Just War

“Individuals don’t go to war. Nations do. But simply because a nation has the God-given authority to bear the sword doesn’t mean that it is always justified to engage in conflict. This power is not unlimited.” - Daniel Darling

“this understanding of force does not align itself with the history of the Church’s thinking and teaching on ‘just war’ and coercive intervention. Resort to arms is not only permissible, it is virtuous when and where motivated by ‘just cause’ and ‘right intention.’” - Providence

“Just war tradition says we should act on a just cause, like preventing future wrongs, punishing wrongdoers, and stopping ongoing wrongdoing. Self-defense, of course, fits that category. But so does this effort towards justice. And it should happen with ‘right intention.’” - Breakpoint

(More at Bonus: Iran and Just War)

“As much as I rarely speak about current events and politics…there are also those moments where your conscience just compels you to speak up, as is the case for me now, because I’m concerned that we’re crossing a line here that is both dangerous and immoral.” - Truth Unites

“What about Just War theory and the Christian ethic of war? The Allies clearly had just cause for the war against Japan. Col. Paul Tibbets, captain of the Enola Gay, stated the case himself: ‘I viewed my mission as one to save lives. I didn’t bomb Pearl Harbor. I didn’t start the war. But I was going to finish it.’” - Al Mohler

“Of course, the effects of the fall on creation, people, and nations will never be wholly erased until Christ’s return. Until then, as Ecclesiastes observed, there is indeed a time to kill.” - Breakpoint

“It may be that a given action—a particular search and destroy mission—is low on the necessity spectrum. On such occasions, if other values—such as force protection or noncombatant immunity, are sufficiently at risk then prudence might dictate standing down.” - Providence

“What both these views have in common is their agreement with the idea that vengeance belongs to the Lord….We should never act out of rage or for revenge. God requires justice but he tempers retribution with mercy.” - Premier Christianity

“ ‘Randomness and innocence are the crucial elements in the definition [of terrorism],’ he says. ‘The critique of this kind of killing hangs especially on the idea of innocence, which is borrowed from “just war” theory.’” - BPNews

“With such a lineage and so many queries in pursuit of justice, it may be hard to see why I believe just war theory is deeply flawed. Because, in one sense, there’s much to appreciate in this theory.” - CToday