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 1
... citizens. Plato's 'Athenian' in the Laws observes that waging war is the prerog- ative of the state, and never that of its individual citizens – a theme that Augus- tine will emphasize repeatedly.8 In the Republic, Plato represents ...
... citizens. Plato's 'Athenian' in the Laws observes that waging war is the prerog- ative of the state, and never that of its individual citizens – a theme that Augus- tine will emphasize repeatedly.8 In the Republic, Plato represents ...
Page 18
... citizens, when acting as agents of the state – as, for example, a law enforcement officer, executioner, or soldier – can engage in activities, such as the deliberate taking of human life, which would be utterly illegal and immoral if ...
... citizens, when acting as agents of the state – as, for example, a law enforcement officer, executioner, or soldier – can engage in activities, such as the deliberate taking of human life, which would be utterly illegal and immoral if ...
Page 26
... citizens of Rome to be just , but not by virtue of their Roman citizenship , for one does not become just as the result of membership in a state . Augustine makes plain that the divine law which includes the knowledge requisite for ...
... citizens of Rome to be just , but not by virtue of their Roman citizenship , for one does not become just as the result of membership in a state . Augustine makes plain that the divine law which includes the knowledge requisite for ...
Page 27
... Citizens of the City of God are those human beings whose object of love is found not in this present world , but in heaven . They are ' pilgrims and for- eigners who , because the object of their love is not immediately available for ...
... Citizens of the City of God are those human beings whose object of love is found not in this present world , but in heaven . They are ' pilgrims and for- eigners who , because the object of their love is not immediately available for ...
Page 28
... citizens in any way bespeaks any real community between the two cities . Indeed , ' the two cities are really ordered toward different ends ' , 95 such that : To transfer the rules obtaining on one level to the 28 Saint Augustine and ...
... citizens in any way bespeaks any real community between the two cities . Indeed , ' the two cities are really ordered toward different ends ' , 95 such that : To transfer the rules obtaining on one level to the 28 Saint Augustine and ...
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