Combating terrorism

Since the attacks of 11 September 2001, there has been intense discussion on the issue of how best to combat terrorist violence. In the German-speaking community, the term used is Terrorismusbekämpfung (combating terrorism). This term, however, is only suitable for use in this discussion if it encompasses all of the means used in terrorism and is not restricted to those only applied by the military or by the police.

Terrorist violence and the implementation of unsuitable and unjust measures of combating that violence both pose an equally great threat to peace. Viewed from the perspective of the ethics of peace, therefore, the question that must be asked is how are we to oppose terrorism responsibly, justly and ethically and in a way that is seen to promote peace. This project seeks to contribute to answering this very question, assuming as its basis the guiding principle of just peace as developed in Germany by the two great churches following the lead of the Ecumenical Assembly of the GDR (1989) in the documents „Gerechter Friede“ (Just Peace) (2000) and „Aus Gottes Frieden leben – für gerechten Frieden sorgen“ (Living by the peace of God – ensuring just peace) (2007). The two texts mentioned above as well as other church documents contain miscellaneous statements regarding the fight against terrorism which are relevant in this context. Other aspects of and lines of argumentation on the problems involved have meanwhile been introduced into discourse on the subject of combating terrorism through schools of thought that are more academic in their approach and which, as such, are to be subjected to analysis from the perspective of just peace in a separate stage of the overall methodology that is to be applied. Ultimately, this analysis should serve to bring the discussion back to the ethics of peace as practised by the Church, to enable us to reflect on what the actual implications are of these approaches for combating terrorism in a manner that is seen to be consistent with the requirements laid down under the ethics of peace.

Project processor: Michael Hörter, M.A.
Email: hoerter@ithf.de
Telephone: +49 (0)40 / 67 08 59 - 15