Jonathan Dymond

In his Inquiry, the early 19th-century Quaker philosopher Jonathan Dymond investigates the centuries-old question of whether war is compatible with the teachings of Christianity. Examining the question through both the lenses of Christian tradition and secular philosophy, Dymond argues that war is thoroughly incompatible with Christianity in its preceding causes, present reality, and following consequences. Much of the tract is dedicated to refuting the arguments of his opponents, such as claims that certain passages of the Bible sanction war or that the moral commandments of Christianity can be superseded on a case-to-case basis on utilitarian grounds of “expediency.” Dymond’s Inquiry was later cited by his fellow Christian pacifist Leo Tolstoy in The Kingdom of God Is Within You, further advancing Dymond’s argument that it is the duty of a Christian “mildly and temperately, yet firmly, to refuse to serve” in the military.

War has been a key topic of speculation and theorising ever since the invention of philosophy in classical antiquity. This anthology brings together the work of distinguished contemporary political philosophers and theorists who address the leading normative and conceptual issues concerning war. The book is divided into three parts: initiating war, waging war, and ending war. The contributors aim to provide a comprehensive introduction to each of these main areas of dispute concerning war. Each essay is an original contribution to ongoing debates on various aspects of war and also provides a survey of the main topics in each subfield. Serving as a companion to the theoretical issues pertaining to war, this volume also is an important contribution to debates in political philosophy. It can serve as a textbook for relevant courses on war offered in philosophy departments, religious studies programs, and law schools.