ABSTRACT
The just war tradition, commencing with Augustine, began as a critique of the “turn the other cheek” pacifism of the first Christians. Since then, the identities of both just war thinking and pacifism have involved their mutual critique. Pacifism has been both a critique of illicit violence and a critique of arrogant, predatory power, a call for both less brutal forms of relating to one another and more collaborative forms of authority. The dialogue between pacifism and just war thinking is just beginning because serious ethical reflection on war is just beginning. In itself, this is an astonishing fact. Pacifists can also be dogmatic. What is needed is a framework that is open enough so as not to prejudge the question of pacifism vs. just war theory one way or the other.
