Volume 75, Issue 4

In the discussion on peace ethics, a shift of awareness is gradually taking place, manifest in the abandonment of the classical idea of »just war« and the increasing acceptance of the guiding principle of »just peace«. This complex process aims at founding ethics on the principle of peace instead of war. This essay traces the argumentation of the most recent statements of the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany) and the Ecumenical Council of Churches. The reorientation of peace ethics has to cope with the moral dilemma whether or not, in spite of the basic advocacy of non-violence, the deployment of violence to protect threatened human lives is acceptable. This essay makes suggestions for the solution of such a dilemma and addresses some concrete consequences of peace ethics as it attempts to argue from the principle of peace

This contribution first sketches the problem (of why the concept of ›just war‹ is still indispensable) by contrasting two positions representing the pros and cons of the just war doctrine. It also presents some reasons that forbid a seamless continuation of this doctrine. In a second step, the development of catholic doctrine is shown exemplified by three episcopal letters, which argue in favour of the right of self-defense and the criteria of just war as indispensable core values of the tradition and towards an integration of both within the concept of humanitarian intervention. Final considerations supplement this perspective by hinting to the inevitable tension between law and justice as well as legality and legitimacy within the context of the debate on the concept of international Responsibility to Protect.

It seems that peace ethics nowadays faces new challenges because of so-called ›new wars‹, ›asymmetric conflicts‹, ›hybrid warfare‹ and ›failing states‹. Yet political reactions and peaceethical arguments still draw back on old rationales based on the putatively overcome ›just war doctrine‹. Contrary to it, the ecumenical movement has long developed the new conceptual framework of ›just peace‹, which has been continued as the ›pilgrims’ way of peace and justice‹ by the World Council of Churches. - In order to overcome the apparent lack of political alternatives, the present essay assesses this discussion critically from the perspective of Peace Churches and shows new ways towards a peace ethics which is theologically founded, politically reasonable and compatible with ecumenism.