Is There a Christian View of Nuclear Weaponry?

Abstract

Our country’s possession of nuclear weaponry has become the division point between countrymen. In addition to being a test of our nation’s internal strengths, it is also a point of religious contentions. The responses from Christian churches have varied. Some church bodies and leaders have condemned nuclear weapons as they are weapons of violence that are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Other Christians defended nuclear weaponry as tools to ensure the survival of Christian nations against atheistic communist states, preserving the hub of Christianity for Christ’s return. The third opinion is that nuclear weaponry belongs to the political sphere. Thus, the separation of church and state dictates that we focus on preaching the Gospel. However, it is a topic is has often been brought into the religious realm as all Christians have one foot in the Kingdom of God and the other in his earthly kingdom. Therefore, many pastors wanted to care for their members’ spiritual and physical needs; they argued against nuclear weapons for the preservation of the body. On the other hand, others utilize the Just War Theory to justify the usage of such weaponry as a tool among many to defend against evil. The individual opinions on this topic may vary significantly among Christians. However, it is essential to remember that our purpose is to preach the Gospel of Christ.