St. Augustine and the Theory of Just WarThe decline of the Roman Empire gave rise to two problems, which combined to form one of the most perplexing philosophical questions of late antiquity. On the one hand, Rome found itself under constant military threat as various tribes from the north and east encroached along its borders to fill the power vacuum left by the receding Empire. On the other hand, adherents to the Empire's new official faith - Christianity - found themselves without clear guidance as to what military roles their faith would permit; the death of the apostles left them without revelatory guidance, and the New Testament writings were not definitive on the subject. The question, then, became: "Can a Christian answer the empire's call to military duty and still answer a clear conscience before God?" Fifth-century philosopher, St Augustine of Hippo, sought to provide a solution to the two problems. His approach formed the foundation of the 'just war' tradition, which has had enormous influence upon moral-philosophical thought on military issues in the West ever since. This major new study identifies the fundamental Augustinian premises and evaluates them in light of historical, neo-Platonic, and Christian contexts. It also identifies the effect of the Augustinian legacy upon medieval and modern philosophical reflections on the nature of warfare and on how war might be waged justly and morally. |
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Page 9
... desire for territorial expansion, intimidation or coercion, and it would be devoid of hatred for the enemy, implacable animosity, or a desire for vengeance or domination. Competent authority The decision to go to war can be weighed and ...
... desire for territorial expansion, intimidation or coercion, and it would be devoid of hatred for the enemy, implacable animosity, or a desire for vengeance or domination. Competent authority The decision to go to war can be weighed and ...
Page 29
... desire for glory and domination inclines them to war. If anything, Augustine's world-view that features good and evil people thoroughly intermixed occasions a more pressing need than ever for a theory to make sense of the claim that ...
... desire for glory and domination inclines them to war. If anything, Augustine's world-view that features good and evil people thoroughly intermixed occasions a more pressing need than ever for a theory to make sense of the claim that ...
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Contents
1 | |
14 | |
3 Augustines JustWar Theory | 44 |
4 NeoPlatonism and the Augustinian Just War | 92 |
5 Christianity and the Augustinian Just War | 121 |
6 Augustines Theory and Beyond | 161 |
Bibliography | 180 |
Index | 191 |
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Common terms and phrases
According action ajust Ambrose appears application argues Augustine Augustine’s Augustinian authority becomes bellum called cause Christian Church Cicero citizens City City of God claim command concerning considered course defence desire directed divine doctrine earthly Empire enemy engage evidence evil example exists fact faith Faustus fight find first follow fought given gives God’s Hence hierarchy History holds human Ibid idea important individual issues just-war justice kind least Letter live matter means merely military moral nature Neo-Platonic never Nevertheless notes NPNF NPNFI object observes ofjust peace person philosophical political position possible present Press principle problem punishment question reason reference regarded Reply requires response result righteous Roman Rome says seek seems sense Sermon serve soldiers sovereign specifically Testament theory things thought tradition Translated true ultimate University unjust violence virtue wage wars writings