Just War and Christian Traditions

Among the most famous images captured by the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Horst Faas is that of an American soldier fighting in Vietnam with the hand-written slogan “WAR IS HELL” inscribed on his helmet. The inscription speaks to the horror and ugliness of war, not to mention the ethical dilemmas faced by those on the battlefield. Yet, the soldier’s slight smile and hopeful eyes create an aesthetic tension within the image which invites viewers to consider whether there may also be something good, hopeful, and even just within the hellish reality of war. Christians, of course, answer that question in considerably different ways. For many, an appeal to violence—to the hell of warfare—can never be compatible with discipleship, for Christ invites his followers to embody nonviolent resistance and peacemaking efforts in the face of injustice and fear. Yet, for others, warfare has its place: a lamentable but occasionally necessary reality in our fallen world. For those whose conscience leads them in that direction, many seek moral and theological clarity within the ethical framework known as the just war tradition. Just War and Christian Traditions, edited by Eric Patterson and J. Daryl Charles, explores this tradition through the unique perspectives of various Christian denominational contexts.

There is no shortage of books and articles exploring the just war tradition and other Christian views of warfare (among the best is Lisa Sowle Cahill’s Blessed Are The Peacemakers: Pacifism, Just War, and Peacebuilding). However, Just War and Christian Traditions is unique in its emphasis on the diversity of just war thinking across global Christianity. Whereas many understand the just war tradition to be “a doctrine unique to Roman Catholicism” (123), this volume of essays helpfully explores the unique nuances of how the idea is approached within Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, and Anabaptist traditions, enabling readers to understand the commonalities and differences between traditions.

This book brings to light remarkable theological voices and streams of thought that are often overlooked or sidelined in contemporary discussions on this important topic while helping readers develop a fuller picture of just war thinking. Amid decades of global conflict, this volume is likely to serve as a helpful reference for those seeking some sense of theological clarity. This is especially true for clergy who may wish to deepen their understanding of just war thought within the context of their unique theological tradition or better understand the moral positioning of critical thinkers within their denominational context (for instance, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley). The editors note in their introductory chapter that “the vast majority of Christians are part of denominations that affirm just war thinking – whether they realize it or not” (2). Helping these individuals to think more faithfully and rigorously about warfare is an important, urgent, and practical undertaking.

This collection's essential premise is that the contemporary church has broadly failed to take the just war tradition seriously. “Catholics and mainline Protestants in recent decades,” the editors write, have tended towards “a new ‘presumption against force,’ rather than seeing the roles of law enforcement and the military as necessary and virtuous vocations in the pursuit of justice and peace” (2). Evangelicals, on the other hand, have typically been left “unaware of the historic teachings on just war thinking and thus poorly equipped as Christian citizens to engage thoughtfully on issues of war and peace” (2). In response, the essays that comprise this volume generally seek to provide a tradition-specific argument supporting the idea of a just war, often by critiquing alternative views within that tradition. While this approach may deny readers a complete understanding of the arguments both for and against a just war position within a particular Christian tradition, it also enables readers—especially those who may be critical of Christian justifications for state violence—to understand more completely the theological basis of those who defend and advocate for a just war position. This is an important contribution, especially given that our moment in history is often characterized by war and the threat of war.

As a defense of the just war tradition, Just War and Christian Traditions does important work evaluating the issue from diverse theological, historical, and cultural perspectives. Occasionally, contributors critique their own tradition for inconsistent applications of just war thinking. For instance, Daniel Strand and Nigel Biggar note that “if the Church of England is serious in its attachment to Christian just war thinking . . . then it needs to think further about the political realities, as well as the moral imperative, of humanitarian intervention” (174). Those interested in exploring potential counterpoints to some of these criticisms might benefit from reading works such as Just War and the Responsibility to Protect: A Critique by Robin Dunford and Michael Neu, and Can War Be Just in the 21st Century?: Ethicists Engage the Tradition, edited by Tobias Winright and Laurie Johnson, alongside this volume.

This work is a valuable and helpful resource that fills a particular gap in existing just war literature. The collection's essays are thoughtful, accessible, and rich with theological and historical insights. By exploring this topic through the perspectives of diverse Christian traditions, the collection helps readers understand the particularities of some of the varied communities of faith that comprise the global church. Simultaneously, this collection brings theologians who are often overlooked within the just war discussion into the broader conversation. For the contemporary church, the authors achieve their goal of thoughtfully challenging movements that dismiss the just war tradition as incompatible with a faithful Christian witness. Yet, as both those who have been to war and those impacted by it can attest, “War is hell.” Even for proponents of the just war tradition, the hellish nature of war cannot neatly and easily conform to the gospel. Christian engagement with war is always complex and multi-layered, even within particular Christian traditions. Those seeking to understand this engagement more fully would benefit from reading this collection while also engaging with resources that propose alternative perspectives.

Ian Clark is a PhD candidate in theological ethics at the University of Aberdeen.

Ian A. Clark

Date Of Review:

October 31, 2023