"Thou Shalt Not Kill”

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28264, 30 April 1957, Page 18

"Thou Shalt Not Kill”

Sir—Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus Christ pronounced the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” He did not qualify it in any way. He did not say that it is wrong to kill somebody in your own street, but all right to kill somebody whom you have never seen in some other country. Would it be possible for Bishops Warren and Joyce to come out with an unequivocal condemnation of war? In war the religious hierarchies- of both sides pray to our Lord for help. Is it not likely that He dissociates Himself from the whole horrible business and refuses to collaborate in breaking His commandment?—Yours, etc., E.B.

April 25, 1957. [The Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) commented: “I refer ‘E.B.’ to the statement made by the Bishops of Anglican Communion at the Lambeth conference of 1948, of which the following are extracts: ‘War as a method of settling international disputes is incompatible with the teaching and example of Our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . Modern war is incompatible with the welfare, and possibly with the continued existence, of man. Despite brave and glorious deeds by individuals, war itself has always been beastly, costly, and horrible, and today the atom bomb lifts it into a new dimension, multiplying its destructive power a thousandfold, and making civilians its chief victims. . . . Where international law and international police power are lacking, national military strength is necessary, but we must continually strive for the general reduction and control of armaments.’ If ‘E.B.’ cares to call upon me I shall be pleased to show him the full text of the statement, which covers other points he raises.”]

[The Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. E. M. Joyce) said that he had no comment to make on the letter “1 suggest the correspondent cor suit the local parish priest,” said Bishop Joyce.]