Joshua Bennett
The Catholic Church teaches that killing is always a grave issue and should never be taken lightly. However, the Church also teaches that self-defence is a right and, in some cases, a duty. This has led to questions about whether it is ever justifiable to kill in self-defence. While some Catholics argue that it is never justifiable, the Church's position is that lethal force can be justified in certain circumstances. This has sparked debates about the morality of killing in self-defence, with some arguing that it is immoral to kill even an aggressor, while others contend that it is permissible or even obligatory to kill in defence of one's life or the lives of others.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Self-defense | Justified |
| Lethal force | Justified in some cases |
| Killing an innocent person | Immoral |
| Killing an aggressor | Justified in some cases |
| Defense of property | Justified only if the property is of considerable value |
| Defense of bodily integrity | Justified |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catholic Church affirms the right to self-defence
- Killing in self-defence is permissible if no other means to preserve life exist
- The Church distinguishes between 'killing' and 'murder'
- The use of lethal force is justifiable if the property being defended is of considerable value
- The act of self-defence can have two effects: preserving one's life and killing the aggressor
The Catholic Church affirms the right to self-defence
The Church's teaching on self-defence is summarised as the defence of life and person. This means that everyone has the right to defend their life against an unjust aggressor and may employ whatever force is necessary, even taking the life of the assailant if it is the only way to preserve their own life. This principle is rooted in the idea of the "equality of relations", which states that all human beings are equal and owe it to one another not to kill.
However, it is important to note that the use of lethal force in self-defence is not justified in all cases. The defence must be proportionate to the attack, and no more injury may be inflicted on the assailant than is necessary to stop them. For example, it would not be justifiable to kill someone for stealing an iPhone, as the defence would be disproportionate to the attack. Similarly, it would not be lawful to kill a thief to recover stolen goods if they can be recovered by other means, such as frightening the thief into abandoning the stolen property.
The Church's position on self-defence is nuanced, and it is important to consider the specific circumstances of each case. While the Church affirms the right to self-defence, it also emphasises the sanctity of human life and the duty to preserve it whenever possible. The use of lethal force in self-defence is therefore a last resort and must be justified by the principle of "equality of justice", which recognises the obligation to be innocent in both will and behaviour towards others.
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Killing in self-defence is permissible if no other means to preserve life exist
The Catholic Church teaches that killing a human being is always a grave issue and should never be taken lightly. The Church affirms that self-defence is justified, and in some cases, a duty. However, the use of lethal force in self-defence is a highly debated topic among Catholics.
Some Catholics argue that lethal force can be justified if there are no other means to preserve one's life. This idea is based on the concept of the “equality of relations,” which states that all human beings are equal in behaviour that is naturally consistent with the exercise of life. This equality gives rise to the “equality of justice,” where individuals owe it to each other not to kill or behave innocently towards one another.
In situations where an aggressor's behaviour will result in the death of the victim, and there are no other means to preserve their life, deliberately killing the aggressor is not considered an injustice. This is because the aggressor, being a human being, also has a right to life, and killing them in self-defence would violate their right to life just as much as killing an innocent person would.
However, it is important to note that the use of lethal force in self-defence is permissible only when it is proportionate to the inequality caused by the attack. For example, if someone tries to steal an iPhone, killing them would not be justified, as the defence is not proportionate to the attack. Additionally, the Catechism of the Catholic Church specifies that the act of self-defence should aim to preserve one's life and that no more injury may be inflicted on the assailant than is necessary to defeat their purpose.
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The Church distinguishes between 'killing' and 'murder'
The Catholic Church makes a clear distinction between killing and murder. While the Church recognises that killing a human being is always a grave issue, it also teaches that self-defence is a right and, in some cases, a duty. This is because the fundamental principle of morality is the love and preservation of oneself.
The Church teaches that everyone has the right to defend their life against the attacks of an unjust aggressor and may employ whatever force is necessary, even if it means taking the life of the aggressor. However, it is important to note that no more injury may be inflicted on the aggressor than is necessary to defend oneself. For example, if someone tries to steal an iPhone, it is not justifiable to kill them. The defence must be proportionate to the attack.
The Church's teaching on self-defence is summarised as follows: "Everyone has the right to defend his life against the attacks of an unjust aggressor. For this end, he may employ whatever force is necessary and even take the life of an unjust assailant."
The Church also distinguishes between killing an innocent person and killing an aggressor in self-defence. Deliberately killing an innocent human being is considered an injustice and, therefore, immoral. However, killing an aggressor whose behaviour will result in one's death, when there are no other means of preserving one's life, is not considered an injustice and is thus morally permissible, and in some cases, obligatory.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifies the prohibition contained in the fifth commandment: "Do not slay the innocent and the righteous." It further adds that the deliberate murder of an innocent person is gravely contrary to the dignity of the human being, the golden rule, and the holiness of the Creator.
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The use of lethal force is justifiable if the property being defended is of considerable value
The Catholic Church teaches that self-defence is not only a right but also a duty. However, the Church also emphasises that killing a human being is always a grave issue and should never be taken lightly. So, when is the use of lethal force justifiable in the Catholic faith?
One principle that helps guide this discussion is the idea of "equality of relations", which suggests that all human beings are equal in behaviour that is naturally consistent with the exercise of life. This means that everyone owes it to everyone else not to kill them and to be innocent in their behaviour towards them. This principle of innocence is fundamental to the Catholic concept of morality.
However, this creates a conflict when it comes to self-defence. If a person's behaviour towards me will kill me, and there is no other means to preserve my life, does my right to life override their right to innocence? According to some Catholic sources, the answer is yes. This is because the obligation not to kill arises from a specific order of relationship that requires not only that we be innocent in will but also that we be innocent in behaviour. In other words, if someone is behaving in a way that threatens my life and is not innocent in their behaviour towards me, then I am justified in using lethal force to defend myself.
However, this justification for lethal force comes with an important caveat. The defence must be proportionate to the inequality caused by the attack. In other words, the use of lethal force is only justifiable if it is necessary to defeat the aggressor's purpose. For example, if someone is stealing my iPhone, it would not be just to kill them, but it would be just to wrestle them to the ground. Similarly, if a thief has already escaped with stolen goods, it would not be lawful to kill them to recover the property, but if they resist violently, they may be killed in self-defence.
Therefore, the use of lethal force is justifiable in the Catholic faith if the property being defended is of considerable value and the aggressor's life is threatened only as a last resort to defend that property.
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The act of self-defence can have two effects: preserving one's life and killing the aggressor
The Catholic Church teaches that killing a human being is always a grave issue and should never be taken lightly. The Church upholds the commandment "Thou shall not kill" or "You shall not kill". However, the Church also recognises the right to self-defence, which can indeed involve lethal force.
The key distinction is between "killing" and "murder". Killing in self-defence is not considered murder, as murder is the deliberate and unjust killing of an innocent person. In the case of self-defence, the aggressor is not innocent, and their behaviour poses a direct threat to the life of the defender. Therefore, taking the life of an aggressor in self-defence is not considered a violation of the commandment against killing.
However, the use of lethal force in self-defence is subject to certain conditions. Firstly, the force used must be proportionate to the threat posed by the aggressor. For example, it would not be justifiable to kill someone for stealing an iPhone, as the defence is not proportionate to the inequality caused by the attack. Secondly, no more injury may be inflicted on the assailant than is necessary to neutralise the threat. Finally, the use of lethal force may be limited in cases where the defender has other means to escape or resolve the situation without killing the aggressor.
In summary, while the Catholic Church generally upholds the sanctity of human life and prohibits killing, it recognises that there are exceptional circumstances where lethal force is morally permissible as a means of self-defence. The act of self-defence can indeed have two effects: preserving one's life and killing the aggressor. However, the use of lethal force must meet certain conditions, including proportionality, necessity, and the absence of alternative means to resolve the situation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Catholic Church teaches that lethal force can be justified in certain situations. The Church states that everyone has the right to defend their life against an unjust aggressor and may employ whatever force is necessary, including taking the aggressor's life.
Scripture specifies the prohibition contained in the fifth commandment: "Do not slay the innocent and the righteous". The Bible also recalls the commandment, "You shall not kill", and adds proscription against anger, hatred, and vengeance.
Catholic moralists agree on the main principles regarding the right to self-defence. They teach that everyone has the right to defend their life and bodily integrity against an unjust aggressor. However, the force used must be proportionate to the attack, and no more injury may be inflicted on the assailant than is necessary to stop them.
