CHURCH AND WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20060, 5 October 1939, Page 4

CHURCH AND WAR

EMPIRE’S JUST CAUSE FIGHTING AGGRESSION BISHOP FITCHETT’S VIEW “The Christian attitude toward aggressive war must be that it. \ s repugnant to the teaching and spirit of the New Testament, but I find it quite impossible to accept the pacifist attitude that under no circumstances is it right for a nation to engage in war,” said the Bishop of Dunedin, the Rt Rev. W. A. R. Fitchett, in a sermon in Dunedin. “So far as the attitude of the individual is concerned, the 37th Article of Religion states: ‘lt is lawful for Christian men, at the command of a magistrate, to wear weapons and serve in wars.’

“To protect the weak against the aggression of the strong and for that purpose to meet force by force seems to me to be not only fully in accord with but even required by the teach-

ing and spirit of the New Testament,” he continued. “We have been so fully informed of all' the circumstances leading up to the present war that no one can have been left in any doubt that our national leaders did everything possible, consistent with honour and Christian duty, to prevent the conflict now raging. Our attitude then should be a firm conviction that much against our will we are engaged in a just war, waged for he purpose of establishing the Christian principles of honesty, justice and fair dealing as between nation and nation.

“And what of our individual conduct? We should be ready to serve in whatever capacity our service may be of the greatest benefit to our just cause. There will be hardships to be borne and sacrifices to be made. Let us see to it that we do not attempt to escape them, but rather let us seek to bear and take even more than our fair share. Above all, we should establish in ourselves calmness and courage by using all the means of grace administered by the Church for the strengthening of our spiritual nature.