Augustine on Just War

“What is the evil of war? Is it the death of some who will soon die in any case, that others may live in peaceful subjection? This is merely cowardly dislike, not any religious feeling.  The real evils in war are love of violence, revengeful cruelty, fierce and implacable enmity, wild resistance, and the lust of power, and such like; and it is generally to punish these things, when force is required to inflict the punishment, that, in obedience to God or some lawful authorities, good men undertake wars, when they find themselves in such a position as regards the conduct of human affairs, that right conduct requires them to act, or to make others act, in this way.” Augustine of Hippo, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean XXII. 74. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 4, p. 301.

Augustine defended the proper use of force under certain circumstances.  This classic text laid the foundation for the later Christian understanding of just war.  Augustine recognized the basic fact that sometimes force must be used to stop the evils of human violence.  Later in this text Augustine wrote:

“A great deal depends on the causes for which men undertake wars, and on the authority they have for doing so; for the natural order which seeks the peace of mankind, ordains that the monarch should have the power of undertaking war if he thinks it advisable, and that the soldiers should perform their military duties in behalf of the peace and safety of the community.  When war is undertaken in obedience to God, who would rebuke, or humble, or crush the pride of man, it must be allowed to be righteous war; for even the wars which arise from human passion cannot harm the eternal well-being of God, nor even the saints.” Augustine, Reply to Faustus the Manichaean XXII. 75. NPNF 4p. 301.

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4 Responses to Augustine on Just War

  1. Did Augustine say “If God used violence to convert Paul, the church can use violence to convert people”.

    • Daniel says:

      Bryen Gaskell; yes, actually, Augustine did. There are several places where Augustine justifies the use of coercive force to convert people; for example, Epistle 93 and Epistle 185. A revealing quote from the latter succinctly sums it up and speaks directly to your question: “What ground is there for the cry generally raised by schismatics: ‘There is freedom to believe or not to believe: did Christ use force on anyone? did He compel anyone?’ See, now they have the Apostle Paul; let them acknowledge in him Christ first compelling and afterward teaching, first striking and afterward consoling. It is a wonderful thing how he who came to the Gospel under the compulsion of bodily suffering labored more in the Gospel than all the others· who were called by word alone… Why, then, should the Church not compel her lost sons to return if the lost sons have compelled others to be lost? … But we have shown that Paul was forced by Christ; therefore, the Church imitates her Lord in forcing them.” And so on.

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