Just War Theory

Approaches to War:

• Just War Theroy: which maintains that war may be justified if fought only in certain circumstances, and only if certain restirctions are applied to the way in which war is fought
• Pacifism: which rejects the use of violence and the taking of human lives
• Realism: which maintains that normal moral rules can't be applied to how states conduct themselves in war

Just War Theory

• Many christians have taken the view that war may be justified under certain circumstances, and only if fought observing certain rules of conduct.
• Just War Theory attempts to clarify two questions "When is it right to fight?" and "How should war be fought?"
• St Thomas Aquinas drew together the strands of Christian thinking on just war. When it's right to fight- jus ad bellum:
  • Just Authority: War could…