Regardless of your theological or political views, the conscientious objector offers an excellent example for all who wish to live a life that serves God and those around you. The decision to be a conscientious objector requires one to practice their theology in the real world. The theological legwork required is significant and complex. The objector, one prays, has taken the time to work through a theological stance of pacifism, and if they intend to follow through faithfully, the decision carries with it many implications, even consequences, that they have determined to be the practical application of their theology. One of my favorite theologians, John Howard Yoder, lays out his exceptional understanding of Jesus in the The Politics of Jesus. Understanding Yoder’s pacifism as both a political and theological conviction that follows in the footsteps of Jesus, calls us to better understand our own theology as it has significant practical applications that are relevant to the 21st century Christian. We cannot address the subject, even in brevity, without noting the momentous impact and sustained results of Martin Luther King Jr. As it cost Dr. King his life, the objector/pacifist recognizes that there may come a time when their theology applied faithfully carries the same consequences as Jesus’ own ministry.
While the objector is a very serious and significant example, many (if not most) of us fail to see how our theology should impact our daily lives or how our life experiences impact our theology. Maybe it’s because we are distracted by the many different aspects of life that demand our attention; maybe it’s because we are not given the theological tools to begin with, or it’s because we fail to comprehend the holistic nature of Jesus’ calling amidst our compartmentalized lives. Regardless, it is a discipline that is necessary and life-changing, a discipline that helps to better emulate the life of Christ. With this blog, I hope to better orient myself to the theological nuances around me everyday, and I hope that it will be revealing and encouraging so that you can see and faithfully act on your theology daily.
the conscientious objective, like the objector, attempts to focus on faithful and practical applications of Christian theology, recognition of challenges to theology in everyday life, and reflections on experiences with theological implications.
the conscientious objective 