Christianity's Contribution to Just War Tradition

摘要

Just war, the Western tradition of war, much like its people, is a product of a diverse cultural backdrop. While strong religious roots can be identified, it is not purely or uniquely a religious phenomenon. It cannot be reduced to a single source or interest of a particular class or institution or even to a particular time frame. Rather, a variety of ideas and institutions have played a role in shaping the Western approach to war. The donors include political, religious, legal, military, economic, philosophical and historical sources. While not discounting the broad variety of contributors, Christianity has played a major, if not the pivotal role, in the development of just war tradition.