'Just War' Theory Is Outdated, Says Pope Leo XIV In Magnifica Humanitas – OpEd
eurasiareview.com
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical declares Just War Theory obsolete — a seismic challenge to the moral framework Western civilizations have used to justify armed conflict for centuries.
Just War TheoryMoral PhilosophyPacifismNatural Law Theory
Theory Briefing
- Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas explicitly states that Just War Theory is 'now outdated,' marking a historic papal break from centuries of Catholic doctrine.
- Just War Theory, dating back to Augustine and Aquinas, has long provided moral criteria for when violence is permissible — the pope's rejection strips away that theological cover.
- Delivered as ordinary magisterium, the teaching carries significant doctrinal weight, pressuring Catholic-majority nations and militaries worldwide to reconsider their ethical frameworks for war.