EPISODE · Feb 2, 2026 · 32 MIN
When Christians Refused to Fight: Early Church to Early Pentecostals
from Fractured Faith: A Mosaic of Belief · host Joshua S. Hopping
Can Christians follow Jesus and kill? This episode starts with Jesus’ teachings and example of nonviolence, then shows how many early Christian writers insisted believers could not shed blood. We then recover a forgotten chapter of U.S. history: early Pentecostalism—including major denominations—was widely committed to pacifism and conscientious objection. Finally, we examine how WWII, the Cold War, and Christian nationalism reshaped American Christianity into something far more comfortable with war. Additional resources: - Pentecostals & Charismatics for Peace and Justice - "The Hidden History of Pentecostal Pacifism" article by Paul Alexander- Pentecostal Pacifism by Jay Beaman (affiliate link)
What this episode covers
Can Christians follow Jesus and kill? This episode starts with Jesus’ teachings and example of nonviolence, then shows how many early Christian writers insisted believers could not shed blood. We then recover a forgotten chapter of U.S. history: early Pentecostalism—including major denominations—was widely committed to pacifism and conscientious objection. Finally, we examine how WWII, the Cold War, and Christian nationalism reshaped American Christianity into something far more comfortable with war. Additional resources: - Pentecostals & Charismatics for Peace and Justice - "The Hidden History of Pentecostal Pacifism" article by Paul Alexander- Pentecostal Pacifism by Jay Beaman (affiliate link)
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When Christians Refused to Fight: Early Church to Early Pentecostals
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