The Just War Theory (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

Just War Theory

What is a Just War?

• Religions generally oppose war, but many believe fighting is justifiable if it is the only course of action that will prevent a real evil

• Within some religious traditions, there are guidelines on the rules for a legitimate war

• These guidelines are used to influence the decision to go to war and also how it is fought, therefore making the war just or fair

• The message is clear: sometimes if you do not fight, you allow a greater evil to happen than a war would cause, so you have to fight

Christianity and Just War

• St Augustine, in the 4th century, was the first to try to write a set of rules regarding this, and eventually, the ‘Just War’ rules were written in detail by St Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century

• The rules state that war must:
  

  • Have a just or legitimate reason to happen. It must not be to gain territory or resources or in retaliation

  • Be started and controlled by a proper authority such as a government

  • Have a clear aim to promote good over evil (for example to protect people)

  • Have the desired outcome of peace as the reason to go to war

  • Be a last resort, every effort must be made to resolve conflict peacefully

  • Have a reasonable chance of success, it would be wrong to risk lives with no chance of success

  • Make every effort to avoid civilian deaths and that no more force is used than is necessary to win

• Further adaptations have been made to the Just War theory up until the present day

• There are now internationally agreed conventions on the conduct of war which must be obeyed

  • The Geneva Convention, accepted by the UK in 1957, lays down the rules that must be adhered to during war

  • The United Nations, founded in 1945, encourages countries to resolve disputes peacefully

• Justification to support a just war can come from the Bible which contains passages that suggest that it is right for leaders to use violence to ensure peace

• Many Christians believe that although fighting a just war is acceptable, it is much better if there is no war

• Working together to avoid situations where war is a possible outcome is preferable to fighting

• Some Christians disagree with the theory of a just war because it defends the concept of war in certain circumstances, and this could lead to a general acceptance of war

Islam and Just War

• Although there is no specific just war theory in Islam, codes of conduct have been developed to justify when it is right to fight and set out what is allowed during fighting

• The 'Lesser Jihad' obliges Muslims to fight under certain conditions. It covers fighting against non-Muslim aggressors and there are strict rules regarding its conduct

• It is generally accepted that war can be just and therefore permitted if it meets the following conditions:
  

  • War must be the last resort when diplomacy and negotiation have failed

  • War must be only in self-defence, and the initial aggression should come from the other side and there should first be attempts to solve the problem peacefully

  • As lesser jihad is a religious concept, the decision to fight should be made by a state leader

  • It is done for a just cause, and not for personal gain. The reason should be to protect territory from an outside aggressor or, in cases of civil war, rebel groups from within the state

  • If an Islamic country has been attacked, countries are allowed to join a conflict to assist another Muslim state which is under threat

  • If another state has mistreated its Muslim citizens, it is permissible to fight in support of fellow Muslims

• If these conditions are met, the war is thought a just one and it is believed that those who fight for the cause of Islam will receive the favour and reward of God

Muslim Attitudes to Conduct in War

• The first Islamic caliph and companion of Muhammad (pbuh), Abu Bakr, devised some rules that Muslim armies must obey to govern the way conflict is conducted:

  • Muslim armies must not commit treachery or stray from the right path

  • Dead bodies must not be mutilated

  • Children, women and old men must not be killed

  • Trees, particularly fruit-bearing ones, must not be harmed because they provide food in the future

  • Animals must only be killed for food

  • People who are devout in their faith, such as monks, should not be harmed

• Although these rules are over 1300 years old, they still retain relevance in Islam

• While Muslims believe that fighting a war using these just war principles is acceptable, they believe it is much better if there is no war, and working to avoid war is a preferable option to fighting

• Muslims and Christians would oppose the use of chemical weapons because the damage they would cause is not considered proportionate and can harm innocent civilians, and therefore does not fit the criteria of a just war

Pacifist Views of Just War Theory

• Christians have a long history of refusing to take part in war

• Many Christians are pacifists of various types, which range from peace activists to those who need a great deal to convince them that war is justified

• The Christian argument for pacifism is based partly on Jesus's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and other places, and in the example that Jesus sets Christians through his life

• Some Christians would argue against this because humans have a different role than Jesus had

  • Christ's pacifist nature and behaviour were part of his unique role as redeemer of humanity

  • Christians are not redeemers and so their conduct should follow Christ by seeking to bring peace and justice to the world even if this means not always 'turning the other cheek'

• Christian groups that emphasise pacifism include:
  

  • Mennonites: a church that grew out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the early 1500s. They believe Christ's teaching to 'love your enemies' prevents them from participating in any way in military action against another country

  • Quakers (or The Religious Society of Friends) are a Christian group with a total commitment to non-violence. In 1660 they declared

• Attitudes to just war would depend on the type of pacifism each Christian adheres to

  • An absolute pacifist believes that it is never right to take part in war, even in self-defence. They think that the value of human life is so high that nothing can justify killing a person deliberately

  • Conditional pacifists are against war and violence in principle, but they accept that there may be circumstances when war will be less bad than the alternative

  • Selective pacifists will only oppose wars involving weapons of mass destruction because of the uniquely devastating consequences of such weapons

  • Active pacifists are heavily involved in political activity to promote peace, and to argue against particular wars

• During a war many pacifists will refuse to fight, but some will take part in activities that seek to reduce the harm of war. For example, driving ambulances