The Catholic presumption against war revisited

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-602
Author(s):  
Christian Nikolaus Braun
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Just War ◽  
General Direction ◽  
Point Of Entry ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Drone Warfare ◽  
Correct Point ◽  
The Right ◽  
Modern War ◽  
The Church

One of the most contested arguments in contemporary just war thinking has been the question of the right starting point of analysis. On one side of the argument, one finds Catholic Church officials who argue for a ‘presumption against war’ as jumping-off point. On the other, one encounters critics of that position, led by James Turner Johnson, who defend a ‘presumption against injustice’ as the correct point of entry. Interestingly, both sides refer to St Thomas Aquinas, the key figure in the systematisation of the classical just war, as giving support to their respective position. While Johnson was vindicated as far as Aquinas’s historical starting point is concerned, debate about the contemporary purchase of the presumption against war has continued until the present day. Historical just war thinkers like Johnson have criticised the Church not only for turning the logic of the just war tradition on its head by reversing the inherited hierarchy between the so-called deontological and prudential criteria, but have also questioned the empirical evidence that has put the Church on this trajectory. In this article, I explain how the debate about the presumption against war continues to be relevant by engaging with the general direction the Catholic Church has taken up until Pope Francis and by investigating the particular example of its position on drone warfare. I point out that while the presumption against war runs counter to what Aquinas wrote during his days, Thomistic virtue ethics is generally open to development. The Church may thus claim a Thomistic patrimony in advocating for a presumption against war, but, as I demonstrate, the just war thinking that results, often referred to as modern-war pacifism, struggles to address important moral issues raised by contemporary warfare.

The Church as a Dynamic Field of Priestly, Prophetic and Diaconal Tension

Ecclesiology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-186
Author(s):  
Jakob Egeris Thorsen
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
High Priest ◽  
Dynamic Field ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Church

On the background of sociological and theological analyses of the transformations of the religious field and of the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America, this article sketches a proposal for a practical ecclesiology. This ecclesiology understands the church as a dynamic field of tension between priestly, prophetic and diaconal expressions. These fundamental expressions of the church parallel Christ’s threefold role as King, high priest and prophet. Combining P. Bourdieu’s theory of the religious field with N. M. Healy’s call for a practical-prophetical ecclesiology, the article argues that the changes in the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America can be understood as a re-articulation of the church’s prophetic and diaconal dimensions. The apparent disorder and tension hereby created can in fact be the starting point for a constructive, practical ecclesiology, which is able to make sense of the often disharmonious character of ecclesial life.

scholarly journals Credo in unam sanctam…

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-106
Author(s):  
Alejandro Zafeiropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Positive Answer ◽  
Church Of Christ ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Trinity

Is the Church of Christ the Roman Catholic Church? Could it be argued in parallel that the Church of Christ is the Orthodox Church? And could one accept a positive answer to these first two questions and still affirm that the Roman Catholic Church is not the Orthodox Church, and all this avoiding both a logical and a metaphysical contradiction? In this article I shall respond positively to each of these questions, avoiding the possible contradiction that such responses might involve. Taking as a starting point the philosophical and theological discussion of the Trinity within the analytical mainstream, I shall present the outline of an ecumenical ecclesiology based on the metaphysical relation of constitution. Thanks to this strategy, it is possible to think of a universal ecclesiology capable of explaining better not the diversity but the unity of the Church of Christ. Resumen: ¿La Iglesia de Cristo es la Iglesia católica romana? ¿Podría defenderse paralelamente que la Iglesia de Cristo es la Iglesia ortodoxa? Y, ¿se podría aceptar una respuesta positiva a estas dos primeras preguntas y afirmar que la Iglesia católica romana no es la Iglesia ortodoxa, y todo esto evitando tanto una contradicción lógica como metafísica? En el presente artículo se desea responder de manera positiva a cada una de estas preguntas, evitando la posible contradicción que dicha respuesta podría involucrar. Para esto y tomando como punto de partida las discusiones filosóficas y teológicas sobre la Trinidad dentro de la corriente analítica, presentaremos el bosquejo de una eclesiología ecuménica basada en la relación metafísica de constitución. Gracias a esta estrategia, se puede pensar una eclesiología universal capaz de explicar mejor, no la diversidad sino la unidad de la Iglesia de Cristo.  

scholarly journals Napięcie między subiektywnym a obiektywnym. Rozpoznanie działania Ducha Świętego w tradycji zachodniej i wschodniej

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 107-130
Author(s):  
Przemysław Sawa ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
The Other ◽  
Spiritual Guidance ◽  
General Direction ◽  
Individual Approach ◽  
Level Of Details ◽  
Personal Level ◽  
The Church

Tension between personal experience and community discernment, a prophesy and Church’s teaching, judgement of conscience and trueness of moral doctrine is still alive. Ultimately, it is all about what in the Church is subjective and what is objective. This reconciled opposition is inscribed in the identity of Christianity. Evangelical testimony of disciples going to Jerusalem after encountering Jesus in Emmaus and theirs confrontation with Peter’s experience demonstrates a model of appropriate route: subjective does not transgress objective, personal it is in tone with ecclesiastical. Despite an agreement among Christians in terms of general direction, a diff erence at level of details between particular traditions is noticed. Without depreciating individual and discerned, Catholic Church invariably supports the necessity to acknowledge The Teaching Office of the Church and the power of bishops within diocese. Of course all faithful take part in carrying and development of the legacy, especially through testimony and creative dialogue. Synods, councils and other bodies serve an example. However they do not cover doctrinal and disciplinary issues. Formation, obedience and spiritual guidance are important at personal level. Recognition of bishop’s authority, adherence to the Tradition and cannons and obedience to spiritual guide (the elder) are key elements of Orthodox tradition. Special attention is given to conciliarity (synodality) on various levels of Church. On the other side, for the post-reformation communities the fundamental and practically the only rule is Sola Scriptura. Bible does not give answer to each particular question and does not describe every form of Holy Spirit’s action therefore different conclusions and options arise in various denominations. Undertaking the process of discernment itself, historical Churches follow more codified path of Church’s discernment such as synods, councils, conferences while evangelical communities accept even more individual approach, recommending of course pastoral prudence and consultations with pastor or elders of the congregation. It is especially necessary among Pentecostal Christians accepting the presence of charismatic gifts, to include prophecy.

scholarly journals Transições eclesiológicas e reformas Eclesiais. “Vai, Francisco, reconstrói a minha Igreja!”

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 (292) ◽  
pp. 865-885
Author(s):  
Antonio José de Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Vatican Ii ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Pope Francis ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Times ◽  
The Church

O artigo tem como ponto de partida a questão da mudança de época em que a Igreja é chamada a realizar, hoje, sua vida e missão; aponta as dificuldades teológicas e canônicas geradas pela eclesiologia “inacabada” do Vaticano II; e, finalmente, sugere reformas que, coerentes com os horizontes eclesiológicos abertos pelo Concílio e com as interpelações que vêm dos “sinais dos tempos”, certamente ajudariam a Igreja, no século XXI, a ganhar credibilidade no testemunho de Cristo e de seu Reino, a serviço da vida e da esperança dos homens e das mulheres de todos os povos e culturas, sobretudo dos pobres e esquecidos. Escrito no final do ano de 2012, após o Congresso de São Leopoldo, passou por algumas atualizações, à altura da revisão final, em setembro de 2013, dado o novo contexto criado pelo pontificado do Papa Francisco. Abstract: The present article has as a starting point the fact that the Church is now asked to carry out its life and mission in a different era; it points to the theological and canonical difficulties generated by the “unfinished” ecclesiology of the Vatican II; and finally, it suggests some reforms that - consistent with the ecclesiological horizons opened by the Council and with the challenges that come from “the signs of the times” - would certainly help the Church in this 21st century to gain credibility in the testimony of Christ and of His Kingdom, at the service of the life and hope of the men and women from all peoples and cultures and in particular of those who are poor and forgotten. Written in the last months of 2012, after the Congress in São Leopoldo, Brazil, it went through some updating at the time of the final revision in September 2013, given the new context created by Pope Francis’ pontificate.Keywords: Catholic Church. Ecclesiology. Signs of the Times. Reform.

Implementasi Algoritma Raita Pada Aplikasi Hukum Kanonik Berbasis Mobile

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Efidoren L Nainggolan ◽  
Muhammad Syahrizal ◽  
Saidi Ramadan Siregar
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Canon Law ◽  
String Matching ◽  
Eastern Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Matching Algorithm ◽  
Church Law ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Church ◽  
Eastern Orthodox Church

Canonical law is an internal church law governing the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion. How the laws of the church are governed, interpreted and sometimes examined differ fundamentally between the three church bodies. in all three traditions, a canon was originally a rule accepted by an assembly, these canons formed the basis for canon law. Raita algorithm is part of the exact string matching algorithm, which is matching the string exactly with the arrangement of characters in the matched string that has the same number or sequence of characters in the string. Matching strings on the raita algorithm is done through a shift from the right of the character then to the left of the character and to the middle of the character. The problem in this research is the content of canon law in general consists of a very large number of pages of books, this makes it difficult for canonical law users to find the contents needed, then in the search it takes time to find the contents of canonical law that are searched for too many search problems. that is, too much time must be needed to find the contents of the canonical law sought

The Eschatology of the Eos-Circle

1970 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-197
Author(s):  
Paul Gottfried
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
The State ◽  
German Culture ◽  
French Empire ◽  
Madame De Stael ◽  
Monastic Communities ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Universe ◽  
The Church

Madame de Staël, in her monumental study of German culture, L'Allemagne, wrote of the Catholic church at the dawn of the nineteenth century: “Today, standing disarmed, it has the majesty of an aged lion which formerly made the universe tremble.”1 The French empire, continuing the policy of the revolution, confiscated ecclesiastical property wherever it expanded. By 1804 Napoleon distributed the church's land in Germany—which had been the most extensive in her possession of any country in Christendom—among his client rulers on the right bank of the Rhine.2 All over Europe princes were dissolving monastic communities in order to make their revenues available to the state. Perhaps the church suffered her crowning indignity in 1809, when Napoleon responded to a dispute with the pope by making him his prisoner.

scholarly journals Overcoming violence - a basic task of Christian churches

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Huber
Keyword(s):  
Communion Of Saints ◽  
Community Of Faith ◽  
Christian Churches ◽  
Basic Task ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Preferential Option ◽  
The Right ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
The Church ◽  
Christian Message

In this article � based on the second of two keynote lectures at a conference on violence � the view is developed that the task of the church with respect to violence consists mainly in overcoming violence. In the first part of the article dealing with the basic tasks of the church it is argued that the task to overcome violence is close to the essence of the church. The point of departure is taken in Article 7 of the Augsburg Confession, which understands the church as the �communion of saints� and names the pure proclamation of the gospel and the right administration of the sacraments as the two characteristics of the church. The Christian message that the church has to proclaim the gospel entails a preferential option for nonviolence that includes the responsibility to put an end to existing violence. In the second part of the article attention is given to the implications the basic task of the church in overcoming violence holds for the practice of the church. It is argued that the starting point is that the church has to proclaim the gospel of peace and as a community of faith become a community of peace herself. Some of the most important practical consequences the proclamation of the gospel of peace has for the church as a community of action, for her work in education, for her promotion of justice and for her solidarity with those in need, are discussed.

Liberal Democracy and the Right to Religious Freedom

2009 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 621-635
Author(s):  
Michael J. Perry
Keyword(s):  
Human Dignity ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Liberal Democracy ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Prima Facie ◽  
Roman Catholic Church ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
Dignitatis Humanae ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Church

AbstractThe Roman Catholic Church was famously late to embrace the right to religious freedom. Some have plausibly maintained that when, in 1965, the cardinals and bishops at the Second Vatican Council overwhelmingly adopted the Declaration on Religious Freedom—known by the first two words of its official Latin version: Dignitatis Humanae—the church betrayed one of its most traditional and established theological teachings. The right to religious freedom, according to international law, rests in part on respect for human dignity. Thus there is a prima facie link between the liberal democratic justification and the church's 1965 justification. But, as I will argue, the appeal to human dignity is not a preserve of modern liberal democracy. Indeed, we can imagine a government that limits religious freedom because it wishes to save souls, and this precisely out of a respect for human dignity. A similar view was held by the pre-Vatican II church. Thus the appeal to human dignity is not evidence of a fundamental shift by the church. What then does account for the church's undeniable change of direction? Human dignity by itself cannot provide the fundamental justification for the right to religious freedom. Another ingredient is needed: distrust, born of long historical experience, of government authority to adjudicate questions of religious truth. The church in Dignitatis Humanae accepted this lesson of history, a lesson available to believers of a variety of stripes as well as nonbelievers.

scholarly journals Religious Freedom and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: History and Logic of Relationship

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (19) ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
Liudmyla O. Fylypovych ◽  
Anatolii M. Kolodnyi
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
Physical Property ◽  
Latter Day Saints ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
History Of ◽  
Freedom Of Belief ◽  
Special Respect ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Church

In the process of studying the history of the Mormons, it becomes apparent that the emergence and functioning of this Church are closely linked with religious freedom.Reflecting on the historical connections between the Church and religious freedom, you seek to find what became the starting point for the special respect for the Mormons of the latter. The first thing that strikes the eye is the desire of the Mormons to have such a system, such laws that would provide the opportunity to freely profess their religious beliefs. For this, the ZHIHSOD suffered heavy losses - both physical, property, and moral. The pages of the history of the Church are full of tragic events, the suffering of people, the death of many of its followers. And all this is due to the lack of freedom of belief. As a result of the persecution, the Church and thousands of its members were forced to constantly migrate, to change their places and areas of activity. All this is described in sources, in fiction, in painting, cinema. Thousands of studies have been written that convincingly prove why the Mormons fought and will fight for freedom of religion, defend the right of people to follow their faith. This is more fully written by the authors of this article in his book "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its history and the present," printed in 2016.

scholarly journals Constantability of Catholic Church Teaching Religious Freedom

2020 ◽  
pp. 157-179
Author(s):  
Michał Kmieć
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Catholic Church ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
The State ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Church ◽  
Church Teaching

The purpose of the article is to embed the twentieth-century teaching of the Church's Magisterium on the right to religious freedom in the Church's Tradition, showing clear evidence for the continuity of this teaching. Religious freedom is not a law that existed in the teaching of the Church fifty years ago, but one of its traditional elements, which may not have been strongly realized for centuries. It is, however, one of the elements of science about the relationship between the Church and the state that does not contradict any other elements.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document