By Lavoisier Fernandes –
Even with the best of intentions, it seems to me that Catholic discourse on morality tends to focus excessively on issues pertaining to the “pelvic zone“—abortion, contraception, and homosexuality—while conveniently ignoring other important moral issues like the death penalty, the Catholic teaching of a just war, euthanasia, immigration, human trafficking, surrogacy, violence against women, sexual abuse, corruption, environmental destruction, and social justice.
The World is Increasingly Resembling a War Zone
While most of us enjoy the safety of our homes, free from the threats of bombs, air raid sirens, and the fear of displacement, the world is increasingly resembling a war zone.
In 2023 and 2024, civilian casualties have surged alarmingly. In 2023 alone, civilian deaths in armed conflicts rose by 72%, disproportionately affecting women and children. Major conflicts included Ukraine, with around 83,000 deaths, and Ethiopia, with approximately 100,000 deaths. Gaza also experienced severe violence, with over 35,000 deaths reported by mid-2024, including 7,797 minors and 4,959 women. The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has been particularly deadly, with at least 24,686 casualties identified by the end of 2023. These figures underscore the urgent need for international peace efforts to protect civilian.
Overall, these figures highlight the devastating human cost of ongoing conflicts, emphasizing the urgent need for international efforts to promote peace and protect civilians.
Christianity through to the Development of the Just War Doctrine
Since early Christianity, believers have wrestled with the Fifth Commandment: “Thou shall not kill.” Jesus also taught to “love our enemies” (Matthew 5:43-44) and told Peter to put away his sword (John 18:10-11). Yet, Jesus also advised buying a sword if needed (Luke 22:36), creating a tension between peace and self-defence.
For the first 300 years of Christianity, Christians largely avoided violence, seeing the Roman Empire as corrupt and choosing not to support it. They were a small, marginalized group, and many who converted to Christianity left the military, like St. Martin of Tours (316-397).
After Constantine’s Edict of Milan (313), and his conversion to Christianity, the Church started justifying wars. Some view this as a betrayal, while others see it as a practical response to moral issues of power. St. Augustine (354-430) was an early proponent of “just war,” with further development by St. Thomas Aquinas and Francisco de Vitoria. Critics argue the theory does not prevent wars but seeks to limit their violence.
The Catholic teaching on “just war” is based on strict moral criteria for when war is permissible. The Church insists that war must be a last resort and meet several key conditions:
- Just Cause: War should only be fought to address a significant evil that cannot be resolved otherwise, focusing on self-defence rather than aggression, and only after all other options are exhausted.
- Legitimate Authority: Only authorized bodies, such as the state or government, can declare war.
- Right Intention: The aim must be to achieve peace and justice, not personal or economic gain.
- Probability of Success: There must be a reasonable chance of achieving objectives to avoid unnecessary suffering.
- Proportionality: The benefits of war must outweigh the harms, considering the potential destruction and civilian casualties.
- Discrimination: Combatants must avoid targeting civilians and ensure violence is directed only at military targets.
- Moral Law: Ethical standards must be upheld even during warfare.
Opposition to War Is a Pro-life Principle and the Weapons Industry’s Role as the Dealers of Death
Even though St. Augustine (354-430) was one of the early Christian thinkers to consider the idea of a “just war,” the Catholic Church’s stance on warfare is fundamentally one of strong opposition. It champions peace, human dignity, and the use of force only in the most extreme circumstances. The Church advocates for a collective rejection of war and the promotion of a culture of peace.
In 1929 under the Lateran Treaty, the Holy See pledged to take “no part in any temporal rivalries between other states, nor in any international congresses called to settle such matters,” and this has been consistent with the Vatican City remaining “neutral and inviolable territory.”
St. Pope John Paul II criticized the Gulf war, Iraq war, and Afghanistan war, emphasizing that opposition to war aligns with pro-life principles whilst stating that “war itself is an attack on human life.”
More recently Pope Francis has consistently denounced wars, conflicts, whereas calling the weapons industry the “merchants of death.” The calls to stop the Israel-Hamas war have been consistent and on-going. In a bid to stop the Ukraine war and departing from papal protocol he visited the Russian embassy. So also, to promote peace in South Sudan – the Holy Father knelt to kiss the feet of South Sudanese leaders begging for peace. From his weekly audiences, tweets, Sunday Angelus, to his historic visits of Iraq, Egypt, UAE, and Sudan-they all have focused on the promotion of peace, coexistence, and the common good always moving through dialogue and negotiation.
Why is a Rethink Required?
The doctrine of just war may need to be reconsidered by the Church due to the significant changes in modern conflict. Similarly, today conflicts often involve groups that are not traditional armies and use new technologies, making it harder to apply old rules about who can be targeted.
Political differences, a lack of enforcement authority, and logistical and political obstacles have all made it difficult for the UN to oversee wars.
Wars now often cause many civilian casualties, challenging the doctrine’s rules about proportionality and discrimination. As the world becomes more connected, the impact of war is bigger, so preventing conflicts and focusing on diplomacy is more important. Finally, the Church must ensure that its doctrines uphold modern moral principles and successfully promote justice and peace.
Pope Francis Emphasizes Non-Violence Over War as a Core Principle
From the start of his papacy, Pope Francis has consistently highlighted the fundamental dignity of every individual and has called for the end of global conflicts. He believes that the true goal of any war should not be military victory but rather an immediate ceasefire and a just peace achieved through diplomacy. While acknowledging Ukraine’s position as the victim and Russia’s role in the unjust conflict, Pope Francis emphasizes that war always results in profound suffering, irrespective of the outcome. He argues that war represents a persistent hell until the fighting ceases, asserting in 2013 that “War always marks the failure of peace; it is always a defeat for humanity.”
In September 2022, Pope Francis examined the notion of acquiring weapons for self-defence under strict moral guidelines but criticized the “just war” theory. He urged a revaluation of this doctrine, highlighting that despite many years of UN discussions on peace, global conflicts continue unabated.
There are rumours that early in his papacy, Pope Francis drafted an encyclical on nonviolence, which was reportedly shelved due to diplomatic concerns. Nevertheless, his teachings have consistently embodied a philosophy of nonviolence.
In his 2017 World Day of Peace message, he strongly urged everyone, particularly leaders and governments, to “make active non-violence our way of life.” He called for nonviolence to shape personal thoughts, societal interactions, and international relations, emphasizing that victims of violence who resist retaliation become powerful advocates for peace.
The Holy Father invites us to think on the cost of wars in his 2020 encyclical Fratelli Tutti:
“War can easily be chosen by invoking all sorts of allegedly humanitarian, defensive, or precautionary excuses, and even resorting to the manipulation of information. In recent decades, every single war has been ostensibly ‘justified’” (FT 258).
“Every war leaves our world worse than it was before. War is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil. Let us not remain mired in theoretical discussions but touch the wounded flesh of the victims. Let us look once more at all those civilians whose killing was considered ‘collateral damage.’ Let us ask the victims themselves. Let us think of the refugees and displaced, those who suffered the effects of atomic radiation or chemical attacks, the mothers who lost their children, and the boys and girls maimed or deprived of their childhood. Let us hear the true stories of these victims of violence, look at reality through their eyes, and listen with an open heart to the stories they tell. In this way, we will be able to grasp the abyss of evil at the heart of war. Nor will it trouble us to be deemed naive for choosing peace” (FT 261).
Lavoisier Fernandes, born and raised in Goa, is currently based in West London. His faith is “work in progress”- and a lifelong journey. He has always been fascinated by the Catholic faith thanks to his Salesian schooling and his passion is podcasting, theology, the papacy, volunteering.
He has hosted the ‘Talking Faith’ series for Heavens Road FM Catholic Radio, connecting with ordinary men and women within the Catholic faith, other faiths and examining issues affecting both Church and society and has also hosted the ‘Heart Talk’ series for Shalom World Catholic TV. In 2018 one of his podcast -Mental Health and the role of the Catholic Church was shortlisted for the Jerusalem awards in UK. Presently contributes for the Goa Diocesan magazine – Renovação, Mumbai Diocesan magazine – The Examiner, the only digital Indian Catholic portal – Indian Catholic Matters and the Faith Companion Magazine in England.