Just War, Christianity, and The Call to Serve: The Ethics of Military Service (Darren Duke) Ep #211

Should Christians serve in the military? In this sobering and nuanced episode, Dru Johnson sits down with retired Colonel Darren Duke—Marine Corps Special Operations commander and intelligence officer—to unpack this deeply personal and morally complex question. Drawing from over 30 years of military experience, Duke shares his evolving view of military service, from Cold War patriotism to the hard-earned disillusionment of post-9/11 combat.

He offers insight into how symbols like the Punisher, Spartan helmets, and Valhalla became coping mechanisms for troops struggling with the trauma and moral ambiguity of prolonged warfare. Duke also warns young Christians to prepare not only for the battlefield but for the morally challenging culture within the military itself.

This conversation does not prescribe easy answers but outlines how one might think Christianly about enlistment, national service, and the weight of violence in a fallen world. Listeners will walk away better equipped to consider military service with sober realism, moral clarity, and theological depth.

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Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Military Service and Personal Background 09:54 Reflections on Military Service and Christian Identity 17:52 The Complexity of War and Its Justifications 20:13 The Weight of War: Moral Trauma and Reflection 22:12 Existential Questions in Military Service 24:26 Navigating Morality in Combat 28:12 The Christian Perspective on Military Service 32:27 Defending the Defenseless: A Moral Duty 35:32 The Role of Leadership in Military Ethics