The British Council of Churches and just war : 1945-59
Using previously unresearched archives from the British Council of Churches (BCC), a constituent assembly of the World Council of Churches and the established vehicle for communicating official non-Catholic approaches of the nuclear dilemma, this thesis raises two questions: (1) How did Christians in the BCC evaluate the role of the British State and their responsibility as citizens in the Cold War years 1945-59? (2) How did such evaluations affect a Christian policy-making process that aimed to influence Western defence attitudes? Answers are provided by analysing the BCC's role in developing and promoting the limited war nuclear strategy, a just war alternative to the Macmillan Government's formula of massive retaliation. The study contends that the British Churches' stance vis-Ă -vis the ethics of nuclear deterrence was largely influenced by judgements on the legitimacy of the State and its compatibility with Christian values. These judgements determined the nature of advice offered to Government and favoured the articulation of an 'Augustinian' form of political realism. The thesis makes two substantive claims. On one hand it suggests that the significance of the BCC approach lay, not in its challenge
Gorry, Jonathan Linden
BL Religion
The British Council of Churches and just war : 1945-59. Using previously unresearched archives from the British Council of Churches (BCC), a constituent assembly of the World Council of Churches and the established vehicle for communicating official non-Catholic approaches of the nuclear dilemma, this thesis raises two questions: (1) How did Christians in the BCC evaluate the role of the British State and their responsibility as citizens in the Cold War years 1945-59? (2) How did such evaluations affect a Christian policy-making process that aimed to influence Western defence attitudes? Answers are provided by analysing the BCC's role in developing and promoting the limited war nuclear strategy, a just war alternative to the Macmillan Government's formula of massive retaliation. The study contends that the British Churches' stance vis-Ă -vis the ethics of nuclear deterrence was largely influenced by judgements on the legitimacy of the State and its compatibility with Christian values. These judgements determined the nature of advice offered to Government and favoured the articulation of an 'Augustinian' form of political realism. The thesis makes two substantive claims. On one hand it suggests that the significance of the BCC approach lay, not in its challenge
british council churches war using previously unresearched archive british council churches constituent assembly world council churches establish vehicle communicate official non catholic approach nuclear dilemma raise two_question christians evaluate role british_state responsibility citizen cold_war evaluation affect christian policy_making process aim influence western defence attitude provide analyse role develop promote limited war nuclear strategy war alternative government formula massive study contend british churches stance vis_a_vis ethic nuclear largely influenced judgement legitimacy state compatibility christian value judgement determine_nature advice offer government favour articulation augustinian form political realism make substantive claim one_hand suggest significance lay challenge