As the U.S. government contemplates its response against those who unleashed a reign of terror upon the United States, we must consider the ethics of war. The proper response to the destruction unleashed against America by an illusory, stealthy enemy, is a "declaration of war." We have a duty to answer acts of terrorism. As Christians, we must pray for our enemies, and we cannot seek personal vengeance. However, we should expect our government to exact justice. Any military action will be designed to thwart the ability of this enemy to continue its ghastly campaign of terror.
President Bush has made clear that our government will target not only those responsible for these acts, but also the rogue nations that harbor those who masterminded this unspeakable violence. As the president said Sept. 13, the United States will seek out and punish "those who fund them, hide them, and encourage them."
Sadly, the resort to armed conflict is the price human beings must periodically pay for the right to live in a moral universe. We must always remember that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty and we must bring these perpetrators of evil to justice.
The key Scripture passage supporting just-war theory is Romans 13:4. The Apostle Paul writes that it is God who ordains the secular state to reward good and to punish evil. God established the state to "bear the sword," that is, to use lethal force to keep the peace and maintain justice.
(Dr. Richard D. Land, "President and CEO" of the "Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission" of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest protestant "church" in the USA)