Marc LiVecche

Marc LiVecche is the McDonald Distinguished Scholar of Ethics, War, and Public Life at Providence. He is also a non-resident research fellow at the US Naval War College, in the College of Leadership and Ethics.

Marc completed doctoral studies, earning distinction, at the University of Chicago, where he worked under the supervision of the political theorist and public intellectual Jean Bethke Elshtain, until her death in August, 2013. His first book, The Good Kill: Just War & Moral Injury, was published in 2021 by Oxford University Press. Another project, Responsibility and Restraint: James Turner Johnson and the Just War Tradition, co-edited with Eric Patterson, was published by Stone Tower Press in the fall of 2020. Currently, he is finalizing Moral Horror: A Just War Defense of Hiroshima. Before all this academic stuff, Marc spent twelve years doing a variety of things in Central Europe—ranging from helping build sport and recreational leagues in post-communist communities, to working at a Christian study and research center, to leading seminars on history and ethics onsite at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration camp in Poland. This latter experience allowed him to continue his undergraduate study of the Shoah; a process which rendered him entirely ill-suited for pacifism.

Marc lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and children–and a marmota monax whistlepigging under the shed. He can be followed, or stalked, on twitter @mlivecche. Additional publications can be found at his Amazon author page.

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Atomic Blasts 1945 & Christian Ethics

Just war scholars and Christian ethicists address morality of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Marksism – No. 60: Afghanistan, Calvinist Politics, Hiroshima

Mark Tooley & Marc LiVecche discuss Afghanistan, Calvinism & Hiroshima.

Marksism – No. 59: Utilitarian Christianity, Niebuhrs, Integral Disarmament, and Pope Francis

This week the editors discuss a 1946 debate between H. Richard Niebuhr and others about “Utilitarian Christianity,” and a recent discussion about “Integral Disarmament.”

Marksism – No. 58: Drafting Women, Niebuhrian Inflation, Cuba, Afghanistan

This week the editors discuss Rebeccah Heinrichs’ article about drafting women, a 1946 op-ed on inflation, Mark Tooley’s article about Cuba, and Marc LiVecche’s article about Afghanistan.

Marksism — No. 57: North Korea, Killing Hitler, Disdaining America
Marksism – No. 57: North Korea, Killing Hitler, Disdaining America

In this week’s episode, the editors discuss Paulina Song’s article about the US travel ban on North Korea, a 1946 article explaining why the July 20 plotters tried to assassinate Hitler, and Mark Tooley’s book review focused on Henry Adams’ pessimistic view of America.

Marksism – No. 56: Cuba, Afghanistan & Democratic Piety

Mark Tooley and Marc LiVecche discuss Cuba, Afghanistan and providential optimism.

Marksism – No. 55: Cold War Christians, Patriotism, and International Religious Freedom
Marksism – No. 55: Cold War Christians, Patriotism, and International Religious Freedom

In this episode, the editors discuss a 1946 article arguing that the Soviet Union would no longer be America’s ally, a podcast about C.S. Lewis and patriotism, and next week’s International Religious Freedom Summit.

Marksism – No. 54: Rumsfeld, Democracy, and US Self-Understanding
Marksism – No. 54: Rumsfeld, Democracy, and US Self-Understanding

In this episode, the editors discuss Alan Dowd’s article about the US defending democracy abroad, an interview with Samuel Goldman about his book “After Nationalism,” and a reflection on Donald Rumsfeld from Marc LiVecche.

Marksism – No. 53: Cyberwar, World Government, Fatherly Love

In this week’s episode, the editors discuss LiVecche’s article about the just war tradition and cybersecurity, an article from 1946 about world government, and a reflection on fathers.

Marksism – No. 52: Antiracism, Israel, and the Flag

The editors discuss recent content, including a book review on antiracism, a reflection on Flag Day, and an analysis of surveys of young evangelicals’ views on Israel.