Pastor Steve Jeffery talks about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its relation to just war theory.

• Such things are complex
• We don’t want to be ignorant of the history of conflict in the region
• “Dulce et Decorum Est” by Wilfrid Owen
• War is horrific, and ought not to be engaged in except under very specific circumstances
• This is the position of the Christian church across denominations
• This is not always a good guys-bad guys situation
• When is it right to go to war, and how ought it to be conducted?
• When is it right to go to war?
  • Immediate cause must be just
    • Unprovoked attacks are right out
  • Goal must be to establish peace
  • Must be declared by a properly-constituted government by proper declaration
  • Must have a reasonable probability of success
  • Must be proportional to the harms avoided by going to war
• How ought it to be conducted?
• Minimize cost and end war quickly
  • Weapons and tactics must distinguish between combatants and civilians
  • Weapons and tactics must be proportional to the immediate threat
  • Any action must be necessary to help in the defeat of an enemy (No stealing stuff and no government building)
  • POWs must be treated fairly (No mistreatment, no attacking surrendering enemies)
  • No means that are evil of themselves are to be used (No rape/torture of anybody, ever, no use of weapons that are disproportionately horrible, no forcing enemy prisoners of war to fight their fellows)
    
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