The Just War Theory

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What is the Just War theory and how did it pertain to St. Augustine? According to Augustine there is no private right to kill. According to Paul Ramsey opposes in The Just War, Christian participation in warfare “was not actually an exception to the commandment, “you shall not murder” but instead an expression of the Christian understanding of moral and political responsibility. One can kill only under the authority of God. St. Augustine argued that Christian rulers had such an obligation to make peace for the protection of his subjects even if the only way to eliminate such a threat was through force of arms. St. Augustine believed that in wars there was a right intention.

Augustine also commented that wars should not be fought with hatred but with a desire to defeat evil and injustice. “The wise man will wage just wars”. This means that they are not fighting just to get paid. St. Augustine formed the foundation of the just war tradition which had an influence upon moral-philosophical thought on military issues in the west ever since. The just war theory deals with the historical body of rules and agreements that have applied in various wars across the ages.

The Just War tradition is a set of mutually agreed rules of combat and may be said to commonly evolve between two culturally similar enemies. The Just War theory involved women and children or the treatment of prisoners. The Just War had undergone a revival mainly in response to intervention of nuclear weaponry. The Just War Theory possessing good intention constitutes the condition of moral activity, regardless of the consequences envisioned or caused, and regardless, or despite any self interest in the action the agent may have. When just war is engaged, the military ...

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...1992). War and Peace. Everyman.

Anscombe, Elizabeth. (1981) “War and Murder”. In Ethics, Religion, and Politics. University of Minnesota Press. pp. 51-71.

Dockrill, Michael and Barrie Paskins (1979). The Ethics of War.

Robinson, Paul ed., (2003) Just War in a Comparative Perspective. Ashgate.

Walzer, Michael (1978). Just and Unjust Wars. Basic Books.

"Religious_Studies - Just War Theory." Tutor2u | Economics | Business Studies | Politics | Sociology | History | Law | Marketing | Accounting | Business Strategy. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

"A Time For War? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction." ChristianityToday.com | Magazines, News, Church Leadership & Bible Study. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .

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