Just War in Iran?
On early Saturday morning, the world learned of Operation Epic Fury against Iran at the hands of the United States and Israel. According to the official White House description, it is, “a precise, overwhelming military campaign to eliminate the imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, destroy its ballistic missile arsenal, degrade its proxy terror networks, and cripple its naval forces.”
It’s always essential for Christians to think like Christians about anything, including these kinds of historic events. And we do so through the lens of central and foundational Christian doctrine, truths about life, morality, and human value. Thankfully, there’s a long history, both in the Church and the Western world, that wrestles with the morality of military action.
I asked Dr. Eric Patterson, president and CEO of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and an expert on what’s known as the just war tradition, about the historic events of the last few days.
Here’s Dr. Eric Patterson:
Thank you for having me and this opportunity to talk a little bit about just war theory, or what’s better to be called “just statecraft.” As you said, we’re in a dynamic situation. It’s only been about 48 hours [at time of interview] since the United States had a military operation alongside Israel, striking targets across Iran and killing the Supreme leader and a number of other military officials.
And, of course, Iran has retaliated with strikes on at least five neighboring countries, which is nothing new for them. So let me say something about the Christian tradition, about thinking about issues of war and peace; but first, I’ll remind us that, going back to the Iranian revolution of 1979, Iran has been a rogue actor in international affairs, attacking its neighbors and attacking the United States.
It’s estimated by the foundation for Defense of Democracies, for instance, that there have been at least 180 attacks by Iran and its proxies on the U.S. in recent decades. I’ll remind us of a few to set the stage. The attack on the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia was by an Iran backed proxy. The attack on our embassy in Beirut that killed 220 Marines in 1983 was by Hezbollah, an Iran backed proxy. That same year, they tried to do the same unsuccessfully in Kuwait. I could go on and on about attacks in Israel, attacks in Iraq, and such. It’s estimated that Iranian-backed militias killed as many as 200 American troops in the early 2000s in Iraq. They’ve been a destabilizing factor in Syria, and supported the Houthis, who created a civil war in Yemen.
To be clear, Iran is a bad actor. The evidence is there, and it’s uniquely bad because they are the number one state sponsor of terror, which happens to be working on a nuclear program. Putting all of that to the side (but keeping in mind the evidence that suggests someone should do something), the Christian tradition asks three questions: What is the moral basis for the decision to use force? Once that decision has been made, how do we use force morally? With an eye towards better peace, what are the ethical steps in the post-conflict phase?
And that’s why I call this “statecraft,” because it takes the diplomats, the political leaders, the humanitarians, as well as the warriors, to all be involved from the early phases, the deterrence phase, the diplomatic phase, through a hot war, and then to diplomatic settlement on the back end.
The just war tradition says first in making that decision, there should be a legitimate reason for government authorities acting on a just cause with right intention. And certainly, as a country that’s been attacked as many times as our allies have, the United States government is a legitimate actor to protect the lives, livelihood, and way of life of our citizens and our allies.
Just war tradition says we should act on a just cause, like preventing future wrongs, punishing wrongdoers, and stopping ongoing wrongdoing. Self-defense, of course, fits that category. But so does this effort towards justice. And it should happen with “right intention.” That’s a Christian element that’s beyond any legal or illegal parameters. As we look at the heart, even if something’s legal, is it moral?
What we’ve heard from the president and from others is not a dehumanization of the Iranian people. We don’t call them names. We actually act out of love. We’d like to see the Iranian people free from tyranny and, at the same time, see a change in regime that is no longer a threat to their own people and to their neighbors. And so, thinking about the specific case, that’s the place to start.
That was Dr. Eric Patterson, president and CEO of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and an expert on what’s known as the just war tradition.
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Related Podcast: Are There Prophetic Implications to the Death of Iran’s Supreme Leader? Joel analyzes the US-Israel War against the Iranian Regime
Welcome to Inside the Epicenter. In this special episode, Joel Rosenberg breaks down an unprecedented joint U.S.-Israeli operation that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader and over 40 top regime officials, reshaping the Middle East overnight. With guest Erick Stakelbeck, Joel explores the geopolitical, spiritual, and prophetic implications, including connections to Jeremiah 49 and the story of Esther. Tune in for immediate insights, biblical context, and prayerful reflections on this historic moment. Listen in and be sure to follow Inside the Epicenter on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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John Stonestreet is President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and radio host of BreakPoint, a daily national radio program providing thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
BreakPoint is a program of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. BreakPoint commentaries offer incisive content people can't find anywhere else; content that cuts through the fog of relativism and the news cycle with truth and compassion. Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. Today, you can get it in written and a variety of audio formats: on the web, the radio, or your favorite podcast app on the go.
