The Ethics of War and Peace: Religious Traditions in Dialogue

Dear Colleagues,

Across centuries and cultures, religious traditions have developed complex and nuanced moral frameworks to address questions of war and peace. Whether in Christian, Jewish, Islamic, or other theological systems, doctrines concerning the legitimacy of armed conflict (jus ad bellum), conduct during war (jus in bello), and the conditions for just and lasting peace (jus post bellum) have played a significant role in shaping ethical reasoning and political decision-making.

In our time, when international relations are marked by protracted conflicts, rising geopolitical tensions, and the erosion of trust in traditional peacekeeping mechanisms, these theological reflections on war and peace are more relevant than ever. This Special Issue offers a unique and timely opportunity to examine the religious foundations of war ethics and peacebuilding strategies, both in historical contexts and in the light of present-day challenges.

We welcome contributions that investigate how religious teachings have justified, constrained, or transformed attitudes toward violence, justice, and reconciliation. We are particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches that engage theology, religious ethics, history, law, and political science. Contributions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Comparative analyses of just war doctrines across religions;
• Religious responses to modern warfare, including nuclear weapons, terrorism, and cyberwarfare;
• Theological perspectives on peace processes and reconciliation;
• Religious dimensions of nonviolence and pacifism;
• Religious-based armed conflicts over natural resources;
• Case studies of specific conflicts where religion played a decisive ethical or political role;
• Reflections on jus post bellum in religious traditions;
• Institutional responses of religious communities to security, war, and peace;
• Interreligious dialogue and cooperation in peacebuilding;
• Critical re-evaluations of classical texts in light of contemporary conflict.

We especially encourage contributions that bridge theoretical reflection with practical case studies and that offer global and intercultural perspectives.

We hope that this Special Issue will stimulate new research at the intersection of religion, ethics, and conflict studies by encouraging scholars to revisit foundational texts and doctrines in light of current global realities. By highlighting both shared concerns and distinct approaches among religious traditions, the issue aims to deepen our understanding of how moral and theological frameworks influence practical responses to war and peace. We also hope to foster dialogue across disciplines and confessional boundaries, contributing to a richer, more nuanced discourse on the ethical challenges of violence, justice, and reconciliation in today’s world. Ultimately, this Special Issue seeks to serve as a catalyst for further scholarly engagement, policy reflection, and interreligious cooperation in the pursuit of a more just and peaceful global order.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution by 30 September 2025. Please send it to a Guest Editor (Prof. Lorand Ujházi ujhazi.lorand@uni-nke.hu, Ádám Darabos (PhD) Darabos.Adam@uni-nke.hu) or to the Assistant Editor, Ms. Rudy Miao (Rudy.miao@mdpi.com), of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Lóránd Ujházi
Dr. Ádám Darabos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• just war theory
• ethical dimensions of war
• religious ethics
• religion and violence
• peacebuilding
• interreligious dialogue
• reconciliation
• nonviolence
• theology and conflict
• comparative theology
• religion and international relations