ABSTRACT
Inarecenttelevisioninterview,oneofthemostseniorclericsoftheRussian OrthodoxChurch,MetropolitanKirillofSmolenskandKaliningradstatedthatthe UnitedStateshadtherighttouseforceinresponsetotheterroristattacksof11 September2001,becausetheconditionsofwarmetthecriteriaforajustwarlaid downbySt.Augustine. 1Inthisway,theMetropolitanplacedhisweightfully behindthestandardWesternjustwarformula.IndeedRussiansoftenusetheterm 'justwar'.2However,itwouldbeamistaketobelievethatstandardCatholicjust wardoctrineispartofRussiantradition,orthatitspreceptsarewidelyunderstood oradheredtoinRussianthoughtandpractice.Certainlyjustwartheoryas understoodintheWestcontainsnospecificallyRussianinput,whileinRussia philosophersandtheologianshaveneverdevelopedasystematicjustwartradition oftheirown.Russianthoughtonthejustificationofwarhasfollowedanumberof divergingpaths,someofwhichreflectsimilarideasintheWesternworld,and othersofwhicharemoreuniquelyRussian.
