Is there such a thing as a just peace? The Next Century Foundation´s Religious Affairs Advisor thinks so – and has shared his thoughts on the subject:

Just Peace in Judeo Christian and Islamic Thought

The concept of a Just Peace has deep roots in the religious and ethical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although articulated in different ways across these faiths, all three share a conviction that peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice, dignity, and right relationship. This vision emerged historically in dialogue with the older Just War tradition — a framework developed to determine when war might be morally permissible and how it must be conducted to limit harm. While Just War theory sought to restrain violence, the idea of a Just Peace asks a further question: What must happen after conflict so that peace can endure?

From Just War to Just Peace

Just War theory, articulated by thinkers such as Augustine, Aquinas, and later Islamic jurists, attempted to provide theological justification for entering war (jus ad bellum) and moral constraints on its conduct (jus in bello). Yet religious traditions also recognised that the end of fighting does not automatically create peace. If the defeated are humiliated, deprived of dignity, or subjected to punitive retribution, resentment festers and future violence becomes more likely.

A Just Peace therefore emphasises restraint in victory, the restoration of social trust, and the prevention of cycles of revenge. Jewish prophetic literature warns repeatedly against triumphalism; Christian teaching stresses reconciliation and the healing of enmity; Islamic jurisprudence highlights mercy, proportionality, and the Qur’anic call to “incline to peace” when the adversary is willing. Across these traditions, peace is sustainable only when the conditions that fuel grievance are addressed.

Lessons from Modern History

The contrast between the treatment of Germany after the First and Second World Wars is often cited as a secular example of these principles. After 1918, the punitive terms of the Treaty of Versailles — territorial losses, crippling reparations, and national humiliation — contributed to deep resentment within German society. Many historians argue that these conditions helped create the political instability that extremist movements later exploited.

By contrast, after 1945 the Allied powers pursued a markedly different approach. Although Germany was defeated militarily, the post war settlement emphasised reconstruction, democratic renewal, and economic integration. The Marshall Plan, denazification, and the eventual creation of the European Coal and Steel Community fostered stability rather than bitterness. This approach did not erase all tensions, but it demonstrated how a more generous and forward looking peace can prevent renewed conflict.

What Might a Just Peace Look Like Today?

These historical and theological insights raise a pressing question: What might a Just Peace look like in the current United States and Israel war on Iran?

Below is a set of bullet point outcomes associated with the pursuit of a Just Peace in contemporary conflicts. They do not prescribe political positions but illustrate what many consider necessary for any side to regard a conflict as genuinely resolved:

• Cessation of hostilities accompanied by verifiable mechanisms preventing renewed attacks by any party.
• Security guarantees for all populations affected, including protection of civilians and religious/ethnic minorities.
• Humanitarian access to ensure food, medicine, and reconstruction aid reach those in need.
• Respect for sovereignty and clear agreements on territorial integrity and non interference.
• Commitments to de escalation, including limits on missile programmes, proxy activity, or cross border operations.
• Economic stabilisation measures, potentially supported by international partners, to reduce the desperation that fuels conflict.
• Channels for diplomatic dialogue, enabling grievances to be addressed without resort to violence.
• Mutual recognition of dignity, avoiding language or policies that humiliate or demonise entire peoples.
• Long term regional frameworks, encouraging cooperation on trade, energy, and security.

The dividends of a Just Peace agreement ensure the peace will endure and the historic enmities between the rivals addressed in a new spirit of trust building and rapprochement. Once addressed these issues will allow each party to reframe its negative characterisations of the others. This will lead to better understanding of each other’s history and culture, provide opportunities for mutual economic and cultural partnerships and remove causes of suspicion by governments of rival agents working within its borders. This in turn will lead to a less anxious and reactionary response to internal dissent.

A Just Peace is never simple, but the religious traditions that shaped the idea insist that peace built on justice is the only peace that lasts.