Description
Book SynopsisIn this volume, Mark Douglas offers a new vision of the history of Christian pacifism within the context of a warming world. He narrates this story in a way that recognizes the complexities of the tradition and aligns it with a coherent theological vision, one that shapes the tradition to encompass the new causes and types of wars fought during the Anthropocene. Along the way, Douglas draws from research in historical climatology to recover the overlooked role that climate changes have always played in shaping not only the Christian pacifist tradition but also the movement of traditions through western history. Scholars across a range of disciplines - peace studies, Christian theology and history, environmentalism, and environmental conflict studies - will benefit from this model of critical and charitable engagement with the complex history of Christian pacifism, the resources of which will be important for addressing wars in a warming world.
Trade Review'Twenty-first century Christians desperately need to understand our tradition's legacies of pacifism in order to respond thoughtfully to the complex violence of the contemporary world, including environmental degradation. Christian Pacifism for an Environmental Age offers the understanding we need, combining careful historical study with insightful interpretation and contemporary analysis to develop informed and constructive ethics. Scholars and students interested in how to think about Christian responses to violence, how to thoughtfully engage tradition, or how to respond to contemporary challenges have much to learn from this is well-written book!' Kevin O'Brien, Pacific Lutheran University, Washington
'… Mark Douglas has written an interesting book that addresses important issues … I can recommend that readers interested in those issues give Christian Pacifism for an Environmental Age a look.' Ted Grimsrud, Reading Religion
Table of ContentsIntroduction: climate, conflict, and the conventional narrative of Christian pacifism; Part I. The Church and Nonviolence Before Constantine: 1. The silences of the second century; 2. Mixed motives and conflicts over conflicts in the second and third centuries; 3. Church, state, and a 'Constantinian fall'; Part II. The Church and Nonviolence after Constantine: 4. Christian pacifism and Constantine; 5. Pacifist interpretations of 1500 years of faith, community, and nonviolence; 6. Pacifisms after 1865; Part III. Re-narrating the History of the Church and Nonviolence: 7. Time and tradition in a theological context; 8. Re-narrating the Christian pacifist tradition.
