Just War and Christian Traditions - Eric Patterson

Just War and Christian Traditions

By: Eric Patterson (Editor), J. Daryl Charles (Editor)

Paperback | 15 December 2022

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This much-needed anthology contains historically informed insights and analysis about Christian just war thinking and its application to contemporary conflicts.

Recent Christian reflection on war has largely ignored questions of whether and how war can be just. The contributors to Just War and Christian Traditions provide a clear overview of the history and parameters of just war thinking and a much-needed and original evaluation of how Christian traditions and denominations may employ this thinking today.

The introduction examines the historical development of Christian just war thinking, differences between just war thinking and the alternatives of pacifism and holy war, distinctions among Christian thinkers on issues such as the role of the state and "lesser evil" politics, and shared Christian theological commitments with public policy ramifications (for example, the priority of peace). The chapters that follow outline-from Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, and Anabaptist denominational perspectives-the positions of major church traditions on the ethics of warfare. The contributors include philosophers, military strategists, political scientists, and historians who seek to engage various and distinctive denominational approaches to the issues of church and state, war, peace, diplomacy, statecraft, and security over two thousand years of Christian history. Just War and Christian Traditions presents an essential resource for understanding the Judeo-Christian roots and denominational frameworks undergirding the moral structure for statesmanship and policy referred to as just war thinking. This practical guide will interest students, pastors, and lay people interested in issues of peace and security, military history, and military ethics.

Contributors: John Ashcroft, Eric Patterson, J. Daryl Charles, Joseph E. Capizzi, Darrell Cole, H. David Baer, Keith J. Pavlischek, Daniel Strand, Nigel Biggar, Mark Tooley, and Timothy J. Demy.

Industry Reviews

"This book is a superb resource that documents the many Christian roots of the just war tradition's thought and practice. It is much needed now to remind us of how God's people have sought best to meet each age's spiritual and temporal challenges. Just War and Christian Traditions deserves a central place of reference and influence in debates on this topic." -Mark A. Jumper, co-editor of The Holy Spirit and the Reformation Legacy


"Eric Patterson and J. Daryl Charles have produced a substantive and highly accessible book for anyone interested in the ethics of warfare. Highly recommended." -Bruce Riley Ashford, author of One Nation Under God


"It is a special tragedy that the tradition of Just War, so earnestly needed as bellicose powers rise and global order strains, is too often forgotten or dismissed. Thanks to the scholars in these pages, a contemporary, accessible, and tradition-anchored anthology is now available to Christians on both why and how Just War matters. It is a magnificent and long overdue effort." -Robert J. Joustra, author of The Religious Problem with Religious Freedom


"So much more than merely a reminder of the development of just war thinking throughout the years, this splendid book offers wise, insightful, and truly useful guidance for readers as they seek to navigate the challenges of our complex twenty-first century. It is a privilege to recommend this remarkable volume." -David S. Dockery, co-editor of Christian Worldview Handbook


"Just War and Christian Traditions is a rich, multi-layered compendium of essays from a wide array of Christian thinkers. This is a treasure trove of just war history, thought and application. Patterson and Charles should be commended for writing such a timely and necessary book." -David C. Iglesias, director of the Center for Faith, Politics & Economics


"This collection reminds us that the just war framework is not a new way of thinking but one grounded in scripture, natural law, and the wide Christian intellectual tradition." -Marc LiVecche, author of The Good Kill


"This wonderful, balanced collection explores the development of just war thinking in eight major religious traditions/denominations. It should be read by anyone interested in how Christians have approached, or should approach, matters of war and peace." -Mark David Hall, author of Great Christian Jurists in American History


"A valuable and helpful resource that fills a particular gap in existing just war literature. The collection's essays are thoughtful, accessible, and rich with theological and historical insights." -Reading Religion

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