AIMS, OBJECTIVES and HISTORY
1) Aims and Objectives
Members of the Christian church have long held widely differing views on the use of military force. This is still true today. Many believe that the use, or threat, of military force has played a necessary part in the search for peace. Others hold that military force is contrary to the Christian message of non-violence.
CCADD brings these various views into dialogue with each other and with those of other faiths or none. It provides a forum for expert debate and channels for dissemination of ideas and knowledge, and offers the chance to talk to established specialists on many key sources of conflict.
The focus is on contemporary issues, the key areas of which are:
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| Just war. | Terrorism and its tributaries: ethnic and religious sectarianism, jihadism. | Nuclear weapons and the ethics of deterrence; nuclear global treaty obligations the replacement of the UK Trident; steps on the way to nuclear disarmament. |
Others are:
- Biological and chemical weapons developments, the arms race in space.
- Conventional arms control and the elimination of inhumane weapons.
- The arms trade.
- The role of the United Nations and its various agencies.
- The role of the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice.
- The Geneva Conventions, ‘unlawful combatants’, use of torture etc.
- The role of individual conscience, legal and illegal orders and whistle blowing.
- Climate change, environmental and other long-term causes of conflict.
2) History of CCADD
In the Beginning - Robert A. Gessert
3) Recent Events
See "International Conference - 2011 Birmingham"
Was Iraq an unjust war?
CCADD held a major debate, in conjunction with Chatham House, on 22 March on ’Was Iraq an unjust war?’ This marked the launch of David Fisher’s book, Morality and War - Can War be Just in the Twenty-first Century? Speakers included Sir Michael Howard, Professor Nigel Biggar and Dr David Fisher. The main speaker’s texts and photos from the debate can be found under Meetings.