It has become commonplace for the church to talk about peace in recent years; indeed, dozens of church statements have been issued for the purpose of condemning war. And this is entirely appropriate, since Christ has charged His people to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) in a world which is weary of war.

But amid all the verbiage of ecclesiastical pronouncements, the church has been nearly silent about soldiers! It's as if we have nothing to say to the people who risk and give their lives. The soldiers seem lost in the shuffle as the church grapples with the larger issues of nuclear war and global peace.

It's time we said something on behalf of our veterans. It's time we spoke about peace, not just in political or moral terms, but in human terms as well. It is time we spoke before God about …