Chaplain earns PhD in Military Ethics: Developments in Just War Theory

December 2, 2025 - Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 2:45

In October, Lieutenant-Commander Félix Roberge, Senior Chaplain at Canadian Forces Base Kingston, successfully obtained his PhD in Military Ethics from Laval University in Québec by defending his thesis entitled: "[translation] The Just War Theory Revisited Considering jus post bellum (justice after war) and the Rehabilitation of Military Members Returning from Combat."

Having served in the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service (RCChS) for 20 years and with operational experience both in Canada and abroad as a member of conventional and special operations forces, Padre Roberge has developed top expertise in military ethics. He started his PhD with a desire to help the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the RCChS provide the best support possible to all members facing complex ethical challenges, both in the theatre of operations and in garrison.

Drawing from a number of disciplines—political science, international studies, military ethics, moral and legal philosophy, as well as theological ethics—his research aims to address the gaps in the just war theory. Traditionally focused around the justification for going to war and how a war is fought, this theory still struggles to incorporate justice after war (jus post bellum). Padre Roberge proposes enhancing this third category of criteria, which deserves increased international recognition, possibly in the form of a kind of Geneva Convention of its own.

Justice after war concerns reconciliation, the return of refugees, reconstruction, and restoring security. But what about the military members' internal peace? The peace they helped build elsewhere may be difficult to find within themselves upon their return. In addition to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they may suffer from moral injuries. Padre Roberge maintains that the support offered by chaplains and the peer support workers in the Sentinel Program (which he co-founded in 2007–2008) remains one of the best ways to prevent or treat these deep wounds.

These ethical concerns affecting military members and their families upon the completion of operations led Padre Roberge to revisit the just war theory as a whole. In his opinion, the after-war period should not be considered after the fact: from the beginning, it must guide what the CAF are preparing and what is established before and during operations. He also stresses the importance of the period preceding the pre-deployment phase, arguing that it is a key opportunity to provide military members with integral training on the physical, mental, familial, and spiritual levels in order to develop their critical thinking, their strength of character, and resilience.

Completing a PhD while working full-time calls for discipline and perseverance that might inspire anyone facing their own challenges. During this demanding time, Padre Roberge had to find a constant balance between his professional responsibilities and his research. Even when in deep questioning, his spirituality reminded him that no challenge is insurmountable and that, regardless of the difficulty he faced, there are always good people on our path to support us. The values in the Statement of Defence ethics (integrity, loyalty, courage, stewardship and excellence) also served as guide posts.

By seeking to take better care of our members, Padre Roberge is now critically revisiting the traditional ethics of war to make it more humane and more faithful to its purpose. His thesis is dedicated: "[translation] To military members in Canada and elsewhere, may our efforts to 'undertake an evaluation of war with an entirely new attitude' (Vatican II) help you one day witness, in you and around you, the creation of a just and lasting peace that we have sought together."