Pentagon prayers and 'god wills it': faith, war, and american exceptionalism
The echoes of Sabine Baring-Gould’s Victorian battle hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” might seem relics of a bygone era, yet they're surprisingly relevant in the current climate. A recent Pentagon worship service, an anomaly given the constitutional separation of church and state, has brought the militant undertones of religious fervor into sharp relief, particularly when coupled with escalating rhetoric surrounding Iran.
The creed of pete hegseth: violence and 'religious fanatics'
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a self-proclaimed “Christian soldier,” prayed for “overwhelming violence of action” against Iran, describing Iranians as “religious fanatics.” His worldview, deeply rooted in an intolerant brand of evangelical Christian nationalism – a strain gaining traction even within the US – finds tacit support from figures like Donald Trump, whose own religious affiliations have shifted with unsettling fluidity. The exploitation of faith for political and military gain is a long-standing American habit, but Hegseth’s zealousness pushes it into disturbing territory.
The danger is palpable. Implicit in the demonization of Iran is a broader fear and loathing of difference, specifically of Shia Muslims. Trump's initial travel ban, targeting several Muslim-majority countries, serves as a stark reminder of this prejudice. For many practicing Christians, this weaponization of faith, this justification of death and destruction, is deeply troubling. It stands in direct contradiction to the core tenets of their belief system.
Pope Leo, in a forceful Palm Sunday address, rebuked such attempts to conscript Christianity into the service of war. “No one can use [Jesus] to justify war,” he declared, a sentiment echoed by figures like Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, and shared across the Islamic world and among Jewish communities globally. This isn’t merely a theological dispute; it reflects a larger crisis – the erosion of the post-1945 international order, a breakdown fueled by authoritarian leaders who disregard international law and exploit divisions for their own ends.
The consequences extend far beyond geopolitical maneuvering. The brutalization of the global order carries a profound ethical cost, a fundamental crisis of morality. Ukraine and Gaza, tragically, serve as stark examples of this collapse. But the question remains: are we witnessing a reckoning, a moment where even Americans begin to question their nation’s role in the world?
As Lydia Polgreen, a US columnist, pondered, is Trump solely responsible, or is he a symptom of a deeper malaise: “America’s unshakable faith in its ability to shape the world to its liking, indifferent to what others might want?” Perhaps this Easter – a time of reflection and renewal – offers an opportunity for introspection, a chance to reconsider the perilous path being forged.
Hegseth’s tattoo, bearing the Latin phrase “Deus Vult” (God Wills It), a Crusader battle cry, serves as a chilling reminder of history's cyclical patterns. While religious leaders across the spectrum struggle to find common ground amidst escalating tensions, the imperative is clear: a unified, vocal, and explicitly anti-war stance is desperately needed. The innocent – children caught in the crossfire of reckless ambition – demand nothing less.