Just War Theory Should be Abandoned, Says Conference Hosted by Vatican

The Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 4/15/16 | AP

[marshmallow]

Conference attendees called for a new way of thinking 'consistent with Gospel nonviolence'

Participants at a conference hosted by the Vatican have called for the Catholic Church to renounce its just war doctrine and for Pope Francis to write an encyclical on nonviolence and “just peace.”

In a closing statement, attendees at the conference, which was sponsored by the Vatican’s justice and peace office and Pax Christi International, the Catholic peace movement, said that too often the doctrine had been used to justify and endorse military action rather than prevent it.

Church teaching has long allowed for “just wars” — the use of force to stop an unjust aggression — as long as certain conditions are met. They include that other peaceful means have been exhausted, that the force is appropriate and won’t produce worse effects, and that there is a reasonable chance for success.

But the participants called for the church to no longer use or teach “just war” theory, for the church to instead develop a new peacemaking framework “consistent with Gospel nonviolence,” and for Francis to articulate it all in a new encyclical.

“The time has come for our church to be a living witness and to invest far greater human and financial resources in promoting a spirituality and practice of active nonviolence and in forming and training our Catholic communities in effective nonviolent practices,” the statement said.

Francis, named after the peace-loving St. Francis of Assisi, has echoed his predecessors in condemning wars and promoting peace. He hosted a marathon prayer vigil to stave off threatened military action in Syria, brought the Israeli and Palestinian presidents together for a peace summit, and issues near-weekly appeals for peaceful ends to conflicts around the globe.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

TRANSLATION: Submit to the Mooslims.

[2ndDivisionVet]

So we should just have absorbed the Pearl Harbor attack and sued for peace?

[ClearCase_guy]

Pacifists are just evil.

Some things are worth fighting for. One might benefit from reading the Bible — it is full of wars that served a good cause.

I’m still waiting for Francis to crack open that book and learn a thing or two.

[Mr. Mojo]

When the Islamic barbarian hordes start crashing on the Vatican’s gates, a different tune will be sung.

[kearnyirish2]

I guess the Christians remaining in the Middle East now realize they have no advocate in Francis.

When Jesus had to select a leader for His apostles, He chose the one who, while imperfect, drew a sword and used it when they came to arrest Him. Decades later, that same man opted to be crucified upside down as he was unfit to die in the same manner as Jesus. In the meantime, gentle John the Beloved received his own reward - as the only apostle to be spared a martyr’s death.

[nathanbedford]

This new doctrine by the church should be seen in the context of the century long effort by The Frankfurt School to undermine and even discredit the institutions which hold Western representative democracies together.

We have seen them attack the family, the role of the father in the family, our educational institution from K through postgraduate universities, our churches now in the Vatican and for years in the national Council Of Churches on the Protestant side, our military, our commitment to the Constitution, our respect for the Founding and Framing Fathers, etc.

Beyond undermining the institutions which will undermine our government and our government's capacity to resist statism and militant Islam, these forces also seek to undermine our capacity to think. This goes beyond undermining our morale, this is an attack on our epistemology. The critical theory is telling us that everything we believe and trust, including the gospel of Christ, cannot be trusted. When we cannot trust our God, when we cannot trust our faith, when we cannot trust anything we believe, our culture and our governing system disintegrate and the path is open to the onrush of socialist nirvana (or statist dystopia).

We are now being told that we cannot make war to defend ourselves, not even a "just" war. The doctrine will be belittled and ignored but the bad seed is planted for a bitter harvest, the attack on our morale begins in this new sphere, the reckoning will come with the next generations.

[faithhopecharity]

no just war doctrine, no Vatican

[lonestar67]

The pope is now pro genocide.

Jesus affirmed the great faith that of roman soldiers to prevent the deadly false piety of this pope.

Thank God for warriors

[avenir]

FWIW, paragraph 2309 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church re: "just war doctrine"...

"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:

a) the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;

b)all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;

c)there must be serious prospects of success;

d)the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern 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."

[BlackElk]

Ahhh, the usual gang of peace creep suspects. Under Francis, these sharks are smelling the Church's blood in the water and moving in for the kill.

God please send us an actually CATHOLIC pope and soon!

[ebshumidors]

Oh, hell no. The commie pope would submit. Bet on it.

[ebshumidors]

Oh, hell no. The commie pope would submit. Bet on it.

[ebshumidors]

Hear, here!

[Talisker]

But the participants called for the church to no longer use or teach “just war” theory, for the church to instead develop a new peacemaking framework “consistent with Gospel nonviolence,” and for Francis to articulate it all in a new encyclical.

Or what?

[BlackElk]

One correction only: This nonsense is NOT Church doctrine and never will be. As I recall all Catholics and all other Christians with two active brain cells to rub together and a few reading lessons understand that Armageddon, led by Our Savior Himself, will not be a gathering of folk singers from all sides crooning Kumbaya. It will be a verrrry just war and we actually WIN for a change and permanently.

How many here are actually familiar with the Frankfurt School. And yet they should be.

As a Catholic, I apologize for the existence of Bergoglio as pope. He can resign or God knows how to fire him.

[G Larry]

Ya....we’ll wait until Islam has been slaughtering Christians for another 400 years before we decide it’s time to fight back.

Worked ok last time.

[Arthur McGowan]

Pacifism is a heresy, and will never be taught by the Catholic Church.

[dfwgator]

Most “pacifists” just think we are fighting for the wrong side.

[Slyfox]

Participants at a conference versus The Magesterium of the Catholic Church

Hmmmm.