This essay will discuss Saint Augustine’s legacy on Just War Theory with reference to Saint

Thomas Aquinas, ultimately arguing that Augustine only made the theological foundation that
have been merged into a theory by Aquinas. Firstly, I will outline Augustine’s approach to war
and violence. Then, I turn my focus to Aquinas’s major work in which he offers concise just
war principles. To conclude, I will argue that although both have a metaphysical resemblance,
(unlike Thomas) Augustine does not have a systematic concept while responding to the issue.

This section will begin by reviewing Saint Augustine’s magnum opus, De Civitate Dei with a
specific focus on Book 19. Later, by reviewing his extensive literature, I will suggest that he
adjusts his teachings on violence and war to the context. About his war-related theology, there
are two main ideas one should consider: justice and peace. True justice, he defines, is the "just
order of nature," which is the interior subordination of body and soul to God, allowing for the
proper ordering of love. (Augustine, 1913, XIX. 4.) A proper ordering is in which men love
God (1st), themselves (2nd), and their neighbours (3rd). (ibid. XIX. 14) With the love for others
in God, because the love for others can only be achieved through loving God (Slomp, 2022),
Augustine recognizes justice as a virtue “which gives every one his due”. (Augustine, 1913,
XIX. 21.) True justice, however, cannot be achieved in the earthly kingdom as a result of the
inherited sin of the first man. The sin disturbed this order and put self-love in the first place.
Pride, as he calls this primary sin (Parrish, 2005), abhors equality, and turns virtues into vices.
(Augustine, 1913, DCD XIX. 12., 25.) Yet even those, who alienated themselves from God
can enjoy his temporal peace. (ibid. XIX. 26.) In his view, this peace between man and man is
a well-ordered concord, to which civil peace is similar. Those who preserve or recover this
temporal truce should receive the blessing of immoral peace. (ibid. XIX. 13.)
Bearing this in mind, I shall briefly review how Augustine applied this theology to war and
violence. Throughout his works, he emphasizes the importance that wars can only be carried
on with the desire to establish peace. (ibid. XIX. 12.) In his letter to Marcellinus, he echoes that
one should hate the sin not the sinner. Therefore, the commissioner should remain humane
while dealing with the Donatists. (Augustine, 1990, L.133) Another writing, from Augustine
to Boniface, suggests that a soldier should aim at peace with love for God and others in God.
(Augustine, 1990, L.189) Furthermore, in Contra Faustum he recalls that the sword shall only
be used to correct, not to act in cruelty. (Augustine, 1887, CF XXII. 70.) As shown above, his
writings on the topic always include a contextual background.
Moving on, I shall discuss Saint Thomas Aquinas’ philosophy regarding justice and peace,
ultimately showing his account of war and violence. Thomas’ masterpiece, Summa Theologiae,
reviews most philosophical questions that are relevant to Christian theology. Justice for
Aquinas is a natural virtue, similarly to Augustine, it is “a habit whereby a man renders to
each one his due.” However, following an Aristotelian definition of virtue, Thomas adds that
this habit is “due by a constant and perpetual will”. (Aquinas, 2018, ST II-II Q58. A1) The
will is a subject of charity, and charity is the most excellent of all moral virtues through which
all natural virtues are directed towards a final good, God himself. (ibid. II-II Q23-24) Peace
then, the last end (so not a virtue), is an effect of charity that “all things desire” even those
(alienated from God in Augustine) who desire (with pride) something only seemingly good.
Thus, earthly peace is not ultimate but merely apparent in the kingdom of sinners. (ibid. II-II
Q29)
In Thomas’ discussion on war, one finds several references to Augustine’s war-related texts.
He mentions these writings, in most cases, to argue against the statement that war is always
sinful. By quoting Augustine, he calls one’s attention to a Christian understanding of God’s
relation to war. (ibid. II-II Q40A1) As stated in the Scripture (Lk 3:14), they both argue that
God did not forbid war. Following this argument, Thomas creates a theoretical framework for
just wars. He identifies three main characteristics that describe a just war: (a) a sovereign
authority that engages in war since individuals (groups) that take arms to oppose the common
engage in the sin of sedition (Aquinas, 2018, ST II-II Q42); (b) a just cause that means the
attacked nation deserves it for some fault (revenge, however, remains unjust); (c) the soldiers
have right intentions – not to act in cruelty but to restore peace. (ibid. II-II Q40) The limitations
of this essay do not allow further elaboration on these attributes, but one can clearly see that
the logical reasoning of Aquinas results in a theory that can be used in any context.

Now, I shall turn to the argument that I offered in the introduction. The supreme good (love for
God, and love for others in God) enables charity that leads to justice, giving everyone their
due. This interpretation of justice is ultimately the same in both authors' works. A slight
difference is the Aristotelian reasoning in Aquinas. This, however, should not mislead one from
believing that the two theologians perceived justice and peace identically. Moving from their
universal understanding to the particular applications, I suggest that Augustine’s “theory” is
not a theory in its literal meaning. Nico Vorster, in his discussion on Just War, agrees and calls
Augustine’s perspective “scattered” and “intermingled” with other topics. (Vorster, 2015) He
simply does not provide a systematic approach in his works but offers his knowledge as pastoral
advice for those in need and creates contextual arguments. Thomas Aquinas, on the other hand,
lays out a sufficient theory on the Augustinian grounds. His line of reasoning implies a good
understanding of Augustine and incorporates his works into a comprehensive doctrine. He
creates the Just War Theory which can be further advanced by Christian theologists and
political philosophers in the coming centuries.

In this essay, I offered an alternative interpretation of St. Augustine’s legacy on Just War
Theory, taking St. Thomas Aquinas into account. Although the two philosophers have a strong
resemblance regarding the core of their theology, I showed that Augustine’s scattered,
circumstantial thoughts on the issue could be best interpreted as pastoral advice. Whereas
Thomas Aquinas, as he revisited the philosophy of Augustine, provides an actual theoretical
framework for just wars.

References

Aquinas, T. 2018. Summa Theologiae. Steubenville: Emmaus Academic

Augustine, 1889. Contra Faustum. Buffalo: Christian Literature Publishing Co.

Augustine, 1913. De Civitate Dei. Edinburgh: T & T Clark

Augustine, 1990. The works of Augustine. Hyde Park: New City Press

Parrish, J.M. 2005. TWO CITIES AND TWO LOVES: IMITATION IN AUGUSTINE'S
MORAL PSYCHOLOGY AND POLITICAL THEORY. History of Political Thought.
26.(2.),pp.209–235.

Slomp, G. 2022. Hobbes Against Friendship. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan

Vorster, N. 2015. Just war and virtue: Revisiting Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. South
African Journal of Philosophy. 34(1), pp.55–68.