War and Religion

• Eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Holy

Wars. Against the Muslim control.
• First world war. Possibly ‘cause of the kingdom
of God’.
• Holy War, a good war guided by God. Can war
be good?
• Islam for holy war – ‘Jihad’ meaning fight or
battle. A religious duty to spread or defend Islam
by waging war.
• Holy war is often rejected by modern
theologians.
 Just War
• Can war really be justified?
• Can a war really follow rules and conducts?
• When is it right to fight?
• Conditions: Just Authority
Just Cause
Just Intention
• Proportionality, Last resort, Reasonable
chance of success, Comparative Justice
 Pacifism
• Pacifists argue that Just war ignores the
essential pacifist stance taken by Jesus.
• War is always wrong
• Opposition to all forms of violence. Even a
punch in the face!
• Love your neighbour as
yourself.
• Turn the other cheek.
• Life has an absolute value.
 Realism
• Human communities have to use force to
maintain a just and ordered society.
• War that serves the national interest is
morally acceptable
• For revision highlight all the key ponts and
make notes on them!

• If you don’t I will hunt you down!