Exploring Catholic Social Teaching
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LESSON PLAN<br />
Activity<br />
A. Ask the class: What is peace? Peace is not only the absence of strife, but more than that, it is the<br />
stability and security of a just order.<br />
B. What causes a lack of peace? Sin was the cause of the loss original justice, and sin is always the<br />
reason for a lack of earthly justice.<br />
C. Explain that war is the ultimate lack of earthly peace. Emphasize that war causes terrible<br />
human suffering, and that public officials and all citizens must do all they can to avoid war. Yet,<br />
war can sometimes be unavoidable.<br />
D. Explain that the Church offers guidance for going to war and waging it justly, called Just War<br />
Doctrine. Just War Doctrine is Church teaching on conditions that all must exist at the same<br />
time for war to be just. These conditions are: the damage by the aggressor(s) must be lasting,<br />
grave, and certain; all other means of avoiding war must have been tried, there must be a real<br />
chance of winning, and the war itself must not result in worse conditions than the conditions<br />
that cause the war.<br />
E. During a war, the moral law remains in force. Civilians must not be targeted, non-combatants<br />
and prisoners must be treated justly, and “following orders” is not a valid reason for committing<br />
atrocities like genocide.<br />
F. After going over these conditions, distribute and have students read and complete Handout A:<br />
War and Justice.<br />
Formative Assessment<br />
When students have completed the activity, review and discuss the correct answers. Then have<br />
students choose a partner and summarize what they have learned with each other.<br />
DAY TWO<br />
Warm-up<br />
A. Project an image of General George Washington Resigning His Commission, by John Trumbull,<br />
available at the following link: SophiaOnline.org/Washington. You may also make copies to<br />
distribute using the image on Teacher Resource: General George Washington Resigning His<br />
Commission (page 142 in this guide).<br />
B. Go over the background information about the painting available on the AOC website. Then, as<br />
a large group, discuss the following questions:<br />
ӹ<br />
What are some things you know about George Washington, in addition to the fact that he<br />
was our first president? Students should be aware that he was the general of the Continental<br />
Army that defeated the British in the Revolutionary War.<br />
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 11<br />
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