Christian Ethics And The Dilemmas Of Foreign Policy

What do Joseph, Joab, Jeremiah, and the Beautitudes have to do with a Christian young person in American foreign policy? Can a Christian be a diplomat, a spy, a defense industry scientist? Can a Christian impact foreign affairs as a member of Congress? Amid counsels for Christians to withdraw from the worlds of government and its power and self-interest, Ron Kirkemo argues a person embraced by God's grace should be engaged in the nation's purposes and the movement of history. Through such engagement God's children can impact history, but they will inevitably face ethical issues. This book is not about the policy of foreign policy, but about people conducting policy, the ethical issues they may and will face, and strategies for keeping one's First Love their first love. Is government ordained by God or history a movement of fate? If not, God's grae becomes a central factor in life. Is America headed the way of Babylon? If not, or if maybe, then Christians need to engage the intellectual and operational aspect of policy to prevent that decline and prevail against enemies. Is there a disconnect between the traits for success in foreign affairs and the "servant leadership" model espoused by many Christian colleges and universities? Kirkemo engages these issues and urges students to consider the Rhodes Ideal for shaping their years in college. This book will at times provoke controversy, but it always hopes to inspire and enlighten as it interprets history and Scripture, describes professional life, gives insight, offers counsel, and affirms one's openness to God and growth in spiritual life. "Based on a lifetime of theological reflection, scholarship, and experience, Ron Kirkemo offers timely wisdom based on timeless truths. His book is a passionate, nuanced, and original guide, grounded with equal depth in the Christian tradition and the policy world. For Christians, it will serve to inform current policy professionals and, one hopes, to inspire a new generation to faithful service in the two kingdoms."---William Inboden author of Religion and American Foreign Policy, 1945-1960: The Soul of Containment "While this thoughtful and perceptive book particularly challenges young Christians to work in the foreign policy arena, its discussion can be an aid to Christians of all ages. The author not only provides different lessons that can be drawn from biblical narratives, but he outlines the complexities which confront policy makers as well as the particular challenges which confront Christians who choose to work within the field and remain faithful to their Christian principles."---Corwin Smidt Calvin College "Embraced and Engaged is a wonderfully written and scholarly textbook that helps students explore opportunities for serving their country in the foreign policy arena . . . Embraced and Engaged would be very suitable for a foreign policy or international relations course. Anyone interested in developing a more in-depth and Christian perspective of foreign policy would also benefit from reading this book."---Chris McHorney California Baptist University

Whilst the views of leaders within the Church of England are frequently canvassed during periods of national crisis, little attention has been devoted to finding out whether there are Church perspectives on contemporary foreign policy issues. The Church of England has not been regarded as an actor with a strong input into international affairs, preferring to speak out on domestic and individual issues. Yet world politics present fundamental ethical dilemmas which call for careful deliberation and the Church has a role to play both in shaping the debate and arguing for particular policy directions. To what extent is national policy shaped by underlying Christian values. Do the campaigning efforts of faith groups really exert influence and guide the development of state policy? This book seeks to elucidate whether there are particular Christian perspectives on the role that Great Britain should play in the world today. It investigates the role that the Church of England has played in contemporary foreign policy issues: including the use of force - intervention, counter-terrorism and arms sales - and overseas trade, aid and debt forgiveness. The book brings together senior individuals from within the Church, academia and non-governmental organisations to investigate these various ethical dilemmas.

Christian Ethics and U.S. Foreign Policy examines the evolution of American foreign policy toward the Soviet Union during the period 1973-1980. In particular, Larry Pullen investigates how and why human rights issues became an increasingly significant part of the U.S.-Soviet relationship, focusing on the development of the Helsinki Accords and the process of monitoring compliance with its human rights provisions. Pullen presents an informed critique of both (realist) Henry Kissinger's and (idealist) Jimmy Carter's human right's policies in the tradition of Christian realism associated with Reinhold Neibuhr. The study is sure to provoke debate among students and scholars of foreign policy and ethics.

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This ground-breaking volume considers the ethical aspects of foreign policy change through five interrelated dimensions: conceptual, security, economic, normative and diplomatic. An impressive group of international scholars and practitioners makes it ideally suited to courses on international relations, security studies, ethics and human rights, philosophy, media studies and international law.

Moral Reflections on Foreign Policy in a Religious War argues that foreign policy thinkers and actors must take religion more seriously than they have in analysis and action. The tragedy of U.S. policy in Iraq is in part due to the dangers of ignoring religious conflicts in that country until it was too late, and then responding too awkwardly. Working as a philosopher of religion and politics, Ronald H. Stone shows how unreflective religion in a dialogic relationship with power politics has proven hazardous in both the United States and the Middle East. Stone proposes policy changes for the United States and calls for reform in the ways that both politics and religion are understood. Moral Reflections on Foreign Policy in a Religious War is a book appropriate for all levels of students and anyone seeking to make sense of current events. Book jacket.