Resistance, Killing, and Army in the Thought of the Early Church

Authors

• Serafim Seppälä University of Eastern Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61560/ortodoksia.136055

Keywords:

Early Christian Church, ethics, resistance, war, killing, pacifism, early Christianity, church fathers, church orders, Orthodox Church, anachronisms

Abstract

The ethical teachings of the early Church on resistance, killing, the military and warfare have given rise to considerable disagreement among scholars. This article outlines the content and context of these teachings and discusses the factors that have led to differing interpretations, with a particular focus on the framework of Orthodox theology. Covering the period from the early second century to the early fourth century, the study draws on a wide range of texts written by apologists, church fathers and the earliest canonical documents. The author argues that Christian doctrine and teaching was consistent and coherent, even if not fully adhered to by every individual. From a later perspective, however, these teachings appeared so radical and utopian that many studies have based their interpretative approach on specific cases from practical life, even though such cases may be exceptional in nature. 

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