In his recent Palm Sunday homily, Pope Leo XIV called into question whether a Christian can use violence in any situation or engage in warfare and remain in good fellowship with Jesus. His homily, focused on Jesus as “King of Peace,” is essentially a call to pacifism which does not allow any possibility for a Christ-follower to resort to violence for any reason. Utilizing biblical passages out of their context and practicing poor exegesis, the Pope crafted an argument against violence and war for any reason.
Regarding the use of violence to defend oneself, the Pope stated:
As King of Peace, when one of his disciples drew his sword to defend him and struck the high priest’s servant, Jesus immediately stopped him, saying: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matt. 26:52).
As King of Peace, while he was burdened with our sufferings and pierced for our sins, Jesus “did not open his mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent” (Is. 53:7). He did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war. He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.
In reference to people who use violence to wage war, he asserted:
Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood” (Is. 1:15).
Generalizations and Eisegesis
Throughout his message, he offered no qualifications of his statements to clarify that he focused primarily on the war in Iran; rather, his statements reflected generalizations, questioning whether one could emulate the King of Peace while resorting to any use of violence. In addition, the Pope left no room for the use of violence in self-defense. He argued not only that anyone who uses violence is going against the “King of Peace,” but also that those who use violence in war do not have access to the Lord in prayer. In both instances, he proof-texted two passages of Scripture to support his point. This exercise in eisegesis and the absence of any nuance or qualifications in his homily apparently places anyone who uses violence in self-defense or a just war in jeopardy with their relationship with God. His words point to a further shift in the Catholic Church away from the Just War Theory towards pacifism.
Being the first Augustinian Pope and a former professor of canon law, patristics, and moral theology at a Catholic seminary, Pope Leo is very conversant with and knowledgeable about Augustine’s arguments on just war. The absence of any reference to the Just War Theory or the possibility of the justification of violence in the case of self-defense suggests that he refutes the Just War Theory, condemns violence for any reason, and embraces pacifism as the position of the Roman Catholic Church.
Several Vital Questions
His Palm Sunday homily raises several questions. Is the Pope saying that every service member who is serving and every veteran who has served in the United States military does not have access to Jesus in prayer? Is the Pope planning on withdrawing the endorsement of every Catholic chaplain serving in the United States military and pulling them from the field? Is every law enforcement officer who used violence in self-defense sinning against the Lord? Pope Leo’s homily raises these and other questions but does not answer any of them.
Since Palm Sunday, several Catholics rose in defense of the Pope’s statements. They claim his use of the term “war” obviously refers to unjust wars, particularly the war in Iran, to which the Just War Theory would not apply. These supporters assert the Pope does not oppose the Just War Theory and uses the term “wage war” to refer to warmongering or unmitigated violence. They argue that his comments do not depart from previous popes but continue a message calling on Christians to defend people who are victims of injustice around the world. They claim he is speaking only of Iran and not condemning service members who fight in just wars; however, his statements are general and refer to any use of violence in self-defense or war. The problem with these assertions is that the Pope did not include any of these clarifications in his homily. These supporters argue from silence, presuming and assuming what Leo XIV meant by his comments. They also place on the hearer the responsibility to ascertain what the pontiff meant by his comments rather than encouraging him to clarify his statements to avoid any spiritual harm or intellectual misunderstanding.
As a veteran chaplain in the United States Army and an armed and unarmed self-defense instructor, very conversant with and thankful for the Just War Theory, I am very concerned by the Pope’s comments in this message. Like all who handle the Word of God, he has a responsibility to “rightly divide the Word of Truth” without eisegesis or problematic hermeneutics. To this point, after reading his homily, I immediately thought of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant. Jesus heard his request, healed the boy, and praised his faith. (Matt. 8:5–13) Jesus did not tell him to quit his military service as a condition of the healing. I also thought of the Apostle Paul’s comments in Romans 13 about the government’s use of the sword for good. (Rom. 13:1–7) The book of Acts praises the centurion Cornelius as a righteous and God-fearing man. (Acts 10:1–3) The Pope’s omission of such passages weakens his hermeneutic.
On behalf of American veterans, those who serve in law enforcement, and citizens who are forced to use violence in self-defense, I would encourage the Pope to clarify and revise his comments regarding the use of violence. Veterans and current service members bear the wounds and impact of war. What General Douglas MacArthur said to West Point cadets in his farewell address is true: “This does not mean that you are warmongers. On the contrary, the soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
— Tim McKnight is Lead Pastor at Holston Creek Baptist Church and author, with titles including Engaging Generation Z, Navigating Student Ministry, and No Better Gospel. A U.S. Army veteran, he served as an infantry chaplain during Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. He is also a martial arts and NRA-certified pistol instructor specializing in comprehensive self-defense. He holds an M.Div. and a Ph.D. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.