Chirst has died. Chist is risen. Chirst will come again.
We apologize for the recent lack of updates but we are only now able to get to the server again.
Today we would like you to consider Just War
Is there such a thing as just war? Would the world situation today allow the
US to attack Iraq under the just war theory? Lets consider what questions
must be answered adequately to allow a military action to be considered a
Just War. (Let me say that this is a compilation of =works by many others
with the work by Thomas Aquinas at its core.)
Principles of the Just War
1) The action must be taken on a just cause
2) The action must be lead by a competent authority
3) The action must be made for the right intention
The easiest just cause to identify is self-defense. If a foreign power attacks
our nation the defense is a just cause to retake land, people or property
seized by an aggressor. The rule of helping your neighbor will allow nations
to come to the aid of other nations as well if asked by properly constituted
authorities.
Then what is a proper authority? The actions must be made under lawful
authority of the nation involved. Lawful authority is somewhat nebulous
in some cases but when the law of the nation and international law agree
it is easy to recognize clear authority. In this case the President of the US
and congress have the clearly identified legal authority. While the US Supreme
Court, while a legal authority, would be making an illegal act if they declared
war. In cases of countries with disputed leadership this becomes even
more difficult to identify.
Perhaps the most difficult of the principles to conform to is right intention.
Nations are not to use undue force or cause undue suffering on an enemy.
The intention should not be vengeance or hatred but instead the goal of
war is to end war. To create a just and lasting peace. Also war can only be
waged if there is a chance for success. Killing with no hope of winning is
not a just cause.
Many resources exist to pursue this topic and we would encourage you to
think more on it. Why is the US considering attacking Iraq? Is it self-defense?
Is it a just cause? Has the current administration the proper authority to
make this attack? What is the true intent of the administrion in making this attack?
The ELCA statement on Just War in attacking Iraq
http://www.elca.org/bishop/iraq.html
Just War Teaching and the Present Conflict by Paul Jersild int eh Journal of Lutheran Ethics
http://www.elca.org/jle/articles/contemporary_issues/september_11th/article.jersild_paul_print-friendly.html
Institute on Religion and Democracy
http://www.ird-renew.org/News/News.cfm?ID=412&c=4
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Just War article
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/j/justwar.htm
Thomas Aquinas on War
http://ethics.acusd.edu/Books/Texts/Aquinas/JustWar.html
The UDS symposium on Just War
http://ethics.acusd.edu/Applied/Military/Justwar.html
