3.3.10

War

Test yourself

Are Catholics Wholly Pacifist?

Catholic Social Teaching includes many examples on the subject of justice and peace:

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Pope John XXIII

  • In 1963, Pope John XXIII wrote the encyclical (a letter sent by the Pope to the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church) Pacem in Terris.
    • It starts with the words, “Peace on earth...cannot be firmly established unless the order which God laid down is dutifully observed.”
  • Pope John also spoke out against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
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Pope Paul VI

  • In 1967, Pope Paul VI said in his encyclical Populorum Progressio that promoting mutual solidarity and social justice are moral duties.
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Pope Francis

  • Pope Francis said that peace firstly means there are no wars, but it also means that every day a step ahead is made for justice. (Audience with children of the Peace Factory 2015.)
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Catholic Just War Theory

  • However, the Catholic Church is not a wholly pacifist religion and supports a Just War Theory. Some of the requirements for this theory were taught by Thomas Aquinas in the 13th Century:
    • The war must be waged by a legitimate authority.
    • It must be a last resort.
    • It must be for a good purpose (e.g. justice and greater peace).
    • It must be conducted in the right way, avoiding civilian casualties.

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