Is it ever right and just for a nation to go to war?
In its first centuries after Jesus, Christianity disavowed war. But beginning with St. Augustine in the 5th century, it began to develop a “just war tradition.” While Augustine believed that going to war was often sinful, sometimes Christian love required it to protect the innocent. Theologians have since built on this tradition, drawing distinctions about when going to war is justified, and when it isn’t.
In two Sunday sessions during coffee hour, on April 26 and May 3, we’ll explore this tradition, learning some “just war criteria” and considering how they might apply to wars raging today.