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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.

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CCC 2304
¶2304 Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquillity of order." Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity.
CCC 2309
¶2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

- 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.

This entry was posted by Mr. D. Sader on October 5, 2017 at 1:40 pm under Christianity. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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