Pastoral Ponderings 

“Hammer” Theology

    20th century Psychologist Abraham Maslow is often credited with the idiom, “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” This could apply to all sorts of situations; the underlying principle is that if all we have is one tool at our disposal, we are likely to only ever use that one tool to try and solve all our problems. For Brethren and other historical peace churches, this has been one of our main criticisms of war. Nations pour unimaginable resources into weapons, into psychologically conditioning humans to kill one another, into developing more advanced war strategy, that soon this tool becomes the favorite for solving all conflict. Even if war and violence isn’t directly used, the threat of violence, of “the hammer,” has been a go-to tool of humanity for much of our history. 

    I’m reminded of a scene from the 70’s T.V. show M.A.S.H. which follows fictional doctors serving in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the middle of the Korean war. In the scene one of the doctors nicknamed, Hawkeye, is talking to the resident Catholic priest during surgery. He says to the priest, “War isn't Hell. War is war, and Hell is Hell. And of the two, war is a lot worse.” The priest, Father Mulcahy responds, “How do you figure, Hawkeye?” Hawkeye replies, “Easy, Father. Tell me, who goes to Hell?” Father Mulcahy responds, “Sinners, I believe.” To which Hawkeye explains, “Exactly. There are no innocent bystanders in Hell. War is chock full of them - little kids, cripples, old ladies. In fact, except for some of the brass, almost everybody involved is an innocent bystander.”

    The world is indeed complex, and we do not have answers to how we solve or handle all conflict. But “the hammer” that is war and violence inflicts horrible suffering and pain upon the world. Those most likely to suffer are innocent and far removed from the individuals deciding to use the hammer. Right now, I am concerned by the rhetoric and building up of weapons outside Iran. Meanwhile the invasion of Ukraine by Russia continues and elsewhere in the world the theology of the hammer is being used to topple leaders and threaten nations. War is horrible, the innocents are most likely to suffer, and we must name what a horrible tool the hammer has become.  

    For the Brethren, what we can offer the world is a reframing of the hammer. Hammer theology for us has not been about using the hammer as a blunt instrument to beat down and destroy. Hammer theology for us has been about building up and binding together. We swing hammers to rebuild homes and in service to our neighbor. We as a nation have become too comfortable dropping bombs or providing others with weapons of war. We have become too reluctant to provide aid and help build up those around the world. Of the two, our faith clearly tells us that we should use the hammer to build up, not destroy. May we strive to show the world a “hammer” theology rooted in Jesus. 

-    Pastor Nathan