War and the Bible

by Nikolaj Velimirović, Radomir Plavsic (Translator)

Cauza razboiului consta in lepadarea oamenilor de Dumnezeu si de legea Lui. Lepadarea de Dum­nezeu si netrebnicia din timp de pace a oamenilor provoaca razboiul. Atunci cand oamenii merita razboiul, atunci cand acumuleaza cauze de razboi, razboiul vine fie ca o vor ei, fie ca nu o vor. Precum cei ce beau apa cu bacili de tifos se molipsesc de tifos si tifosul este inevitabil, asa si cei ce, lepadandu-se de Dumnezeu, se adapa cu ganduri, pofte si fapte potrivnice lui Dumnezeu, atrag asupra lor molima razboiului, si razboiul devine inevitabil. Atata vreme cat oamenii se razboiesc cu Dumnezeu prin gandurile, poftele si faptele lor, degeaba viseaza la pace. Fie ca vor sau nu, razboiul n-are cum sa nu vina acolo unde este semanata samanta razboiului. Razboiul impotriva lui Dumnezeu, pe fata sau intr-ascuns, duce inevitabil la razboi intre oameni. Ca nu este pace necredinciosilor, zice Domnul (Isaia 48, 22). In zilele noastre, se vorbeste in gura mare despre pace mai mult decat oricand, in vreme ce popoarele se pregatesc de razboi mai mult decat oricand. Este greu ca aceasta fatarnicie sa nu fie pedepsita prin razboi.

Genres: Religion

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Sveti vladika Nikolaj Ohridski i Žički (svetovno Nikola Velimirović; selo Lelić kod Valjeva, Kneževina Srbija, 23. decembar 1880/4. januar 1881 — Libertivil, SAD, 18. mart 1956) bio je episkop ohridski i žički, istaknuti teolog i govornik, otuda je nazivan Novi Zlatousti. Nikolaj Velimirović je novokanonizovani srpski svetitelj.

Njegovo rođeno ime je Nikola. U mladosti je teško oboleo od dizenterije i zakleo se da će posvetiti svoj život Bogu, ako preživi. Preživeo je i zamonašio se pod imenom Nikolaj. Velimirović je školovan na Zapadu i u mladosti je bio velik zastupnik liberalnih ideja i ekumenizma. Takođe je primljen u sveštenstvo i brzo je postao važna ličnost u Srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi, posebno u odnosima sa Zapadom. U međuratnom periodu postao je predvodnik pravoslavnih bogomoljaca i okrenuo se antievropejstvu i konzervativizmu. Osnivač je desničarske političke ideologije svetosavskog nacionalizma. Smatra se duhovnim inspiratorom Ljotićeve organizacije ZBOR. Često je kritikovan zbog antisemitskih stavova. Kada su u Drugom svetskom ratu Nemci okupirali Jugoslaviju, Velimirović je stavljen u kućni pritvor i na kraju odveden u logor Dahau, gde je proveo tri meseca pre nego što su ga Nemci oslobodili da bi pomogao u obrazovanju objedinjavanju jugoslovenskih kvislinga protiv nadiruće NOVJ i Crvene armije. Po završetku rata, Velimirović je odlučio da se ne vrati u Jugoslaviju, u koju su na vlast došli komunisti. Umesto toga, 1946. otišao je za Ameriku, gde je i ostao do svoje smrti 1956.

Reviews

[Stratos Mout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Το καλύτερο εγχειρίδιο ειρήνης ή/και επιτυχούς διεξαγωγής πολέμου. Πολύ ανώτερο της «Τεχνης του πολέμου», του Σουν Τζου

[Saint Katherine BookstoreVA]

AFTER THE WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER OF WWI, there were numerous international efforts to look for lessons to be learned and ways to forestall another war. St. Nikolai participated in one such conference in 1927. War and the Bible appears to be Nikolai’s expansion upon a broad conversation between a small group composed of himself, his closest friend the “Balkan man”, and several conference attendees of military, industrial and diplomatic backgrounds.

After the first chapter, the “Balkan man” is the only speaker:

"The first human blood, General, that was maliciously spilled on Earth, was the blood of a brother. It is a symbol of all villainy of man against man to the end of history. The final human blood, General, that will be spilled on earth will again be the blood of a brother. Who's else could it be? … the sin of man towards man is the consequence of the sin of man towards God. In other words, when we speak about war - of men warring against man, it is a consequence of man warring against God." (31)

"All histories of war are superficial and unconnected if they fail to take into account … the third factor - the Creator of nations, the Lord of Providence…. these historical books of the Bible are templates for writing war history … they may forever serve the human race as an infallible explanation of the cause of falls and ascensions, of causes of battles and wars, of victories and defeats, of enslavements and liberations, and of peace and prosperity of a nation. Piling up countless details in modern histories offers little for explanation of war. … The Bible, with minimal data, gives a perfect explanation of every war mentioned in it." (82)

Methodical arguments are made using biblical wars as the archetypal explanation, around such questions as why one side wins over another, why some peoples are led into captivity, and why smaller armies can defeat bigger ones, all using biblical wars as the archetypal explanation. These
archetypes are also applied to an analysis of the winners and losers of WWI and then to an almost prophetic look ahead to “the next war” (WWII) and its inevitability.

In the end, the book argues that it is a nation’s character and that of its leaders that matters before God. He sides with the righteous or most repentant through victory or punishes through loss and captivity with an eye to correction.

War and the Bible is an unsettling read.

[Γιώργος-Νεκτάριος Παναγιωτίδης · Rating 5 out of 5]

Εξαιρετική θεολογική προσέγγιση, με πολύ μεγάλη ερμηνευτική εμβάθυνση στα βιβλικά, ειδικά παλαιοδιαθηκικά κείμενα.
Η επαναστατικότητα της ερμηνείας μας πείθει δε για την ορθοδοξία του συγγραφέα του, Νικολάου Βελιμίροβιτς, αποκαλούμενου και Ιωάννη Χρυσόστομου της Σερβίας. :-)

[Andreea Jinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelentă! Atât de actuală!