“Never Again War!” (FT 258) Pope Francis on peace and the abolition of ‘just war’ in Fratelli Tutti

Starting from the clear and sustained position of Pope Francis against war, armaments and against the violation of human rights, this article explores the positions of his encyclical Fratelli Tutti on violence, war and peace. It underlines the analysis of the current world that is seriously wounded by war and violence. War is systematically described as an absurdity to be abolished. This refers particularly to the doctrine of “just war” which the Pope openly rejects. Additionally, his position is that not only the use but also the possession of weapons, especially nuclear weapons, is immoral and unsustainable. To live these choices, Fratelli Tutti proposes spiritual and ethical attitudes of nonviolence. In this way, it will be possible to walk the path of peace, which is nothing other than peace itself.