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God is Not Dead or Violent: The Catholic Church, Just War, and the “Resurgence” of Religion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2012

Lan T. Chu
Lan T. Chu*
Affiliation:
Occidental College
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Lan T. Chu, Occidental College, Diplomacy and World Affairs, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

While scholars have recognized a resurgence of religion, their focus mainly has been on religion's more violent aspects, overlooking its peaceful capacities and effects. This oversight is due in part to the lack of theoretical rigor when it comes to the study of politics and religion. Using the Catholic Church's opposition to the United States’ 2003 war in Iraq, this article highlights the political significance of religion's moral, symbolic voice, which is as important as the hard power that has traditionally dominated international relations. The post-Vatican II Catholic Church's modern articulation of human dignity and interpretation of just war theory challenges both scholars and policymakers to utilize the peaceful, diplomatic methods that international relations theory and practitioners have made available. Religion's role in politics, therefore, can be one that is supportive of modern political societies and it need not be violent.

Type
Articles
Information
Politics and Religion , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , August 2012 , pp. 419 - 440
Copyright
Copyright © Religion and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association 2012

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