Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has developed a teaching on peace and just war.
Peace: CCC 2304
Peace, it states, is the result of justice and charity. One must always be a creator of peace and reconciliation.
Just War: CCC 2309
If relationships between peoples become so tense that war threatens, certain clear conditions for a legitimate defensive war must be maintained. For example, all other means to resolve conflict must have been exhausted before resorting to military force as a way to defend oneself.
Take a closer look at a current conflict in the world. Write about the conflict as an advocate of Peace or Just War.
- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
- all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
- there must be serious prospects of success;
- the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine.
The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.
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