The Gospel Of Peace In A Violent World

"Blessed are the peacemakers." The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of peace: peace between God and humanity, peace among humans. And yet it can be difficult to see that peace in our broken, violent world. In this volume, Shawn Graves and Marlena Graves have gathered contributions from theologians, pastors, and practitioners on the importance and implementation of Christian nonviolence in today's world. The vision they cast not only responds to the realities of war and conflict but also offers a broader, deeper understanding of peace that addresses topics such as race, gender, disability, immigration, the environment, food scarcity, and more—a holistic shalom that is evidence of God's presence. May it be so.

In a world of war, terrorism, and other geopolitical threats to global stability, how should committed Christians honor Jesus Christ and his Word? How should Christians think and act when it comes to church-state relations, the preservation of order, the practice of just peacemaking, and the use of coercive force? In this volume in IVP Academic's Spectrum series, four contributors—experts in Christian ethics, political philosophy, and international affairs—offer the best of current Christian thinking on issues of war and peace. They present four distinct views: Eric Patterson, just war view Myles Werntz, nonviolence view A. J. Nolte, Christian realist view Meic Pearse, church historical view Each contributor makes a case for his own view and responds to the others, highlighting complexities and real-world implications of the various perspectives. Edited and with an introduction and conclusion by the philosopher Paul Copan, this book provides a helpful orientation to the key positions today. Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

In Peace on Earth Joseph Grassi emphasizes the practical means Jesus suggests to make peace a reality. He focuses on the roots of peace and justice found in the non-violent and compassionate life and teachings of Jesus. Grassi teaches that Luke's summary of Jesus' teaching in the "Sermon on the Plain" has a central place as a practical guide for believers to develop a life of peace and non-violence in imitation of Jesus as a non-violent Messiah. Luke's Jesus goes to the roots of true peace through the practice of non-violence, love, compassionate justice, true repentance, and forgiveness. External power and domination are renounced and replaced by inner power, humble service, and a priority for the needs of the poor and marginalized. Chapters are" 'Peace on Earth'-Luke's Subversive Christmas Story," "Jesus, Messiah of Peace and Non-Violence in the Passion Story," "John the Baptist: The Mission to 'Guide Our Feet in the Way of Peace, '" " 'Justice and Peace Shall Kiss One Another'-Luke's Gospel of Justice," "The Inner Sources of Peace: Forgiveness and Metanoia," "The Sermon on the Plain: Part I. Roots," "The Sermon on the Plain: Part II. Praxis,"" 'Love Your Enemies'-Responses to Violence from a Gospel of Peace," "The Sign of Jonah, the Comic Prophet of Metanoia," "Women of Peace and Courage," "An Upside Down World: Peace and the Priority of Little Ones," "Bread and Circuses versus Jesus' New World Food Language," "Jesus' Last Passover Supper and Testament for Continuity," "Jesus' Compassion for Animals: A First Step Toward a Non-Violent World," and "Spiritual Combat for Peace: The Power of the Holy Spirit and Prayer."

What does it mean to follow the Prince of Peace in a world plagued by war, violence, and killing? Can the foundational convictions of Christianity, and the experiences of Christians around the world, contribute to a more adequate practice of the faith in contemporary times on matters of war, violence, and peacemaking? This volume addresses these important questions with contributions from Christian scholars and practitioners from across the Majority World (including El Salvador, Brazil, Kenya, and the Philippines) and from the United States and Europe. They include proponents of Christian pacifism and just war theory, advocates for varieties of “just peacemaking” frameworks, and people pursuing slow, modest steps toward reconciling enemies without the use of overarching theoretical frameworks. What holds them together is a sense that the world and the church would benefit from a robust and gospel-based commitment to nonviolence as an alternative to lethal business as usual in addressing conflicts great and small. The topics they consider include constructive aspects of a Christian theology of nonviolence; case studies of gospel nonviolence and pastoral work from violent conflicts around the world; women as victims of violence and makers of peace; and theopolitical questions of just war, armed intervention, and Christian nonviolence.

Christian nonviolence is not a settled position but a vibrant and living tradition. This book offers a concise introduction to diverse approaches to, proponents of, and resources for this tradition. It explores the myriad biblical, theological, and practical dimensions of Christian nonviolence as represented by a variety of twentieth- and twenty-first-century thinkers and movements, including previously underrepresented voices. The authors invite readers to explore this tradition and discover how they might live out the gospel in our modern world.

We know Jesus the Savior, but have we met Jesus, Prince of Peace? When did we accept vengeance as an acceptable part of the Christian life? How did violence and power seep into our understanding of faith and grace? For those troubled by this trend toward the sword, perhaps there is a better way. What if the message of Jesus differs radically differs from the drumbeats of war we hear all around us? Using his own journey from war crier to peacemaker and his in-depth study of peace in the scriptures, author and pastor Brian Zahnd reintroduces us to the gospel of Peace.

"Peace . . . constitutes the very heart of Christian existence. It does so because God is our peace so that not only our relationship is with one another, but also our relations to God's creation as well as to God, are reconstituted peaceably through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ".--Stanley Hauerwas, Duke University.

How should Christians respond to war? This age-old question has become more pressing given Western governments' recent overseas military interventions and the rise of extremist Islamist jihadism. Grounded in conservative evangelical theology, this book argues the historic church position that it is inadmissible for Christians to use violence or take part in war. It shows how the church's propensity to support the "just wars," crusades, rebellions, or "humanitarian interventions" of its host nations over time has been disastrous for the reputation of the gospel. Instead, the church's response to war is simply to be the church, by preaching the gospel and making peace in the love and power of God. The book considers challenges to this argument for "gospel peace." What about warfare in the Old Testament and military metaphors in the New? What of church history? And how do we deal with tyrants like Hitler and terrorists like Islamic State? Charting a path between just war theory and liberal pacifism, numerous inspiring examples from the worldwide church are used to demonstrate effective and authentically Christian responses to violence. The author argues that as Christians increasingly drop their unbiblical addiction to war, we may be entering one of the most exciting periods of church history.