Varies
No binding position; individual conscience on military service
The ICOC has no official position on military service. Individual members and congregations hold varying views, from pacifist to supportive of military service, depending on their reading of Scripture and their cultural context. The movement's global reach — spanning dozens of countries with very different relationships to military service — makes a uniform position impractical.
The ICOC's intensive community life and discipling relationships mean that individual decisions about military service are discussed and processed within the community, but the movement does not impose a binding stance.
Key Distinctions
- Official stance:
- permitted and honourable — military service is a legitimate vocation
- Theological basis:
- government ordained by God (Romans 13); defence of the innocent is an expression of love
Scripture References
Sources
- ICOC Statement of Belief