power of the higher laws of God. We should obey Mrs. Eddy’s charge to, “At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good.” We should act boldly on Jesus’ charge to love our enemies. As Mrs. Eddy said, “Let us have the molecule of faith that removes mountains — faith armed with the understanding of Love, as in divine Science, where right reigneth.” We can, indeed we must, trust in divine Love to meet our every need and to overcome all evil.

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