by: Daniel M. Bell Jr.

• Format

  E-Book

  ISBN

  9781441206817

  Pub. Date

  Oct 2009

  SRP

  $30.00

  Buy

About

Just War as Christian Discipleship recovers contexts and specifics of the just war tradition that have been widely forgotten. Instead of seeing the tradition as a checklist to complete that justifies a proposed or ongoing war, Bell looks back to the aspects of the tradition that were about forming, supporting, and holding accountable Christians as just warriors. He shows how just war practice, if it is to be understood as a faithful form of Christian discipleship, must be rooted in and shaped by the fundamental convictions and confessions of the faith. The book includes a foreword by an Army chaplain who has served two tours in Iraq and study questions for group use.

Endorsements

"Bell has written a book that I wish I'd had during my deployments. Just War as Christian Discipleship addresses the just war tradition in a way that not only adds to our knowledge of the historical roots of the tradition but also contributes to the Christian soldier's desire to embody the principles as lifestyle. . . . If the Christian community will take seriously Bell's call for a discipleship that embraces the just war tradition, we can all feel more confident that our nation will strive to maintain the moral high ground in its military endeavors and beyond."--Chaplain Lt. Col. Scott A. Sterling (from the foreword)

"By reframing just war as a discipline of Christian discipleship, Bell has breathed new life into the discussion surrounding this important topic. He has done so, moreover, in a manner that makes this book accessible to those well versed in the debates as well as those who are confronting these issues for the first time. We are in his debt."--Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School

"Bell's Just War as Christian Discipleship demands a lot of us. It requires us to submit to a rigorous examination of ourselves, our church, and our nation in exploring how we might act justly before, during, and after war. It offers no excuses for those of us whof either avoid any responsibility to ever use force or attempt to rationalize virtually every use of force. Bell advocates for just war as an extraordinarily difficult set of practices grounded in particular Christian theological and ecclesiological presuppositions. In this sense, the book is a prophetic critique of some secular versions of the just war tradition. Even more so, it is a prophetic critique of churches and church leaders for our failure to form communities capable of dealing with the real challenges of just war. Bell also calls for much more consultation between Christian churches and military personnel than is typical so that the churches can be more responsible in their pronouncements and military personnel can hear the churches' claims based upon a Christian understanding of the moral tradition of just war. I commend this book for study by bishops, clergy, and laity as an introduction to a dimension of Christian discipleship that is usually neglected because of our preoccupation with the institutional life of the church."--Tim W. Whitaker, Florida Area Resident Bishop, The United Methodist Church

"This groundbreaking book synthesizes the writing style and substance of just war ethicists Paul Ramsey and Oliver O'Donovan with that of pacifist ethicists John Howard Yoder and Stanley Hauerwas, resulting in a constructive account of just war that is embedded and embodied in the life and practices of the Christian church. Although the just war tradition has been around a long time, there is, surprisingly, no other book like this one. It should be required reading for anyone interested in ethics and just war, especially for Christians in the pulpits and in the pews, in the classrooms and in the barracks. Bell's Just War as Christian Discipleship will become a standard resource for helping Christians who espouse the just war tradition to adhere to it in a way that, as John Howard Yoder would put it, is honest and has teeth."--Tobias Winright, assistant professor of Christian ethics and director of Ethics Across the Curriculum, Saint Louis University

"There are many books on the just war tradition. Most of them treat it as a means of helping Christians judge the justice of the wars waged by their states, or worse, as a crutch for those who make decisions about going to war. Bell's book is different and better. He depicts the just war tradition as a demanding discipline of the church, and in doing so he shows that this tradition can be a mode of enemy-love--a more demanding mode than pacifism in some ways. I know of no other book like this; it is essential reading for Christians in our bloody and violence-ridden times."--Paul J. Griffiths, Warren Chair of Catholic Theology, Duke Divinity School

"Dan Bell's new book is important, accessible, and astonishing. He asks hard questions about the use of the just war tradition and instead of leaving that burden of conscience on soldiers, chaplains, or political leaders, he puts it where it belongs: on the whole Christian community. The book is a rich introduction to the just war tradition, a thought-provoking look at current military realities, and a clarion call for all Christians to grow in faithfulness to the One who told them to love their enemies."--Kelly S. Johnson, associate professor of religious studies, University of Dayton

"In the midst of wars and rumors of wars, Dan Bell provides a provocative and insightful look at the just war tradition, removing it from the arena of simple public policy and allowing Christians to wrestle with how to follow Jesus faithfully into the fray. Pastors, congregations, adult forums, and reading groups will certainly benefit from this book."--Brian O. Bennett, pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Morgantown, West Virginia

"By engaging Bell's Just War as Christian Discipleship, readers can fully arm themselves for the discussion and debate that rages around just war theory. With laser-sharp precision, this tightly argued, historically aware, and carefully documented work offers a penetrating analysis of the ethical reasons for Christians to engage (or not engage) in violent conflict. A chief merit of this book is its critical comparison of nonreligious uses of just war theory with distinctively Christian approaches to armed combat based on a cruciform commitment to theological concerns. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Bell, all who discuss just war theory should be informed by his trenchant study."--Donald Musser, professor of religious studies, Stetson University

"Daniel Bell's thorough and convincing work is not for the faint of heart or the weak of spirit. With definitive research and critical interpretation, Bell leads readers through the history of Christian thought on war to the truth that Christians must leave behind 'self-absorption, apathy, fear, and indifference' in order to embrace the call and demand to live justly all aspects of life as followers of Christ. Bell asks, 'How much are we willing to risk in order to follow Christ in loving our enemies?' We cannot answer glibly, for our very lives will be the answer."--Brenda Lynn Kneece, executive minister, South Carolina Christian Action Council