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. |
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Page 11
... Rome , vol . II ( London : Macmillan and Co. , Limited , 1911 ) : 192–3 . 11 Xenophon , Cyropaedia , or Institution of Cyrus , and the Hellenics Book VII , 1 , 41–2 ( London : George Bell and Sons , 1891 ) : 208 . 12 Euripides ...
... Rome , vol . II ( London : Macmillan and Co. , Limited , 1911 ) : 192–3 . 11 Xenophon , Cyropaedia , or Institution of Cyrus , and the Hellenics Book VII , 1 , 41–2 ( London : George Bell and Sons , 1891 ) : 208 . 12 Euripides ...
Page 15
... Rome . As Cicero explains , ' There are two kinds of injustice the one , on the part of those who inflict wrong , the other on the part of those who , when they can , do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted . " On ...
... Rome . As Cicero explains , ' There are two kinds of injustice the one , on the part of those who inflict wrong , the other on the part of those who , when they can , do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted . " On ...
Page 16
... of hostilities is deeply rooted in Roman culture . As early as 509 BC , Rome had special priests , the fetiales , who were , 14 responsible for the conduct of religious ceremonies prefatory to a 16 Saint Augustine and the Theory of Just ...
... of hostilities is deeply rooted in Roman culture . As early as 509 BC , Rome had special priests , the fetiales , who were , 14 responsible for the conduct of religious ceremonies prefatory to a 16 Saint Augustine and the Theory of Just ...
Page 17
... Rome. If so, a delegate from among the fetiales would visit that state, inform its leaders of Rome's grievances, and swear an oath in the name of the Roman gods that the grievances were true, invoking their wrath upon the whole Roman ...
... Rome. If so, a delegate from among the fetiales would visit that state, inform its leaders of Rome's grievances, and swear an oath in the name of the Roman gods that the grievances were true, invoking their wrath upon the whole Roman ...
Page 18
... Rome was quite a formal affair – that soldiers were not legally permitted to participate in war unless they had taken an oath of allegiance pertaining to their service under the Roman eagle in a specific military unit.21 (Augustine will ...
... Rome was quite a formal affair – that soldiers were not legally permitted to participate in war unless they had taken an oath of allegiance pertaining to their service under the Roman eagle in a specific military unit.21 (Augustine will ...
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