Just Not Enough: Reframing Just Peace in an Era of Persistent Conflict

Abstract

ABSTRACT

JUST NOT ENOUGH: REFRAMING JUST PEACE IN AN ERA OF PERSISTENT CONFLICT

Derek M. Pottinger, ThM

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Mark T. Coppenger

Just peace is the proper end of an offensive just war. An ideally just peace is impossible must not be abandoned as a goal. This thesis argues peace is best viewed through a peace prism creating a six-level spectrum from war to ideally just peace. Levels 2 and 3 (marginally effective and substantially effective peace) do not qualify as jus post bella, while levels 4 and 5 (optimally effective and reasonably just peace) do because they address politics, economics, societal structure, international relations, and personal liberty postwar. Further the peace prism should be integrated into ad bellum decision-making as a precondition to meeting jus ad bellum criteria by using the maximum obtainable peace equation to estimate whether a just peace can be obtained at a reasonable expense in blood and treasure. Doing so will result in fewer decisions to go to war and a more ethically sound application of Just War Theory.