Pacifism

I need to read more of Stanely Hauerwas, but he commonly refers to himself as a “pacifist”. At least one sermon of his indicates that he would apply this even as far as the repudiation of self-defence or defence of a loved one. Christ’s words in the Sermon on the Mount and other passages which deny the supremacy of the family (e.g. the necessity of hating one’s father, mother, etc. in order to inherit the Kingdom) Hauerwas takes (it appears) in an absolute, unilateral sense, apparently insisting that Christ’s words override the Old Testament allowence of self defence (Ex. 22:2). However I don’t know what he would say about capital punishment, just war theory, etc.

Jim Jordan points out in “Pacifism and the Old Testament” (Occasional Paper 6) that a just war is merely an extension of the doctrine of Hell. He says, “The Christian doctrine of war is surely an offense, but is only an extension of the doctrine of eternal judgment, which is also an offense… Christ is the Prince of Peace, true enough; but not for all men, only for His own sheep.” Of course this doesn’t really answer Hauerwas directly, but perhaps it’s a start.