De Ethica. A Journal of Philosophical, Theological and Applied Ethics, 2015

This article presents four controversial issues that are raised by the articulation of just war thinking in my book, In Defence of War (2013, 2014): the conception of just war as punitive, the penultimate nature of the authority of international law, the morality of national interest, and the elasticity of the requirement of proportionality. It then proceeds to illustrate the interpretation of some of the criteria of just war in terms of three topical cases: Britain’s belligerency against Germany in 1914, the Syrian rebellion against the Assad regime in 2011, and Israe’s Operation Protective Edge against Hamas in Gaza in 2013. It is often claimed that just war thinking has been rendered obsolete by novel phenomena such as nuclear weapons, wars ‘among the people’, war-by-remote-control, and cyber-aggression. The presentation of issues and cases in this article, notwithstanding its brevity, is sufficient to show that just war thinking continues to develop by wrestling with controversi...

2008

This paper will briefly outline the development of the just war doctrine, with special emphasis on the developments in Christian thought which ultimately influenced modern international legal documents. Numerous legal documents, such as the Geneva Conventions (1864-1948) contain within them references to just war. More recent attempts to codify the just war include the Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty entitled

Orbis Books, 2006

Studies in World Christianity, 2007

Political Theology, 2013

Ethics & International Affairs, 2012

Political Theology, 2012

2018

Leaven, 2012

Sower Media, 2024

War has historically provoked significant theological and ethical enquiries within Christian traditions. The Christian response to war ranges from pacifism to just war theory, with both perspectives rooted in Scripture and refined through theological contemplation. This paper analyses biblical doctrines, historical progressions, and contemporary applications, emphasising the appropriate Christian response to the prospect of war. We will explore Christian perspectives on war and peace by referencing esteemed scholars and ethical frameworks, while also offering practical guidance for addressing the moral dilemmas associated with conflict.