Book Review
“Of making many books there is no end. . . “Ecclesiastes 12:12 NRSV
Sacred Scripture, Sacred War: The Bible and the American Revolution
James P. Byrd. (2013) (oxford, UK and New York, NY: oxford University Press) Pp. x + 244, $27.95, ISBN 978-0-19984349-7.
Reviewed by Michael D. Royster
Sacred Scripture, Sacred War provides an overview of Biblical themes and their applicability for combatants during times of war with the purpose of instilling courage, and a sense of assurance that they have “God on their side” for their actions of aggression and defense. The book stresses that soldiers during wartime face a moral dilemma of having to kill while in battle, which contravenes with civilian life norms. Byrd addresses primarily a North American audience as he references various wars ranging from the American Revolution to the War on Terror with the U.S. as the protagonist.
During war, the preacher’s role entailed inspiring soldiers by appealing to their highest virtues in anticipating military battles and promoting communal values such that soldiers can transcend the confines of individualism, and provide a sense of purpose, unity and social identity. “War requires both violence and discourse, words to justify killing, to cope with destruction, and to give meaning to victory and defeat” (p. 20). The Bible often functions as an authoritative source to justify war, revolution, slavery and, to a lesser extent, abolition by colonists, the virtues of martyrdom and sacrifice. The book challenges the assumptions of theologically-based pacifism that the use of violence opposes divine aspirations of peace and goodwill. Reading Sacred Scripture, Sacred War requires extra caution, because a misinterpretation of the author’s intention can result in falsely concluding that the dark side of war which often includes the loss of civilian life, war crimes and the depletion of essential resources becomes neutralized by the belief that God supports such a cause. At times, Biblical narratives from the ancient world about war can have theological implications for the present world. However, such narratives are intended to make moral points or to answer questions about God’s relationship to humanity. Nevertheless, Sacred Scripture, Sacred War demonstrates the challenge that both past and present military chaplains face in confronting the moral dissonance of both soldiers and commanders. Although absolute pacifism rests on “post-conventional morality” (term coined by Lawrence Kohlberg), Byrd’s book attempts to resolve strain encountered when war or aggression become the least of the unfavorable options. Typically, pacifist purity falls short of full by addressing the reality of the need to defend human rights, or to prevent further atrocities.
The book references the biblical Exodus account as a means to interpret the role of divine intervention during war as God becomes portrayed as actively fighting on the side of justice. Scholars within the subdiscipline of African American biblical hermeneutics should find sections of Sacred Scripture, Sacred War appealing. “Not surprisingly, when African Americans encountered the Bible, they often followed the revolutionary pattern of identifying with the Exodus narrative” (p. 56). Within the context of slavery in the U.S., black preachers used caution when back referencing the Exodus by finding creative ways of retelling the story in a subtle way in order to avoid accusations of provoking a rebellion which might result in consequences ranging from physical punishment to death by hanging. Nevertheless, the art of such coded storytelling has been safeguarded as a homiletic tool in today’s predominately traditional black church settings. Beyond biblical hermeneutics, the book contributes to the collection of literature that deals with theodicy, but specifically in the context of militaristic confrontation. The author demonstrates that Biblical prophets condemned cowardice behavior by referencing texts that allude to divine chastisement for inadequate displays of faith in God. During the American Revolutionary War, the odds of victory were against the colonists based on their relative military strength in arms and funding with that of Great Britain. Such a scenario contains parallels to the story of David and Goliath as linkages between military and spiritual warfare (see p. 114). In the New Testament, Peter confronts unjust religious leadership in contrast to unconditional obedience to kings. The author references the account of Peter’s incarceration for preaching as a transitional passage to the latter section of the book which focuses on the use of apocalyptic texts. During the American Revolution, preaching from apocalyptic texts focused primarily on America’s national eschatological destiny in millennial role terms. “Overall, drawing on apocalyptic ideas, Americans have waged wars, pursued peace and health, found new movements, supported and refuted slavery, advocated and opposed religious liberty and launched terrorist attacks” (p. 143). Apocalyptic texts intend to encourage both soldiers and civilians during times of trial by directing the focus towards one’s individual and collective soul rather than their physical bodies.
By minimizing the use of jargon, Sacred Scripture, Sacred War represents a scholarly work written in lay terminology which can easily appeal to a broad audience. As a religious historian, Byrd contributes to the study of both American civil religion and military history in capturing the critical role that preachers and selected passages from the Bible played in the American Revolutionary War and its present day implications.
Michael D. Royster is professor in the Division of Social Work, Behavioral and Political Sciences at Prairie View A&M University. He can be reached at mdroyster@pvamu.edu
