The saying that ‘the first casualty of war is truth’ is most commonly attributed to the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus. Perhaps he should have said that war’s first casualty is rationality. Nothing stirs the emotions of men like the sight of the latest hardware of war: F-35 fighter planes, hypersonic missiles, MOAB bombs and the like, or one’s enemies finally getting it in the neck. It is at times like this that the classic just war theory, formulated by St Augustine, St Thomas Aquinas and the Spanish School of Salamanca, among others, proves itself to be a treasure for the Church, allowing us to think straight about war.
3:00 PM
The Iran conflict and the Church’s criteria for a just war
The Church’s just war tradition offers a framework for judging the legitimacy of military action amid the turmoil following the strikes on Iran
Fr Gavan Jennings
6 min read
Already a subscriber? Sign in
5freearticles every month
Continue reading with a free account. No card needed.
- Five free articles every thirty days, on any device you sign in on
- The Catholic Herald newsletter, every morning
- Subscribe whenever you like for everything: every article and the magazine
subscribe to the catholic herald today
Our best content is exclusively available to our subscribers. Subscribe today and gain instant access to expert analysis, in-depth articles, and thought-provoking insights—anytime, anywhere. Don’t miss out on the conversations that matter most.
Subscribe
