Pope Declares 'Just War Theory' Outdated, Calls for Disarmament

Pope Leo XIV has declared the long-standing "just war theory" outdated in his recent encyclical, "Magnificent Humanity," challenging a doctrine that has shaped church teaching for over 1,600 years since its development by St. Augustine.

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the Third World War is being fought piecemeal

In paragraph 192 of the encyclical, Pope Leo XIV states that the "just war theory" has been "all too often used to justify any kind of war" and is now obsolete. He asserts that "no algorithm can make war morally acceptable" and that the use of force ultimately stems from "relational poverty." The pontiff advocates for disarmament as the true path to peace, contrasting with the current global "race to armament."

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the ‘just war’ theory which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war is now outdated

This radical shift in papal teaching challenges the foundations of both international and humanitarian law, which permit the use of force under specific exceptions like self-defense or UN Security Council authorization. The Pope's condemnation directly questions the justifications for conflicts like those in Iran, which he implies are not covered by these exceptions.

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no algorithm can make war morally acceptable

The Pope's stance represents a return to the pacifist principles of early Christianity, a period when Christians generally refused military service. This non-violent position was significantly altered in the 4th century when Christianity became the Roman state religion, leading to the development of the "just war" theory to reconcile faith with military engagement. Academic René Girard noted this historical shift, observing how persecuted groups can become persecutors.

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It is not atomic weapons that generate peace, but disarmament.