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Was Pope Francis a pacifist?
ID Globokar, Roman (Author)

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Abstract
Throughout history, the Catholic Church has developed the concept of the “just war,” which authorizes the use of weapons to achieve just ends. In his encyclical “Pacem in Terris”, Pope John XXIII signalled a shift in the Church’s position—from advocating just war to promoting pacifism. The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (1993) permits only “legitimate defense by military force” (CCC, 2308–2310) and no longer refers to “just war.” In the encyclical “Fratelli Tutti”, Pope Francis warns against an overly broad interpretation of “legitimate defense” and advocates the rejection of all forms of war. Like his predecessors, he calls on world leaders to end wars and establish a just peace worldwide. The only legitimate goal is the creation of a just peace. Nevertheless, the question arises as to whether pacifism is the only appropriate Christian response to concrete acts of violence. In certain extreme circumstances, when a country is attacked, might not the use of military force in defense of its people and territory be the appropriate moral response? The war in Ukraine has tested the consistency of the Francis’s teaching in practice. The author notes1 that, as in the resolution of ethical dilemmas in other areas, Francis—regarding the ethics of peace—upholds high ethical principles (the rejection of all forms of war), while in individual cases he seeks the greatest possible good for those concretely affected (legitimate defense against violence).

Language:English
Keywords:just war, legitimate defense, just peace, war in Ukraine, pacifism
Work type:Article
Typology:1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:TEOF - Theological Faculty
Publication status:Published
Publication version:Version of Record
Publication date:29.12.2025
Year:2025
Number of pages:Str. 921-938
Numbering:Letn. 85, [št.] 4
PID:20.500.12556/RUL-177680 This link opens in a new window
UDC:172.4:929Frančišek
ISSN on article:0006-5722
DOI:10.34291/BV2025/04/Globokar This link opens in a new window
COBISS.SI-ID:263109635 This link opens in a new window
Publication date in RUL:31.12.2025
Views:249
Downloads:96
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Record is a part of a journal

Title:Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
Shortened title:Bogosl. vestn.
Publisher:Teološka fakulteta
ISSN:0006-5722
COBISS.SI-ID:8745472 This link opens in a new window

Licences

License:CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Link:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Description:This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

Language:Slovenian
Title:Je bil papež Frančišek pacifist?
Abstract:
Katoliška Cerkev je skozi zgodovino razvila koncept ‚pravične vojne‘, ki omogoča uporabo orožja za doseganje pravičnih ciljev. Že papež Janez XXIII. pa je v okrožnici „Pacem in Terris“ nakazal premik Katoliške Cerkve od zagovarjanja pravične vojne proti zagovarjanju pacifizma. Katekizem Katoliške Cerkve iz leta 1993 dopušča le še »zakonito obrambo z vojaško silo« (KKC 2308–2310) in ne govori več o pravični vojni. V okrožnici „Fratelli Tutti“ papež Frančišek opozarja na možnost ohlapne razlage koncepta ‚zakonite obrambe‘ in se zavzema za zavračanje vsake oblike vojne. Podobno kot njegovi predhodniki tudi on svetovne voditelje vseskozi poziva k ustavitvi vojn in k vzpostavitvi pravičnega miru na globalni ravni. Vsekakor je edini legitimni cilj vzpostavitev pravičnega miru, vprašanje pa je, ali je na konkretno nasilje pacifizem edini ustrezen krščanski odgovor. Ali ni v določenih skrajnih primerih, ko je država napadena, za obrambo ljudi in ozemlja ustrezen moralni odgovor tudi uporaba vojaške sile? Vojna v Ukrajini pomeni preizkus glede dosledne izvedljivosti Frančiškovega nauka v praksi. Avtor ugotavlja, da podobno kot pri reševanju etičnih dilem na preosta-lih področjih Frančišek tudi na področju etike miru zagovarja visoka etična načela – zavračanje vsake oblike vojne –, v posameznih primerih pa išče največje možno dobro za konkretno prizadete ljudi (legitimna obramba pred nasiljem).

Keywords:pravična vojna, zakonita obramba, pravičen mir, vojna v Ukrajini, pacifizem

Projects

Funder:ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Project number:P6-0269
Name:Religija, etika, edukacija in izzivi sodobne družbe

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