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On the Theological Ethics of Assassinating Vladimir Putin

On the Theological Ethics of Assassinating Vladimir Putin

Last updated on: February 24, 2022 at 12:01 am by Jeff Hood

On the Theological Ethics of Assassinating Vladimir Putin 2022-02-24T00:01:24-06:00 Jeff Hood

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Official Portrait / The Kremlin

On the Theological Ethics of Assassinating Vladimir Putin

Earlier tonight, Russian President Vladimir Putin started an unprovoked war with Ukraine. Missiles started raining down on Kyiv and other parts of the country just seconds ago. For months, Putin has held the world in suspense as he has slowly amassed Russian troops at the Ukrainian border. In the coming days, Europe will experience its’ largest military conflict since World War II. The only explanation is that Putin wants more power over more territory. In statement after statement, Putin has expressed a desire to recreate the strength of the Soviet Union. He sees the innocent as merely collateral damage in the accomplishment of these goals. For months, diplomats have worked tirelessly to pull Russia back from the brink. In rejection after rejection, Putin has made it clear that he has no interest in turning around. Putin intends to kill thousands upon thousands of people to get what he wants. Make no mistake, this is a mad man. The only way to stop Putin seems to be to take him out. Previous mad men (and occasionally women) have brought us to this sort of ethical dilemma before. Do you assassinate Putin? Do you kill in order to save the lives of countless others?

Surely, God has an answer.

Stepping back from the geopolitical for a moment, imagine a similar scenario playing out at your house. Masked gunmen break into your home. Going room by room, they bind you and your family up. Before long, everyone you love is huddled together in the living room with guns pointed at their heads. Desperate for a way to save your family, you notice that one of the gunmen has set his gun down. Escape is literally within your reach. You grab the gun. Then, time stops. Though the details are different, the scenario is the same. Do you kill the gunmen? Do you kill in order to save your family?

Surely, God has answer.

God requires that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I don’t see how one can ever love their neighbor and kill them.

God requires that we love our enemies. I don’t see how one can love their enemy and kill them.

God requires that we pray for those who persecute us. I don’t see how one can pray for their enemy while killing them.

Such answers bring us to a deeper question? In the face of Putin, are we to just do nothing? In the face of the gunmen, are we to do nothing? Are we required to simply be slaughtered?

I don’t think so. I think God gives us more agency than that.

In the face of an evil empire, God gave God’s life so that other might live. We are called to give our lives so that others might live. We are called to stand between Putin and Ukraine in whatever ways we can. We are called to stand between the gunmen and our family in whatever ways we can. But is that the end of the conversation?

Surely, God has answer.

In moments like this, we can pray. While the scripture says to pray for our enemies, it is possible that there are more ways than one to pray. When we look at the actions of Putin, we can pray to God for his salvation…and if he persists…we can pray that God quickens his demise. When we look to the actions of the gunmen, we can pray to God for their salvation…and if they persist…we can pray that God quickens their demise. I can assure you that God hears our prayers. Perhaps these prayers might be the most honest that we can pray right now.

God…save the soul of Vladimir Putin…and if he persists in this horror…take away his ability to kill by whatever means necessary. We put our faith in you God to save your people. Amen.

In this geopolitical moment, I believe that God gives us two primary ethical commands: First, we place our bodies between the Ukrainian people and Vladimir Putin in whatever ways we can…to disrupt the horror. Second, we pray for the swift salvation of Vladimir Putin…and if he persists…his quick demise. There is nothing moral about doing nothing.

Though I can’t support the assassination of Vladimir Putin, I can pray that the people of Ukraine (and Russia for that matter) to be rid of this mad man very soon.

STAND WITH UKRAINE!

Amen.

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