Читать книгу Mennonites in the World War - Jonas Smucker Hartzler - Страница 12

Martin Luther's position on nonresistance was a very peculiar one. He held that the Bible taught nonresistance, and in ordinary life should be practiced; but that citizens of a country are obliged to fight at times. In other words, nonresistance is our duty as Christians, but as citizens we can not live up to the teachings of the Bible.

Ulrich Zwingli, the Swiss reformer, in his "Ad monitions to Those at Schwyz," says, "But if we look at it from a Christian viewpoint, it is by no means right for us to go to war. According to Christ's teachings we should pray for those who speak evil of us, and when we have been smitten on one cheek, turn the other also; for thus we shall be sons of our heavenly Father" (Vol. II, Page 294) At the same time he held that Church and State should be one, but he found this impossible if he was going to carry out his own writings, and hence from this standpoint admitted that war was necessary at times. He was required to take part in a battle between the Catholic cantons of Lucerne and the canton of Zurich. The latter army was defeated and Zwingli was among the slain.

Both Calvin and Erasmus, both men of learning and prominent in the reformation in France and Holland as well as beyond the borders of their own country, taught nonresistance. The former said, "Trust in the power of man is to be unconditionally renounced; if there is need, God will work a miracle to save His Church." But then, as now, nonresistance was not a popular doctrine, and Calvin finally yielded the point, but Erasmus continued a firm advocate of that doctrine to the end of his life. His "Plea for Reason, Religion, and Humanity Against War," was scholarly, clear, and convincing.