John Wyclif on war and peace / Rory Cox.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cox, Rory, 1982-

Series:

Royal Historical Society studies in history. New series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Wycliffe, John, -1384.

Wycliffe, John.

Wycliffe, John, -1384--Political and social views.

Just war doctrine--History.

Just war doctrine.

War--Religious aspects.

War.

History.

Political and social views.

Physical Description:

xiv, 200 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Woodbridge : Boydell Press, 2014.

Summary:

John Wyclif (c. 1330-84) was the foremost English intellectual of the late fourteenth century and is remembered as both an ecclesiastical reformer and a heresiarch. But, against the backdrop of the Hundred Years War, Wyclif also tackled the numerous ethical, legal and practical problems arising from war and violence. Since the fifth-century works of St Augustine of Hippo, Christian justifications of war had revolved around three key criteria: just cause, proper authority and correct intention. Using Wyclif's extensive Latin corpus, the author traces how and why Wyclif dismantled these three pillars of medieval just war doctrine, exploring his critique within the context of late medieval political thought and theology. Wyclif is revealed to be a thinker deeply concerned with the Christian virtues of sacrifice, suffering and charity, which ultimately led him to repudiate the concept of justified warfare in both theory and practice. The author demonstrates that Wyclif created a coherent doctrine of pacifism and non-resistance which was at that time unparalleled. In doing so, he fundamentally changes the way in which we understand John Wyclif. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 The development of just war doctrine up to the fourteenth century 15

2 Wyclif's rejection of just cause 47

3 Wyclif's rejection of proper authority 73

4 Wyclif's rejection of correct intention 88

5 Wyclif on politics 112

6 The medieval pacifist 135.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 171-190) and index.

ISBN:

9780861933259

0861933257

OCLC:

869775707