Bradley Lewis, associate professor, philosophy, was quoted in a National Catholic Register story on just war theory and the recent missile strikes in Syria.
... The clear preference for a strategy of dialogue and multilateral negotiation over military action by a single world power is consistent with the Church’s past efforts to resolve violent conflicts or confront systemic injustice.
“There is generally a presumption against the use of force from both the Vatican and the U.S. bishops,” agreed Bradley Lewis, a political philosopher at The Catholic University of America.
“This is understandable, since military force always carries the potential both for injury to innocent noncombatants and for escalation.”
The Church’s stance is informed by Catholic just-war doctrine, as developed by St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. ...
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