Post by Mercy for All on Jul 15, 2022 17:56:22 GMT
The idea of "just war" (in the Christian west) was introduced by St. Augustine of Hippo (although various other cultures have had their versions). "Just war" had qualifications:
"The first is that the purpose of the war must be just—a war is never just when its purpose is to satisfy territorial ambition, or the mere exercise of power. The second condition is that a just war must be waged by properly instituted authority. This seemed necessary in order to prevent personal vendettas. In later centuries, however, this principle would be applied by the powerful in order to claim that they had the right to make war on the powerless, but that the powerless could not make war on them. Actually, this could already be seen in the case of the circumcellions, who according to Augustine did not have the right to wage war on the state, whereas the state had the right to wage war on them. Finally, the third rule—and the most important one to Augustine—is that, even in the midst of the violence that is a necessary part of war, the motive of love must be central." González, Justo L. . The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (p. 248). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.
So:
1. A war must be just.
2. A war must be waged by someone with legitimate authority.
3. When war is inevitable, love must be a prime motivator.
Any problems with that list?
"The first is that the purpose of the war must be just—a war is never just when its purpose is to satisfy territorial ambition, or the mere exercise of power. The second condition is that a just war must be waged by properly instituted authority. This seemed necessary in order to prevent personal vendettas. In later centuries, however, this principle would be applied by the powerful in order to claim that they had the right to make war on the powerless, but that the powerless could not make war on them. Actually, this could already be seen in the case of the circumcellions, who according to Augustine did not have the right to wage war on the state, whereas the state had the right to wage war on them. Finally, the third rule—and the most important one to Augustine—is that, even in the midst of the violence that is a necessary part of war, the motive of love must be central." González, Justo L. . The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (p. 248). HarperOne. Kindle Edition.
So:
1. A war must be just.
2. A war must be waged by someone with legitimate authority.
3. When war is inevitable, love must be a prime motivator.
Any problems with that list?
