Is there any informed christian discussion on the Russio-Ukraine Conflict.

[dms1972]

I've been looking for informed commentary on this on the web, indeed commentary on the wider issues. Do christians discuss issues like international relations. I've been listening to folks like John Mearsheimer giving his take on it (ie. from a realist POV) What do christians say about it all, and what are some of their contributions? What's the whole Christian take on these things: the relations between the nations etc and whats going on in the world currently. Looking for some reading suggestions if anyone knows of anything

 

[Laodicean60]

We are following the works of the devil when it comes to hate, power, greed, and pushing our beliefs onto other cultures. I consider myself a realist because I see nothing good is going to come from the wars as Revelation tells us. I've listened to John and agreed with some of the things he says.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

John Mearshimer has a great analysis of the situation since he goes beyond the typical understanding of these conflicts (all enemies of the USA are Hitler and are a threat to American liberal democracy) to actually see the world as it operates free of moral preening.

If you're looking for someone who specializes in foreign relations from a Christian perspective I cant think of many prominent people. You might like a youtuber called the Prudentialist. He's an Orthodox Christian that has a focus on politics and foreign relations.

 

[com7fy8]

I go with the Bible and what I have noticed about how humans can do things. And I read and listen to different people, not because I believe them, but just so I can know what different ones are claiming and see how they are trying to get me to see things.

And pray for how Jesus the Ruler in all-control will decide things go. The evil will do evil, people will make their show of however they are convinced things are; but Jesus knows what's really true and manages which way evil people go so they can not change things from however God is getting His good done.

So, may be your best commentary is how in prayer you acknowledge God and thank Him for the good He is always succeeding in doing.

 

[com7fy8]

My opinion > any commentator can fail to have all the information about what is really going on.

One thing > there is top secret classified information which can influence people in power. Yes, politicians might break promises, on purpose, but also because once in power they get info too secret for them to know while running for an office.

Also, it looks to me like a lot of history has been decided by someone's personality . . . not who had the money or the military power or whatever. Plus, there can be personalities not well known but who can influence someone who reaches a position of rulership.

And, of course, God is the One really in control, and He as our Father with Jesus His Son share control with us His children, by working together with our prayers. So, we in reality have more power than this world's ones who make it seem like they are rampaging at will.

What can be happening, often enough, is as God's word guarantees >

"God resists the proud",

we have in James 4:6 and in 1 Peter 5:5.

My opinion is a lot of nonsense is connected with how God is resisting wrong people. And when, for one example, we see some war that is not decisive but going on and on in a mess, it can mean both sides are acting in pride and God is using each of them as His means to resist the other.

In the earlier scriptures we can see how a battle could go quickly and cleanly, even with a major profit of plunder, for the side who was in God's will.

But if one side forms an alliance with the wrong people, that side can lose out because of not first seeking God to rule and decide what they do. And their bad choice of whom they depend on can be "why" they are doing poorly and badly.

And if there is sin in the camp . . . this could be the real reason why one side could not get an efficient victory. Just one example of this can be how ones just seek to have their own lives that they expect and dictate > but >

"He who loves his life will lose it," Jesus Himself says in John 12:25.

So, yes a country can have a lot of people acting maybe so civil but merely loving their own lives. And so they can lose . . . emotionally, socially, politically, and militarily. And God's resistance is helping to keep them from getting into much worse trouble than what we are seeing and hearing about.

Civil respectable religious people became able to do what they did to Jesus. So, yes there are civil but self-interested ones who are so busy with criticizing others; however, they who love their own lives, with selfish treasure pleasures, can lose them and they are capable of much worse than the stuff they might be criticizing.

But God's resistance is succeeding in keeping this selfish world in line enough for God to succeed in doing all His good which will last.

 

[com7fy8]

Practically, according to things I have been told >

Ukraine has people of a different ethnic identity and language not Russian. In history, during Stalin, Ukraine had well-to-do agricultural owners with peasants working for them kind of like slaves. And Stalin killed off the higher owners, leaving the poor people to starve to death because they did not know how to grow food without the expertise of the farming owners. So, the Ukraine, then, has had its ethnic group not acceptable to certain Russian people.

So, it can be that Vladimir does not consider ethnic Ukranians to be legitimate humans, since they are not ethnically and linguistically Russian.

And now that they have stood up to him, there is no telling what could happen to them if they surrendered or were beaten.

Plus, it is reported in history, that Russians have broken agreements, but Americans and NATO allies also have not kept promises to the Ukraine and to Russia. And so this maybe helps to embolden Russia and also put pressure on the Ukrainians, however, so both sides will not quit.

 

[dms1972]

I found this earlier. John Mearsheimer, Jack Matlock, and A. Leiven in discussion about NATO.

 

[GoldenElpis]

This is a very good overview about the war in Ukraine:
How Should Christians Think About the War in Ukraine - Providence

This website is dedicated to providing a Christian perspective in Internal Relations:

Founded in 2015, Providence examines global statecraft with Christian Realism. We are inspired by Christianity & Crisis, the journal Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr founded in 1941 to argue for the moral and geopolitical imperative of American leadership against totalitarian aggression. We believe American Christians have a special duty to interpret America’s vocation in the world today. We seek to uplift the best of historic Christian political theology, to foster wider conversation about spirituality in politics, and to create a community of serious Christian public thinkers serving America and the world.

Here you can find some of their latest articles about current wars:
War - Providence

Another good resource which also deals with internal US politics is the American Enterprise Institute:
https://www.aei.org/

The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of our scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in our belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of our society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture.