Pope Leo XIV stated that the "just war" theory no longer corresponds to modern times
Kyiv • UNN
In a new encyclical, Pope Leo XIV called the doctrine of just war obsolete. The Pontiff calls for diplomacy and forgiveness to resolve conflicts.
Pope Leo XIV has questioned one of the Catholic Church's oldest doctrines regarding the justification of wars, stating that the "just war" theory is obsolete. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
The Pontiff outlined his position in his first major encyclical titled Magnifica Humanitas ("Magnificent Humanity"), released this week. In the document, he emphasized that the concept, which has been used for centuries to assess the legitimacy of wars, no longer corresponds to modern realities.
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"The theory of 'just war,' which has too often been used to justify any war, is now obsolete,"
According to him, humanity has more effective ways of resolving conflicts, including "dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness."
The Vatican explained the Pontiff's position
Cardinal Blase Cupich, one of Leo XIV's closest associates, stated that the Pontiff is concerned about how world leaders use this doctrine to justify the initiation of wars.
"The theory of just war was always intended to be a limitation, not a permission,"
Reuters notes that recently, the "just war" theory has been mentioned by representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, specifically Vice President JD Vance, who used it to defend military actions against Iran. Meanwhile, Leo XIV in his document condemned the increasing number of conflicts in the world and warned of the danger of new wars that are increasingly dependent on modern technologies.