This piece of art was on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. I thought it was important & thought provoking. As you can see, the perspective is from behind the cross. However, I keep struggling with the message. Maybe its just me, but it seems to communicate a pro-war message. This seems odd to include the prince of peace. Was not the sacrificing of Christ to eliminate the need for war. Is Jesus’ sacrifice sufficient? Is it enough? Will the words of Isaiah come true? “They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.” I dont want you to hear me saying the war museum was promoting violence. Obviously it was a respectful place that is helping us remember the wars and sacrifices that men and women have made for us. But the question I keep wrestling with is, if Jesus is calling us to a kingdom of peace, restoration, love, and justice – would Jesus calls us to actions like pre-emptive strikes, creating atomic bombs, and using force to interrogate. I dont want to sound niave and suggest solutions have easy answers. Also, I clearly have little personal connection with the military and the field. To be honest, I get confused by the military terms used by the Salvation Army, let alone the military. But if we actually look at war through the lens of the cross, I struggle to imagine that our military industrial complex would look like its current state.
