Biblical View on Crusades and Christian Warfare
The Bible presents a complex view of warfare, distinguishing between physical and spiritual conflict, and offering different perspectives on the justification and conduct of war. While the Old Testament records instances of divinely commanded physical warfare, the New Testament emphasizes spiritual warfare for believers.
In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel engaged in physical warfare, often at God's direction. The conquest of Canaan, for example, is described as a divinely ordained campaign to dispossess the Canaanite tribes whose "iniquity was full" [1]. This period involved "long and bloody war" to take possession of the Promised Land [1]. However, even in these instances, the initial aggression often came from the Canaanites, with Israel responding to attack [1].
The New Testament shifts the primary focus of Christian "warfare" from physical to spiritual. The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to constancy in their "Christian warfare," struggling against "the opposition of the powers of darkness" and other enemies that would keep them from God [3]. This spiritual conflict involves "enemies to fight against, a captain to fight for, a banner to fight under, and certain rules of war by which we are to govern ourselves" [3]. John Gill similarly interprets "warfare" in 2 Corinthians 10:4 as referring to the ministerial function, where the "weapons of our warfare" are not carnal but spiritual, mighty through God [4]. Matthew Henry further elaborates that the "cause of the conflict was sin," and to fight against sin is to fight in a good cause [5]. This spiritual battle is against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).
Despite this emphasis on spiritual warfare, some Christian thinkers have historically acknowledged the possibility of righteous physical war. Augustine, for instance, argued that "when war is undertaken in obedience to God, who would rebuke, or humble, or crush the pride of man, it must be allowed to be a righteous war" [2]. He believed that even wars arising from human passion could not harm God's eternal well-being or His saints, as they could serve to chasten and benefit them [2]. Augustine also noted that soldiers perform military duties "in behalf of the peace and safety of the community" [2]. However, Augustine also spoke of a time when "wars are made to cease," and "arms in him are broken in pieces," referring to a spiritual understanding where one learns that "in himself he is nothing, and help in himself has none" [6].
Later Reformed theologians like John Calvin recognized the role of human aid and defense as a "divine blessing" [8]. Charles Hodge, one theologian from Old Princeton, pointed out that John the Baptist did not tell soldiers to abandon their profession, nor did Jesus censure the centurion whose faith he commended [9]. Similarly, the devout centurion Cornelius, who received the Holy Spirit, was not commanded to leave the army [9]. These examples suggest that the profession of arms itself was not inherently condemned in the early Christian context.
The concept of "Crusades" as a specific historical phenomenon, involving religiously sanctioned military campaigns, is not directly addressed in the biblical texts themselves. The biblical view on warfare provides principles that have been interpreted in various ways throughout Christian history, leading to different conclusions about the justification and conduct of physical conflict. While the Old Testament provides precedents for divinely sanctioned physical warfare for a specific nation and purpose, the New Testament primarily reorients the believer's "warfare" to a spiritual struggle against sin and evil, while not explicitly condemning the role of soldiers in civil society [3, 4, 9]. The ultimate "great battle" in Revelation is depicted with Christ as the "great Commander" on a white horse, signifying the equity of his cause [7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: War — The Israelites had to take possession of the Promised Land by conquest. They had to engage in a long and bloody war before the Canaanitish tribes were finally subdued. Except in the case of Jericho and Ai, the war did not become aggressive till after the death of Joshua. Till then the attack was always first made by the Canaanites. Now the measure of the iniquity of the Canaanites was full, and Israel was employed by God to sweep them away from off the face of the earth. In entering on this new stage of the war, the tribe of Judah, according to divine direction”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXII. (part 67): perform their military duties in behalf of the peace and safety of the community. When war is undertaken in obedience to God, who would rebuke, or humble, or crush the pride of man, it must be allowed to be a righteous war; for even the wars which arise from human passion cannot harm the eternal well-being of God, nor even hurt His saints; for in the trial of their patience, and the chastening of their spirit, and in bearing fatherly correction, they are rather benefited than injured. No one can have any power agai”
- Ephesians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ephesians 6:10: Here is a general exhortation to constancy in our Christian course, and to encourage in our Christian warfare. Is not our life a warfare? It is so; for we struggle with the common calamities of human life. Is not our religion much more a warfare? It is so; for we struggle with the opposition of the powers of darkness, and with many enemies who would keep us from God and heaven. We have enemies to fight against, a captain to fight for, a banner to fight under, and certain rules of war by which we are to govern ourselves. "Finally, my brethren (Eph 6:10), it yet ”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 10:4: For the weapons of our warfare,.... By "warfare" is here meant, not that which is common to all believers, who are enlisted as volunteers under the captain of their salvation, and fight his battles, and are more than conquerors through him; but what is peculiar to the ministers of the Gospel; and designs the ministerial function, or office, and the discharge of it. So the Levitical function, or the ministerial service of the Levites, is called "the warfare of the service", Num 8:25. The ministry of the word is so styled, because that as war is waged in defence ”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 12:4: Here the apostle presses the exhortation to patience and perseverance by an argument taken from the gentle measure and gracious nature of those sufferings which the believing Hebrews endured in their Christian course. I. From the gentle and moderate degree and measure of their sufferings: You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin, Heb 12:4. Observe, 1. He owns that they had suffered much, they had been striving to an agony against sin. Here, (1.) The cause of the conflict was sin, and to be engaged against sin is to fight in a good cause, for sin”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM XLVI.[8] (part 11): a Helper in tribulations which have found us out too much"? or in another Psalm, "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me."[8] When one learneth that in himself he is nothing, and help in himself has none, arms in him are broken in pieces, wars are made to cease. Such wars then destroyed that Voice of the Most High out of His holy clouds, whereby the earth was moved, and the kingdoms were bowed. These wars hath He made to cease unto the end of the earth. "He shall break the bow, and 160 dash in pie”
- Revelation (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Revelation 19:11: No sooner was the marriage solemnized between Christ and his church by the conversion of the Jews than the glorious head and husband of the church is called out to a new expedition, which seems to be the great battle that was to be fought at Armageddon, foretold Rev 16:16. And here observe, I. The description of the great Commander, 1. By the seat of his empire; and that is heaven; his throne is there, and his power and authority are heavenly and divine. 2. His equipage: he is again described as sitting on a white horse, to show the equity of the cause, and c”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 33: as if he had perished by his guilty negligence. Far less where, in the case of theft or murder, 192 fraud and preconceived malice have existed, will he palliate it under the pretext of Divine Providence, but in the same crime will distinctly recognise the justice of God, and the iniquity of man, as each is separately manifested. But in future events, especially, will he take account of such inferior causes. If he is not left destitute of human aid, which he can employ for his safety, he will set it down as a divine blessing; but he”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 48: the soldiers inquired of John the Baptist what they should do to prepare for the kingdom of God, he did not tell them that they must forsake the profession of arms. The centurion, whose faith our Lord so highly commended ( Matt. viii. 5-13 ), was not censured for being a soldier. So also the centurion, a devout man, whom God in a vision commanded to send for Peter, and on whom, 367 and his associates, according to the record in the tenth chapter of Acts, the Holy Ghost came with miraculous gifts, was allowed to remain in the army of even ”