(LifeSiteNews) — On this episode of Faith and Reason, Deal Hudson joins John-Henry Westen and Deacon Keith Fournier once again. They discuss President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran; Catholic just war theory; Pope Leo XIV’s response; the pontiff’s controversial appointment of Bishop Shane MacKinlay, who supports women “priests,” as archbishop of Brisbane; and more.
This episode was recorded prior to Trump’s announcement that a ceasefire had been reached between Israel and Iran, and news that each country had apparently violated the agreement.
The panel opened the episode by discussing Trump’s decision late last week to bomb alleged key Iranian nuclear sites and the legitimacy of the attack according to St. Thomas Aquinas’ just war theory.
READ: Catholics decry US, Iran, Israel bombings: ‘may diplomacy silence the weapons!’
Hudson recalled President George W. Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq, stressing that if Iraq actually had weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), that would’ve been considered a “just war.”
“In retrospect, (the war in Iraq) was a poor decision. However, in this case, you’ve got the same kind of intelligence saying that (Iran was) near a nuclear capacity,” he said. “You’ve also got the fact that … Iran has said repeatedly (that) they’re going to destroy Israel, they’re going to destroy the United States, and they’re going to kill President Trump.”
“So is that a casus belli? I think it is,” he added. “You’ve got an enemy who’s explicitly stated their intention to destroy the United States, kill Trump, destroy Israel, and they were just on the verge of having the weapons to at least take out Israel.”
Deacon Keith noted that he had not yet come to a conclusion on whether this conflict would qualify as a “just war” but quoted the strict criteria for a legitimate defense and pondered whether those criteria have been met in Iran.
EXCLUSIVE: Iran’s cardinal says peace only possible through ‘justice, mutual respect’
“The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, brave, and certain. Two, all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective,” he said. “Three, there must be serious prospects of success. Four, the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.”
The deacon continued: “Those are the criteria. They’re still there, and I still have a question: Is a preemptive strike of this sort fitting these criteria? I haven’t concluded.”
Deacon Keith also praised Pope Leo XIV’s response to the bombings, in which the American pontiff urged peace in the region.
READ: Pope Leo urges peace after US bombs Iran
“What’s going on is terrible, and I think Pope Leo XIV has given us the kind of leadership we need right now,” the deacon said. “We need to ask the only one who can lead us out of this mess to do so, and that’s Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. And we have to very carefully evaluate what we know now and what comes out in the next few days.”
Hudson said he disagreed with Pope Leo’s statement, highlighting the pope’s words, “War is never a solution.”
“World history refutes that. Sometimes, unfortunately, wars are necessary,” he said. “And so he could have said that in a way to allow for that possibility, at least in terms of what we know about world history and the defense of human rights, freedom, the avoidance of genocide, and so forth.”
For more discussion on the bombings and conflict in Iran, Pope Leo XIV’s response, just war theory, and more, tune in to this episode of Faith and Reason.
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