In the United States, mass shootings are a common occurrence, and it is difficult to know how to respond to this pattern of violence. Jürgen Moltmann says that Christians have responded to violence in three ways. The first way is the traditional one, and is responding to violence with violence, and arming Christians with swords to fight Holy Wars (or Just Wars) against evil powers. Moltmann this has been the way of the Crusades, and has been a failure. The second way is pacifism, where Christians refuse to participate in violence, exemplified by pacifist Christians such as the Anabaptists. The third way is through peace-making, which Moltmann says is his preferred option, where Christians actively work to end violence, which Moltmann bases upon Isaiah 2:4 "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (NRSV), and this is accomplished by 1) reduce the production of weapons, 2) disarmament of existing weapons 3) reducing, restricting, and prohibiting access to weapons and 4) removing weapons from violent persons.

I believe Moltmann's third way of peace-making is a helpful response to mass shooting in America. For instance, the AR-15 assault rifle has been the primary weapon used by perpetrators in most recent mass shootings, and so Moltmann's plan for peace-making involves 1) reducing the production of AR-15's, 2) reducing the amount of AR-15's in active use, 3) reducing, restricting and banning the sale of AR-15, and 4) confiscating AR-15's owned by violent persons (such as by using screening).

In the following quotation from Moltmann discussing these three ways Christians respond to violence. I have replaced the word swords with AR-15 and projectiles with AR-15 ammunition, to make it relevant to Americans today:

Jürgen Moltmann said: "I think the war and peace question can be reduced to 3 options: [1.] First, change AR-15's into Christian AR-15's, and become a dragon killer. The evil kingdom is repressed, the axis of evil is eliminated, etc. This is the option of the Holy Christian Empire. . . . Change AR-15's into Christian AR-15's, and atomic bombs into Christian atomic bombs. [2.] The second option is, leave the AR-15's to the unbelievers—this is an order outside the perfection of Christ—and retire to the plowshares—and then you become an Amish or a Hutterite, but the wars are going on and on-and-on. [3.] The third option is, change AR-15's into plowshares and change war industry and the military industrial complex into an ecological industrial complex. This is not to become a peaceable man but a peacemaking man. I think this would be my option, to try to change AR-15's into plowshares and helmets into pots for the kitchen, and AR-15 ammunition into pencils, as they do in Sarajevo now; I've been to Sarejvo in the Spring and they are selling used AR-15 ammunition put together into one of these 'pens', and I think this is a good way to change AR-15's into plowshares; to engage yourself in making peace to reduce AR-15's, and the reduce making of AR-15's, and to take the AR-15's out of the hands of violent people and change them into peace. Because, humankind will not survive with AR-15's—only with plowshares." [1]

Moltmann said, "But on this, we may need a double strategy. On the one hand, communities which anticipate this peaceable kingdom, on the other hand, communities who work for peacemaking in the world. Perhaps a double strategy would be most helpful, because otherwise peacemakers may become violent themselves if they don’t have this ideal picture before their eyes. To those who retire to the plowshares and live in peace, like the Amish, where society does not care about them and they are not drafted into any armies (but they do not prevent any war – they just live in their own little peace). But that is not enough, we need peacemakers, active peacemakers." [3]

Moltmann prefers the third response of peace-making, over the second option of pacifism, but he does not oppose pacifism. Moltmann says that the use of violence to oppose violence is unacceptable, but it is is accept for Christians to live in peace and not to engage in wars, because it provides an image of peace to the peace-makers, and helps the peace-makers see what they are working to achieve. Moltmann believes that Christian pacifism isn't a sufficient response to violence, so it is not enough in isolate. So in the context of mass shootings, Moltmann might say it is good that Christians do not own AR-15's, and give up the weapons they possess, but it this peaceful living is not a sufficient response to mass shootings. Christians must also engage in peace-making efforts to abolish AR-15's, like the action items listed above. Christians who live in peace without AR-15's, therefore give Christian who live as peace-makers an visual image of what the world would be like if mass shootings no longer happened. Therefore Moltmann ultimately endorses a double strategy of peace-making and pacifism, and opposes the use of violence to end violence.

The problem of mass shootings in America today is a complicated issue, and AR-15's are not the only source of the problems, but I believe Moltmann's three ways provide a helpful framework for ending violence.

Sources:

1. Jürgen Moltmann, 2009 Emergent Village Podcast, episode 4, transcribed by Wyatt Houtz. For an audio clip at: http://moltmanniac.com/turning-swords-into-plowshares-moltmanns-political-theology/

2. Used ammunition from Sarajevo, converted into writing pens. Image is by JoJan (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

3. Moltmann. Ibid.

4. Header Image contains an image of converted ammunition into pencils image, this image is by JoJan (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons