Pax nostra: the role of armed forces in replacing the bonds of war with the bonds of charity

Lefeuvre, Elise

Pax nostra: the role of armed forces in replacing the bonds of war with the bonds of charity

Files

Pax nostra.pdf(1.04 MB)

Published Version

Date

2024-10-04

Authors

Lefeuvre, Elise

Publisher

Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice

Abstract

Military work is, in essence, the use of force; or more explicitly, the capacity to kill and destroy. This is the singularity of military work, making it unique and demanding for military personnel who must comply with extremely strict rules of conduct and decision-making. This essay looks at the latter i.e. decision making, which essentially refers to soldiers’ inner lives, beliefs, and values. The Roman Catholic Church has developed ethics of war, which are characterised by a strong focus on each soldier’s capacity for judgement and on defining soldiers as peacebuilders. Considering soldiers as enlightened men building peace during their military operations is, therefore, the proposal of the Church. This goes much beyond peacekeeping, which is the maintenance of an acceptable level of security and an avoidance of escalation. The Church believes instead that soldiers have the power to replace the bonds of war with the bonds of charity, thereby being peacebuilders even in times of war.

Keywords

Military , Decision making , Roman Catholic Church ethics of war , Peacebuilder , War , Bonds of war , Bonds of charity

Citation

Lefeuvre, E. (2024) 'Pax nostra: the role of armed forces in replacing the bonds of war with the bonds of charity', Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice Working Notes, 96: War and Peace - Exploring Irish Neutrality. Available at: https://www.jcfj.ie/article/pax-nostra-the-role-of-armed-forces-in-replacing-the-bonds-of-war-with-the-bonds-of-charity/ (Accessed: 13 November 2024).