The tools of modern warfare and the ability of dictators to commit mass atrocities against their own people make just war theory more necessary and valuable than ever. Efforts at persuasion weren’t enough to stop the Holocaust, Rwandan genocide, or Assad’s mass murder.

Most wars are unjust. But that doesn’t mean pacifism is the answer. Most who go to war have no interest in JWT. It’s almost always ignored not manipulated. That doesn’t diminish its value for those trying to act justly. It remains their job to protect people + seek justice.

The Church has failed to rise to the occasion on genocide and mass killings over and over again. And it looks like it’s now headed in the wrong direction. This is why it matters that people praise the Church’s response to the Holocaust, even though 6 million Jews were killed.

Free market fundamentalism leaves people hungry. But some dictators intentionally starve people to death. Neoliberalism leaves people without healthcare. Some dictators bomb hospitals. If you care about stopping the former, you should care about stopping the latter.

The great value of Catholic social teaching is its coherence. When certain principles are removed, it shakes the foundation and the whole edifice can collapse.