Peacemakers: A Christian View of War and Peace
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
'A work of extraordinary relevance in today's troubled and volatile times'.
Do you wonder what 'Blessed are the peacemakers' means in practice?
When is war a just war? Should outsiders intervene in civil wars, and how? How can Christians effectively engage in resolving conflict? How do we understand relational peacebuilding? How do we achieve reconciliation?
Peter Dixon offers a moral framework on which to base our thinking about war and peace, undergirded by a solid confidence in God's sovereignty, as we face the uncertainty of the real world.
'I don't think we need to take responsibility for righting all the wrongs of the world like Superman.' he says. 'It is enough for us to do what we can, when we can, where we can.'
Peacemakers evolves at another level too. As the author takes us down an icy Kabul street, or allows us to observe children celebrating a shaky peace in South Sudan, we experience first-hand the backcloth against which international peacebuilding takes place.
'A work of extraordinary relevance in today's troubled and volatile times'. Lord (Richard) Dannatt, former head of the British Army.'A gentle, wise and helpful companion as we try to make sense of the conflicts in our world', Ram Gidoomal CBE, Chairman of Traidcraft, Stewardship and Cotton Connect.'Given the importance of peace in Christian priorities, I hope this book will be given the attention it deserves.', Michael Schluter CBE, Founder of the Jubilee Centre, Relationships Foundation and Relationships Global.'A thought-provoking and engaging book.', Air Commodore Mark Leakey, former Director Armed Forces' Christian Union.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Dixon (Making Peace with Faith), former Royal Air Force pilot and CEO of conflict resolution organization Concordis International, argues that there is a Christian obligation to engage in "just" war and peace efforts in this strident study. The first half of the book introduces the author and the work of Concordis and briefly reviews Christian traditions around war and peace. Dixon tracks Christian thinking on war from early pacifist writers, through Augustine (who preached "the need for love as a motivation" for war), and ending in modern arguments for just war, such as Ian Durie's Price for Peace. Rejecting the case for pacifism as unpersuasive, Dixon assesses the War on Terror and the Syrian civil war and argues that in both cases lives were saved through intervention and that even more could be done to prevent violence before bad actors attack. He then turns to peacemaking, detailing the Concordis approach to mediating conflict and fostering lasting peace through building relationships and reconciliation. Dixon's film and podcast suggestions, as well as an extensive bibliography, add value for those interested in learning more about the history and context of international conflict intervention. Though much of the text reads like the mission statement of his company, this clear, instructive work will appeal to those who share Dixon's religious beliefs and also be worthwhile for those seeking to understand the role of NGOs in global conflict intervention. (BookLife)
