The church has always contended that matters of killing must be subject to theological ethics. Though many traditions have not rejected all use of deadly force, all have made judgments on when, how, a..
The church has always contended that matters of killing must be subject to theological ethics. Though many traditions have not rejected all use of deadly force, all have made judgments on when, how, and by whom this can be done. One of the tools within US foreign policy is the selling or giving of weapons and related systems. This practice is used to strengthen diplomatic relations, further national interests, and bring economic benefit to the US arms industry. This lecture describes how this process is seen within the strategic planning of Washington, challenges underlying assumptions, and argues that such transfers cannot be separated from war-making and must be subject to ethical reasoning. Nathan Hosler is director of the Church of the Brethren's Office of Peacebuilding and Policy based in Washington, DC, and a pastor at the Washington City Church of the Brethren. He holds a PhD in theological studies focusing on peacebuilding.
