Aquinas on the Military Draft

Father Aquinas,

My nation has declared war against a neighbor and demands my service in the military. I have always striven to obey my national leaders as ministers of God’s authority on earth. However, I have also tried to the best of my ability to love my neighbors as Christ commanded. What am I to do?

Sincerely,

Struggling Citizen

Dear Struggling Citizen,

It may be that there is no conflict between war and love. You do well to honor the laws of your land, for as I have said, “Every law is ordained to the common good.” (p 77) That is to say, every good law which rightly binds the conscience of the citizenry must be a law which promotes the good of the whole, rather than merely the individual. As the Philosopher said, “The greatest virtues must needs be those which are most profitable to other persons, because virtue is a faculty of doing good to others. For this reason the greatest honors are accorded the brave and the just, since bravery is useful to others in warfare, and justice is useful to others both in warfare and in time of peace.” (p 89)

I can hear your next question before asked: ‘But what of doing good to those enemies in the country which I am ordered to kill in war?’ Again, your love toward your neighbor is commendable. However, you must consider the possibility that your national leaders wage a just war. What do I mean by a just war? “In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign by whose command the war is to be waged…Second, a just cause is required, namely that those who are attacked, should be attacked because they deserve it on account of some fault…Thirdly, it is necessary that the belligerents should have a rightful intention, so that they intend the advancement of good, or the avoidance of evil.” (p 95)

As I do not know the specifics of your national situation, I cannot answer for the justice of the war at hand. You must ask yourself, Are my national leaders legitimate authorities established by God to defend the common good? Is my country being attacked unfairly, merely for the benefit of an evil enemy? Do we enter the war with good intentions and a desire to promote peace and blessing among others? If you can answer these three questions in the affirmative, you can be assured that the war is just, and you may participate with a clear conscience before God and men. In fact, a just war fought for righteous reasons will demand your support and participation, if you truly love those whom the war intends to protect.

God’s Servant,

Father Thomas