Is War Ever Just? Frank Turek Explains Just War Theory & Christian Ethics

Should Christians ever go to war—or are we called to pacifism?

In this episode of Uncommon Sense in Current Times, I sit down with Christian apologist and author Dr. Frank Turek to unpack the biblical foundations of Just War Theory—a framework first articulated by Augustine and rooted in Scripture.

From Romans 13 to Genesis 9, Dr. Turek explains why government bears the sword to protect the innocent, when war is morally justified and why loving our neighbor sometimes requires defending them against evil.

If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like:

“Does ‘turn the other cheek’ mean Christians can’t fight?”

or

“Can modern wars ever be considered just?”

- This conversation brings biblical clarity.

 

📌 In this episode, we uncover:

✅ Augustine’s principles of Just War: right cause, last resort, restoring peace and proportionality

✅ Why the Bible rejects pure pacifism and affirms government’s duty to protect

✅ The difference between Just War and Old Testament Holy War

✅ How John the Baptist’s words still soldiers apply today

✅ Why technology makes modern precision warfare more ethical than WWII bombings

✅ The danger of confusing civil disobedience with vigilantism

✅ How wars can begin just but end unjust when principles are abandoned

✅ Why loving others sometimes means stopping evil with force

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