Some Approaches to the Concepts of War and Peace in Terms of Philosophy of Religion

Authors : Saim Gündoğan

Pages : 624-637

Doi:10.54558/jiss.1698941

View : 85 | Download : 195

Publication Date : 2025-11-26

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: This study seeks to provide a set of philosophical and theological reflections on war and peace by engaging selected themes within the philosophy of religion. Adopting a novel and interdisciplinary perspective, the research aims to reframe the concepts of war and peace through a conceptually delimited framework, offering theoretical analyses and constructive proposals. Methods: Employing the method of literature review, the paper examines the legitimacy of war from moral, religious, and philosophical standpoints. It further analyzes the approaches of world religions to war and peace, the search for sustainable peace, and universal ethical perspectives related to conflict. The study presents and compares diverse views on war and peace within the discursive horizon of the philosophy of religion. Results: Through an analytical synthesis of diverse sources, this research discusses the concepts of militancy, just war theory, pacifism, and universal peace from a philosophical-theological perspective. Under the rubric of militancy, arguments in favor of the necessity of war are explored in light of scientific, ethical, and religious reasoning. Within the just war tradition, the study evaluates principles emphasizing the avoidance of war as a moral imperative and the limitation of harm where war becomes unavoidable. In the section on pacifism, the paper categorizes and analyzes absolute, conditional, and moderate forms of anti-war ethics. Theological analyses of universal peace underscore the notion that peace remains a highly endorsed moral aspiration. Among the central claims, peace is defended as a coherent life philosophy, positioned as a precondition for human freedom and dignity. Conclusion: Although religions may leave room for war in cases of absolute necessity, they do not promote it as a systematically divine imperative. Rather, religious encouragement for war is interpreted as a reflection of subjective theological interpretations and socio-political positioning. The study concludes that in contexts of both war and peace, religious discourse is often instrumentalized to legitimize underlying economic, political, or philosophical agendas. Originality: War and peace are not commonly addressed as core topics within the philosophy of religion. Framing them in this way provides a speculative and critical contribution to the field, demonstrating the broader ethical relevance of religion in contemporary global challenges.
Keywords : Din felsefesi, savaş ve barış, savaşçılık, adil savaş teorisi, pasifizm

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