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 9
... evil . Comparative justice Although war exists as an ethical possibility , there also exists a strong presumption against the resort to war as a means to resolve difficulties . Comparative justice requires – in addition to a state's ...
... evil . Comparative justice Although war exists as an ethical possibility , there also exists a strong presumption against the resort to war as a means to resolve difficulties . Comparative justice requires – in addition to a state's ...
Page 10
... evil expected naturally and unavoidably to be entailed by war. Peace as the ultimate objective of war The end of violence, the avoidance of future violence, and, to the greatest extent possible, the establishment or restoration of ...
... evil expected naturally and unavoidably to be entailed by war. Peace as the ultimate objective of war The end of violence, the avoidance of future violence, and, to the greatest extent possible, the establishment or restoration of ...
Page 19
... evil , he was able to view it as a conditional good . Thus , by ' arguing that martial courage and the spirit of love are not mutually exclusive , Ambrose could move quite far from the pacifist tendencies of earlier centuries while ...
... evil , he was able to view it as a conditional good . Thus , by ' arguing that martial courage and the spirit of love are not mutually exclusive , Ambrose could move quite far from the pacifist tendencies of earlier centuries while ...
Page 26
... evil ; others at least try , with more or less consistency , to choose the good . The difference lies in the objects of the loves of these two kinds of people . One kind has the acquisition of earthly possessions and power as the object ...
... evil ; others at least try , with more or less consistency , to choose the good . The difference lies in the objects of the loves of these two kinds of people . One kind has the acquisition of earthly possessions and power as the object ...
Page 29
... evil people thoroughly intermixed occasions a more pressing need than ever for a theory to make sense of the claim that such people could ever fight a just war. The possibility of a Christian state The conversion of Constantine was ...
... evil people thoroughly intermixed occasions a more pressing need than ever for a theory to make sense of the claim that such people could ever fight a just war. The possibility of a Christian state The conversion of Constantine was ...
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