He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. (Rev. 13:9-10)
There are several texts I could have pulled from Revelation, but this is as definitive a summary of the message of John’s apocalypse as one can find. Note that those who pit Romans 13’s view of government against Revelation 13’s view of government fail to notice that in both instances the same ethic of nonviolence against government is prescribed.
Labels: Early Christians, Nonviolence, Pacifism
1 Comments:
I have written on violence and nonviolence in Revelation here:
http://levellers.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/violence-nonviolence-in-revelation-pt-1/
and here:
http://levellers.wordpress.com/2006/08/15/violence-nonviolence-in-revelation-pt-2/
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