St. Augustine and the Theory of Just WarThe decline of the Roman Empire gave rise to two problems, which combined to form one of the most perplexing philosophical questions of late antiquity. On the one hand, Rome found itself under constant military threat as various tribes from the north and east encroached along its borders to fill the power vacuum left by the receding Empire. On the other hand, adherents to the Empire's new official faith - Christianity - found themselves without clear guidance as to what military roles their faith would permit; the death of the apostles left them without revelatory guidance, and the New Testament writings were not definitive on the subject. The question, then, became: "Can a Christian answer the empire's call to military duty and still answer a clear conscience before God?" Fifth-century philosopher, St Augustine of Hippo, sought to provide a solution to the two problems. His approach formed the foundation of the 'just war' tradition, which has had enormous influence upon moral-philosophical thought on military issues in the West ever since. This major new study identifies the fundamental Augustinian premises and evaluates them in light of historical, neo-Platonic, and Christian contexts. It also identifies the effect of the Augustinian legacy upon medieval and modern philosophical reflections on the nature of warfare and on how war might be waged justly and morally. |
From inside the book
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Page 1
... find surprising. Nevertheless, the title deserves some explanation. Augustine certainly is not the first person in the West to attach philosophi- cal significance either to 'justice' or to 'war'. A significant number of pre- Augustinian ...
... find surprising. Nevertheless, the title deserves some explanation. Augustine certainly is not the first person in the West to attach philosophi- cal significance either to 'justice' or to 'war'. A significant number of pre- Augustinian ...
Page 4
... find in his works anything that could be called a “ theory of the just war ” and we are on safer grounds if we speak about his attitudes and his approach to the issue rather than his “ doctrine ” of the just war . The readiest support ...
... find in his works anything that could be called a “ theory of the just war ” and we are on safer grounds if we speak about his attitudes and his approach to the issue rather than his “ doctrine ” of the just war . The readiest support ...
Page 15
... find itself threatened by injustice , perhaps in the form of violence from without . The state thus is faced with the question of whether it can justly engage in hostile action against its enemies . Cicero argues that it is permissible ...
... find itself threatened by injustice , perhaps in the form of violence from without . The state thus is faced with the question of whether it can justly engage in hostile action against its enemies . Cicero argues that it is permissible ...
Page 25
... find an earthly state that possesses true justice . Not only do the Ciceronian and Augustinian conceptions of the role of justice within the state differ measurably , but also their respective conceptions of justice itself . The ...
... find an earthly state that possesses true justice . Not only do the Ciceronian and Augustinian conceptions of the role of justice within the state differ measurably , but also their respective conceptions of justice itself . The ...
Page 27
... find their satisfactions . 81 By Augustine's account , all people hold citizenship in either one city or the other , without any possibility of some kind of metaphys- ical ' dual citizenship ' . The relative size of the two cities is in ...
... find their satisfactions . 81 By Augustine's account , all people hold citizenship in either one city or the other , without any possibility of some kind of metaphys- ical ' dual citizenship ' . The relative size of the two cities is in ...
Contents
1 | |
14 | |
3 Augustines JustWar Theory | 44 |
4 NeoPlatonism and the Augustinian Just War | 92 |
5 Christianity and the Augustinian Just War | 121 |
6 Augustines Theory and Beyond | 161 |
Bibliography | 180 |
Index | 191 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ambrose Amorites Ante-Nicene Fathers army Augus Augustine argues Augustine takes Augustine's just-war theory Augustinian authority Bainton barbarians bellum principle Book of Psalms Catholic cause Christ Christian Church Cicero Cirta citizens City of God claim comparative justice considered defence doctrine Donatist earthly city enemy evil example exists fact faith Fathers Faustus the Manichaean fight Gilson God’s Hence hierarchy History human Ibid injustice James Turner Johnson Jesus jus ad bellum jus in bello justified kind Letter Lord's Sermon Manichæan means merely moral Moses nation nature Neo-Platonic Nevertheless NPNF VII NPNFI Old Testament one’s pacifist Patristic writers peace philosophical Plato Plotinus political position Princeton problem Psalms punishment reason Reply to Faustus result right intention righteous Roman Empire Rome says Augustine Scriptures soldiers sovereign specifically temporal things tine tion Translated true justice ultimate University Press violence violent action virtue wage wars fought writings York