Favoritism & Sanctified Murder

Before Bonhoeffer became a pacifist he presented a speech in Barcelona in which he discussed the relationship between Christianity and ethics. In this presentation he spoke of war. Below is a short exert from this presentation. As a sidenote, the word “Volk” can be translated as “people” but is left in the German by the translator because the word “people” is not rich enough in the concept of community or belonging. 

“I will raise the weapon in the awful knowledge of doing something atrocious, but being unable to do anything else. I will oritect my brother, my mother, my Volk and nevertheless know that this can only be done through the shedding of blood. Yet love for my Volk will sanctify murder, will sanctify war.”

What I appreciate about this position is that Bonhoeffer is completely honest and takes the position to it’s full end. He openly admits that there are times when the only way to protect a person is through killing another person who is posing a threat to the well being of those we would seek to protect. That’s undeniable. However, I wouldn’t say that in and of itself justifies the killing of the aggressor. 

Beyond this, Bonhoeffer states that this favoritistic love sanctifies murder and war. Because we seek to protect “what’s ours” with lethal force we are justified to destroy those who would seek to take “what’s ours.” Of course, as Bonhoeffer will later discover, this perspective flies directly in the face of Jesus’ teachings. 

Jesus tells us “...Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:44b-48).

God does not show favoritism and is kind to both those who love him and those who do not. We are to be merciful, compassionate, and kind just like God in this way. We are to do good to those who are both loving towards us and those who are not loving. To all people we are commanded to be lovers and those who nurture life through good deeds. 

In Luke 6 Jesus is recorded as teaching us, “...do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ...And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ...But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Within Jesus’ teaching there is no way to conclude that favoritism (which can’t truly be a Christ-like love) sanctifies murder or war. In fact, Jesus stands overtly against the idea that we are justified to love one person over another. We often think our love for neighbor is evident when we protect those we love with violence against an enemy but Jesus shows us that we couldn’t be more wrong! True love is seen in treating the enemy with the same love we would give to those who love us. 

Does this complicate how we see love and how we fight against injustice and protect those we love from evil? Yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong or worthy of abandonment. It simply means we must seek Christ more and trust him more each day as we seek to be perfect as our Father is perfect, loving both our loved ones and our enemies, choosing to do good to both no matter how they live.