Title: Just War
1Just War
2Is there ever a time when a war is considered
just?
3Thomas Aquinass Just War Theory
- It must be declared by a legitimate authority,
not by private groups or individuals - It must be waged for a just cause like protecting
innocent life or preserving conditions necessary
for basic human life. - It must be waged with the right intention, not
for vengeance, cruelty or power.
4A few more
- The war must be a last resort all other avenues
to bring peace must have been tried. - The means used to win the war must be moral.
- The suffering and damage caused by the war must
be proportionate to the good to be accomplished. - There must be a reasonable chance of success.
- The terms for peace must be fair.
5Why must there be limits, even in war? What are
some of these limits?
6Given the criteria for just war, is nuclear, or
chemical warfare ever just?
7Why would these weapons be considered no-win?
8What does Jesus teach us about war?
9Where does peace begin?
10Where does the principle of loving your neighbor
and doing good to your enemies fit into Aquinass
argument?
11If instead of saying for a war to be just,
Aquinas had said for a war to be loving, what
three conditions would Aquinas have made to
create a loving-war theory? Is it possible to
have a loving war?