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Summary

The weight of the official Gospels evidence shows that Jesus was indeed a pacifist and that his pacifism is grounded in a particularly demanding ethical vision that has some parallels with that of the philosopher Immanuel Kant, but is even more demanding.

Abstract 

Against the background of widespread use and justification of violence in Christian history, this paper looks at the Christian Gospels to see if the words or deeds of Jesus or his followers indicate whether Jesus taught absolute pacifism. It argues that while the evidence does not totally refute the claims of the just war tradition, the weight of the evidence favors the conclusion that Jesus was indeed a pacifist and that his pacifism is grounded in a particularly demanding ethical vision (that has some parallels with that of the philosopher Immanuel Kant but is even more demanding). It also notes that Gandhi incorporated Gospel teachings into his definitions of ahimsa and satyagraha; and that pacifist Christian groups such as Cathars, Anabaptists, and Quakers deserve credit for holding views closer to Jesus’ teachings than those of even the most well-intentioned mainstream Christian churches.

Main research questions 

Has the mainstream Christian tradition, led by figures like Augustine of Hippo, and Martin Luther, misconstrued the teachings of Jesus regarding nonviolence?

What or how does your research add to the discussion?

The article adds an evidence-based neutral philosophical commentary on this question.