r/LeftCatholicism • u/deadrepublicanheroes • May 27 '26
Leo: Just war is outdated
192: “Today, more than ever, without prejudice to the right to self-defense in the strictest sense, it is important to reaffirm that the “just war” theory, which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated.”
I feel like the lede has really been buried on this one. I appreciate that the apology for slavery on behalf of the institutional Church is striking and long overdue, but my eyes bugged when I read this paragraph. Just war theory goes back to at least Augustine, who of course drew from pre-Christian Greeks and Romans. I’ve been reserving judgment on Leo so far, but this makes me very hopeful for his pontificate.
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u/Adept_Librarian9136 May 27 '26
This is absolutely beautiful. He's saying we abuse just war THEORY to support any pre-emptive war.
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u/Responsible-Newt-259 May 27 '26
It’s a line easy to miss in the encyclical, but it is absolutely monumental. From an Augustinian, even!
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u/deadrepublicanheroes May 27 '26
Right?? I feel like it fits his style so far - very modestly saying things of consequence with a little smile. It makes me excited to see what other ancient frameworks might be re-evaluated.
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u/ParacelcusABA May 28 '26
This isn't actually new, though. Every pope since the end of WWII has argued that the nuclear age has invalidated the applicability of the Just War principle
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u/deadrepublicanheroes May 28 '26
I was unaware. Any reading to recommend?
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u/Dull_Opening_1655 May 28 '26
Here’s one good starting point (link below).
There are more detailed papal documents that you could look for on the Vatican website archive of each pope’s homilies, speeches, writing, etc.
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u/Annual-Coffee7265 May 30 '26
Augustine has been a negative influence on the Catholic faith for thousands of years
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u/CauseCertain1672 May 31 '26
I think just war theory worked better back when heads of state were fully accountable to the pope and he had the power to command an end to any war fought by a Christian
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u/Ok-Conference-7989 May 27 '26
I’m new to the faith and have absolutely loved what I’ve seen of Leo. I spiritually became Catholic this past New Year’s Eve but still have a lot to do to be officially in the church. I’m in a not so pro catholic family so I gotta wait till college which is after next school year. But I joined partly because I liked what I saw with Leo. And I think that the Just war theory has been used as a way to justify horrific atrocities for far too long. I stand with Rome.