Pope Leo XIV declares 'just war' theory outdated in encyclical - MSN
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Pope Leo XIV just declared one of philosophy's oldest frameworks for legitimizing violence obsolete — and the ripple effects for global ethics, politics, and military doctrine could be enormous.
Just War TheoryPacifismNatural Law TheoryMoral Philosophy
Theory Briefing
- Pope Leo XIV's encyclical formally declares the Catholic 'just war' theory outdated, marking a historic doctrinal shift centuries in the making.
- Just war theory, dating back to Augustine and Aquinas, has long provided moral criteria for when nations may justifiably go to war.
- The Pope urges peaceful conflict resolution instead, challenging world leaders and ethicists to reimagine the moral calculus of modern warfare.