‘Being Church in a time of conflict’ – Church of England confronts global threats

Members of the Church of England’s General Synod arrived in York yesterday for five days of deliberation and discussion.  

Before the talk returned to questions of spending, sexuality or safeguarding, Synod considered the very real threat of world conflict and the way in which the Church might respond.

The Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, Bishop of St Germans and Bishop to the Armed Forces, hit the headlines, when the agenda was published, for telling reporters: “As a Church, we wish to take seriously those challenges – to do every part we will to hope for and work for peace, because the dominion of God is a kingdom of justice and peace – and to face the fact and start conversations around what it would mean to be a Church in a time of conflict.”

Yesterday, General Synod was briefed by Brigadier Jaish Mahan, Deputy Commander of the first (United Kingdom) Division. This Light Forces Division is certainly one of the UK’s two combat divisions and for the past 12 months they’ve had the responsibility of leading NATO’s Allied Response Force, which Mahan explained meant “being able to intervene in any crisis that requires a military response”. 

In a formidable performance, the Brigadier, who himself is a Christian, told Synod that, “The military, just like the Church, is a component of the material of our nation, fundamental pillars that hold together our house, our society.” 

Mahan highlighted ways through which the Church has shaped and continues to support the military. Pointing to the motto of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, “Serve to Lead”, he explained, “That model of servant leadership, putting others before ourselves, epitomised by Christ’s example, is the way in which that we operate within the Army.”  

He described the chaplains to the Armed Forces as “truly exceptional people” and “a really strong cohesive force especially in difficult times and sometimes even in tragedy”. It is a task that goes beyond pastoral and spiritual support and includes moral guidance, as Mahan put it, “often helping our leaders make the best decisions on a difficult day.”

Throughout the presentation, Mahan wove in features of his personal faith and the way it helped him to know the world and his place in it.

Acknowledging that some is likely to be “uncomfortable with an in depth association with the military”, Mahan explained that his personal opinion was, “That the world, whilst wonderful on many levels continues to be fundamentally broken, in its truest sense removed from Eden, and can remain that way until the Second Coming.”  

Joining the military, he said, offers a way, “to be a part of protecting our people and our nation.” 

In answer to that decision, Mahan has accomplished tours in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan. One of probably the most moving moments of his speech was when he quoted these words from Psalm 139, from memory: “Where can I flee out of your presence? If I am going as much as the heavens, you’re there. If I make my bed within the depths, you’re there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I decide on the far side of the ocean, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

“Powerful words,” he reflected, “which have been an actual comfort if you end up in far-flung areas all over the world.”

Alongside the words of comfort, the Brigadier had two challenges for Synod.

The first was to proceed “to hope for and support those men and girls and their families that put themselves in harm’s solution to protect our nation”.

The second was to take seriously the chance of “expanded conflict” and the necessity for the Church to be prepared for the “complexity of challenges”, which might necessarily follow.  

Mahan pointed to the past, setting out how during national wars the Church had “been a fundamental bulwark”, taking over responsibility for “spiritually supporting those deployed to families at home, and the broader societal preparedness for national defence and the fear and insecurity that may bring”.

He warned that this was all of the more critical resulting from the “paradigm shift” that has taken place in recent conflicts, meaning that if the UK were to commit troops to a conflict, advances in technology would mean it might be more like Ukraine than Afghanistan.

In response, the Rt Rev Hugh Nelson, has promised a collection of theological, liturgical and practical resources called “Being church in a time of conflict”.  

It seems the bishops have learned the teachings of Covid, and will indeed join with the Armed Forces in being “key cornerstones that may at all times be relied on in our nation’s time of need”.

Brigadier Mahan’s full briefing will be seen here: https://youtu.be/KrNDR-r3eT4

Susie Leafe is director of Anglican Futures, an organisation that gives pastoral and practical support to orthodox Anglicans.