St Augustine and War

St Augustine (354-430) was baptised a Christian late in life under the influence of his mother, St Monica, and St Ambrose. He set to work to produce a version of Plato’s philosophy which was compatible with Christian doctrines. He argued that eternal Ideas exist in the mind of God and are directly communicated by him to human beings. Meanwhile, moral ideas are communicated to our consciences, the imprint of the Trinity in us. Augustine’s enormous output includes the Confessions, a unique blend of autobiography and philosophy, and the City of God, a classic of theology and morality.

Augustine explained that intentional killing is never permissible but that Christians are not pacifists: if we intend a good cause, such as establishing a just peace, war may sometimes be waged. However, we may only fight an aggressor who is acting unjustly, and we can do so only if justice is already established in our own state. Warring nations should pause and ask themselves if justice prevails at home before taking up the sword.

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