A homecoming to remember
March 2019 Newsletter Article
As I write this I have been back in the United States for one month, but only back at church for two days. The last several weeks have been spent going through the official post-deployment transition process. Immediately upon my return I spent two weeks at the base getting medical exams, completing paperwork, and turning in gear. Midway through my stay at Scott AFB Lily and I were able to spend four days in Hermann, Missouri. We stayed at a bed and breakfast, visited a winery, and went on a motorcycle ride with a friend. It was a welcome, and much needed opportunity to reconnect with each other and take a break from the bureaucracy of the military.
When my time in St. Louis finally came to an end I headed to Iowa for some time with my family. I visited my mom, stepdad, and brother in Diagonal. From there I went to see my dad, brother, sister-in-law, and nephews in Des Moines. The last stop was Anamosa where I caught up with some friends from my last congregation. Although snow and ice was a shock to the system after six months in the desert, it was a blessing to see so many people I love after being on the other side of the planet.
The final few days of my transition time were spent with Lily here at home. I got back to Dexter on February 19 and crashed pretty hard. A couple days of sleep were necessary before I began the long process of unpacking and settling back into my normal routine. That transition is not yet complete, and on an emotional level will probably take a few more months, but southeast Missouri is finally starting to feel like home once again.
Sunday’s reunion celebration was a long time coming. Although I was overseas for six months, the extensive pre- and post-deployment procedures meant that it was almost eight months between my departure and my return to the pulpit. The simple fact of the matter was that I was simultaneously nervous and excited by my return to Dexter. Many things have changed for all of us during that time, and it will be a long process of getting reacquainted.
The warmth and excitement that I felt on Sunday was overwhelming. We shared stories, hugs, laughter, and a meal. More than half a year had passed, but First Christian Church is just as much home as it was when I left. The Disciples of our congregation made me feel welcomed and loved. The support that I received throughout my entire deployment was even more tangible and we shared a deeper intimacy around the Lord’s Supper than I have felt in a long while.
Thank you for all for everything that you have done during this time. One more time, let me say how grateful I am for the love and support you have offered to Lily. She has been taken out for dinner, provided with home repairs, and also allowed the space she needed to deal with the strange mix of emotions that come while one’s spouse is deployed. You have been the face of Christ to both her and to me. I appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to seeing what God will do in the next chapter of our life together.
As a soldier and a Christian, perhaps you can help me. I am asking for reasons based on the teachings of Jesus that support a Christian serving in the military. I have a list at my website. What have I missed? https://nonviolentchristians.wordpress.com/
It’s great to hear from you Jon. Thank you for checking in. You have done a good job putting together a thoughtful website regarding how Christians are supposed to approach violence and conflict. You are absolutely right that the question of non-violence is critical issue for individuals believers to wrestle with before undertaking military service.
This is also something that the church as a whole has been struggling over since the earliest days of our faith. The question of whether war could ever be just or necessary is something that continues to divide thoughtful and faithful Christians today.
It would be hubris for me to think that I could solve this in a blog comment, but, in brief, my thoughts have been shaped by thinkers who argue that violence is never good, but is sometimes necessary in a fallen world to restrain greater evils from happening. Reinhold Neiburh’s idea of Christian realism really captures this for me. Violence is never God’s intention for humanity, but sometimes my love of neighbor requires me to get involved in an already difficult situation.
Because we are flawed human beings this is always a messy and imprecise process. There are a few principles that guide us. Retributive violence is out. Love of neighbor includes love of enemies, even when those same enemies must be restrained. Restorative justice is always the end goal. This is obviously not easy and requires a great deal of humility and prayer.
On a personal level, I am a chaplain. By nature of my position, I am a non-combatant. The military asks us to be visible reminders of the holy. As such, our presence reminds service members that God is present even in the midst of the most stressful thing a society could ever ask a person to endure. We are called to help people wrestle whatever struggles they are going through. Sometimes that involves the ethics of a particular conflict. Sometimes it is the simple act helping them hang on to their humanity in the face of violence.
Even though I come down in a different place, you and other Christian pacifists bring a necessary critique to our world. War is never good. It is never holy, but sometimes it is necessary. Sometimes that does get forgotten and culture attempts to glorify revenge and violence. This is not who we are supposed to be. Thank you for reminding us that Christ’s love calls us to operate by a higher and more grace-filled ethic.