Home Religion, Bible and Theology Summa Theologica
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Summa Theologica

Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Christianity and Modern Politics
This chapter is in the book Christianity and Modern Politics
Thomas Aquinas Summa Tbeologica 2-2, Q FIRST ARTICLE Whether it is Always Sinful to Wage War ... Augustine says in a sermon on the son of the centurion: If the Christian Religion forbade war altogether, those who sought salutary advice in the Gospel would rather have been counselled to cast aside their arms, and to give up soldiering altogether. On the contrary, they were told: "Do violence to no man;... and be content with your pay." If he commanded them to be content with their pay, he did not forbid soldiering. I answer that, In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign by whose command the war is to be waged. For it is not the business of a private individual to declare war, because he can seek for redress of his rights from the tribunal of his superior. Moreover it is not the business of a private individual to summon together the people, which has to be done in wartime. And as the care of the common weal is committed to those who are in authority, it is their business to watch over the common weal of the city, kingdom or province subject to them. And just as it is lawful for them to have recourse to the sword in defending that common weal against internal disturbances, when they punish evildoers, according to the words of the Apostle (Rom. 13: 4): He beareth not the sword in vain: for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil; so too, it is their business to have recourse to the sword of war in defending the common weal against Trans. Fathers of English Dominican Province. Used by permission of Benziger/ Glencoe (Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.)
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

Thomas Aquinas Summa Tbeologica 2-2, Q FIRST ARTICLE Whether it is Always Sinful to Wage War ... Augustine says in a sermon on the son of the centurion: If the Christian Religion forbade war altogether, those who sought salutary advice in the Gospel would rather have been counselled to cast aside their arms, and to give up soldiering altogether. On the contrary, they were told: "Do violence to no man;... and be content with your pay." If he commanded them to be content with their pay, he did not forbid soldiering. I answer that, In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign by whose command the war is to be waged. For it is not the business of a private individual to declare war, because he can seek for redress of his rights from the tribunal of his superior. Moreover it is not the business of a private individual to summon together the people, which has to be done in wartime. And as the care of the common weal is committed to those who are in authority, it is their business to watch over the common weal of the city, kingdom or province subject to them. And just as it is lawful for them to have recourse to the sword in defending that common weal against internal disturbances, when they punish evildoers, according to the words of the Apostle (Rom. 13: 4): He beareth not the sword in vain: for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil; so too, it is their business to have recourse to the sword of war in defending the common weal against Trans. Fathers of English Dominican Province. Used by permission of Benziger/ Glencoe (Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.)
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. I. On Christianity, Civil Religion, and Politics
  6. Introductory Comments 7
  7. On Politics and Power (excerpts) 10
  8. Mere Christianity 19
  9. Civil Religion in America 33
  10. II. The Free Exercise of Religion
  11. Introductory Comments 45
  12. The Origins and Historical Understanding of Free Exercise of Religion 49
  13. The Case Against the Constitutionally Compelled Free Exercise Exemption 95
  14. III. God and Government: The Establishment Clause
  15. Introductory Comments 115
  16. Forgotten Purposes of the First Amendment Religion Clauses 119
  17. The Original Meaning of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment 137
  18. IV. Religion Clauses and Supreme Court Cases
  19. Introductory Comments 159
  20. Church, State, and the Constitution 165
  21. Why 'Separation' is not the Key to Church-State Relations 180
  22. Statism, not Separatism, is the Problem 189
  23. Freedom and/or Separation: The Constitutional Dilemma of the First Amendment 195
  24. Strict Neutrality: The Next Step in First Amendment Development? 205
  25. V. Secular Humanism as Religion: The Great Debate
  26. Introductory Comments 215
  27. The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America 219
  28. America's Fourth Faith: A Sociological Perspective on Secular Humanism 230
  29. The Religion of Secular Humanism: A Judicial Myth 240
  30. VI. The Rise of Fundamentalism
  31. Introductory Comments 247
  32. Pietist Politics 253
  33. The Fundamentalist Phenomenon 268
  34. The Christian Right in Twentieth Century America: Continuity and Change 275
  35. The New Puritanism: We Must Say 'No' Again 290
  36. Fundamentalism 299
  37. VII. War, Peace, and Pacifism
  38. Introductory Comments 309
  39. Various Works 318
  40. Summa Theologica 324
  41. Whether Soldiers, Too, Can Be Saved 330
  42. Institutes of the Christian Religion 335
  43. On Beginning War 339
  44. Reply to False Accusations 342
  45. Why the Christian Church is not Pacifist 344
  46. Christianity and Social Problems 356
  47. In Defense of Creation 359
  48. On Nuclear Morality 370
  49. The Use of Force: A Justified Response 378
  50. Just Wars and the Burdens of History 382
  51. An Imperfectly Just War: Part of the Uncertainty is Factual 385
  52. Just War Tradition: Is It Credible? 394
  53. VIII. Liberation Theology
  54. Introductory Comments 401
  55. On Liberation Theology (excerpts) 406
  56. Two Theologies of Liberation 414
  57. Instruction on Certain Aspects of the 'Theology of Liberation' 422
  58. Centesimus Annus 436
  59. Liberation Theology and the 'New World Order' 440
  60. Selected Readings 447
  61. Backmatter 457
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110847710-031

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Preface V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. I. On Christianity, Civil Religion, and Politics
  6. Introductory Comments 7
  7. On Politics and Power (excerpts) 10
  8. Mere Christianity 19
  9. Civil Religion in America 33
  10. II. The Free Exercise of Religion
  11. Introductory Comments 45
  12. The Origins and Historical Understanding of Free Exercise of Religion 49
  13. The Case Against the Constitutionally Compelled Free Exercise Exemption 95
  14. III. God and Government: The Establishment Clause
  15. Introductory Comments 115
  16. Forgotten Purposes of the First Amendment Religion Clauses 119
  17. The Original Meaning of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment 137
  18. IV. Religion Clauses and Supreme Court Cases
  19. Introductory Comments 159
  20. Church, State, and the Constitution 165
  21. Why 'Separation' is not the Key to Church-State Relations 180
  22. Statism, not Separatism, is the Problem 189
  23. Freedom and/or Separation: The Constitutional Dilemma of the First Amendment 195
  24. Strict Neutrality: The Next Step in First Amendment Development? 205
  25. V. Secular Humanism as Religion: The Great Debate
  26. Introductory Comments 215
  27. The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America 219
  28. America's Fourth Faith: A Sociological Perspective on Secular Humanism 230
  29. The Religion of Secular Humanism: A Judicial Myth 240
  30. VI. The Rise of Fundamentalism
  31. Introductory Comments 247
  32. Pietist Politics 253
  33. The Fundamentalist Phenomenon 268
  34. The Christian Right in Twentieth Century America: Continuity and Change 275
  35. The New Puritanism: We Must Say 'No' Again 290
  36. Fundamentalism 299
  37. VII. War, Peace, and Pacifism
  38. Introductory Comments 309
  39. Various Works 318
  40. Summa Theologica 324
  41. Whether Soldiers, Too, Can Be Saved 330
  42. Institutes of the Christian Religion 335
  43. On Beginning War 339
  44. Reply to False Accusations 342
  45. Why the Christian Church is not Pacifist 344
  46. Christianity and Social Problems 356
  47. In Defense of Creation 359
  48. On Nuclear Morality 370
  49. The Use of Force: A Justified Response 378
  50. Just Wars and the Burdens of History 382
  51. An Imperfectly Just War: Part of the Uncertainty is Factual 385
  52. Just War Tradition: Is It Credible? 394
  53. VIII. Liberation Theology
  54. Introductory Comments 401
  55. On Liberation Theology (excerpts) 406
  56. Two Theologies of Liberation 414
  57. Instruction on Certain Aspects of the 'Theology of Liberation' 422
  58. Centesimus Annus 436
  59. Liberation Theology and the 'New World Order' 440
  60. Selected Readings 447
  61. Backmatter 457
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 21.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110847710-031/html?srsltid=AfmBOop3tmre7OvXGIlzTsAbyTTPeCbwmWu6H35tYopu5z4jLU98NIPS
Scroll to top button