I was, to be honest, dissapointed at the turnout at the Baptist Union of Scotland Assembly fringe discussion on nuclear weapons. About 18 people came. I was not surprised. Tucked away at the end of the day - 9.00pm did not make it the most likely time to gain an audience. For those using public transport or even driving for a distance this was not a convenient. If even not for these reasons the delegates had just sat through a 2 hour long session including a 50-55 minutes preach - food or drink in a different atmosphere may well have been the order of the day although a co-organiser had kindly arranged some refreshments at the fringe thing.
The upside was the nature of the discussion that took place. It was a discussion that moved beyond history, and economics - the arguments that everyone enters into - into a discussion on the bible, baptist hermeneutics, the call to radical discipleship, and a focus on the first question. What is that? Not what should the state do. But what should the Church as followers of Jesus and the witness to his kingdom do. At this level this was I think one of the finest discussions that has taken place at the Assembly for years even although we had no remit to do anything with what we discussed.
Yet, I am not satisfied and feel pushed now into the position of protest and campaigning. The status quo position is that there is an arsenal (make sure you spell check!) of weapons of mass destruction only a few miles away from where this Assembly took place. In addition the status quo position is that such weapons will be replaced. By refusing to come out in opposition to these weapons the tacit position of the Baptist Union of Scotland on this matter is that it supports these weapons. Oscar Romero said: 'We are all in a violent situation the only question is which side we are on'. We are choosing the side of violence, nation state protection, and power. By refusing to challenge the status quo we support the keeping, the replacing, and presumably the readiness to use nuclear weapons. To pick up the language of the Assembly, language which we in pious affitrmation accepted - 'In our names' and more 'In His name' we support nuclear weapons. Or are we not allowed to use that language now?
At this Assembly the theme was discipleship we looked at Church, and Family, and work, and retirement. The environment was a major theme as we discussed how we can all do our 'little part'. Yet we accept the readiness to have all these things obliterated without the slightest raise of the theological eyebrow - No - not in my name.
People may say - why get so worked up. A resolution will not change anything. Sorry, the first issue here is not about what the state ultimately does or does not do. The first question is here - who are we, what do we who proclaim the name of Jesus do, think, and stand on the issue of the readiness to vapourise others. At best we presently stand and in silence and at worst in compliance with the Empire. No - not in my Name.
As a member of the Baptist Union of Scotland Council I will not be moving to formally bring onto the agenda a resolution that the Baptist Union of Scotland start by supporting the resolution passed by the Baptist Union of Great Britain on this matter. That is just the start.
Oh for those who think that such things get in the way of mission? Well as the late Donald Soper rightly said - whether or not they agree with us actually the person in the street expects Christians to be pacifist they know enough about Jesus to expect that would be our position. I guess know more about Jesus than us.
If you survived reading this post - Peace!
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