Customer Reviews

Choosing Against War: A Christian View

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Roth has written a theologically sophisticated and yet wonderfully readable book about pacifism as a Christian response to war. While John Howard Yoder is probably the most powerful advocate of the pacifist position, his books are not always accessible to the ordinary reader. Roth, on the other hand, has written a book that should be studied by every Sunday School class in America. He invites us to consider an option many of us have ignored.

This book balances careful theological thought, effective stories and illustrations, a historic survey, and questions of practical application. Roth works hard to support pacifism while rejecting the elitism that often colors many anti-war manifestos. He faces head on the difficult question of how to be a Christian and a citizen. While his position is well articluated, he acknowledges other views without ridiculing them.

My hope, in this time of war and rumors of war, is that many will discover this fine book and share it with their friends.

This book does to Christian Nonresistance what Stephen Hawkings does to cosmology. It's an easy read laying out important Christian priciples and practical applications. It is a highly challenging topic that I resisted at first, but after reading through my Bible and other authors, I know it's true. This other "review" by someone who hasn't read the book should be ignored, they really ought to read the book themselves, it answers their questions. They make it sound that since some people aren't peacful, we ought not to be either. That contradict's Jesus's teachings. "Blessed are the peacemakers, they are the children of God." This book really is a must read, if you disagree or not. Too many are opposed to pacifism who haven't an understanding of what it really is.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK if you believe that the Bible stops at "an eye for an eye".
If you are willing to be challenged by the way of the cross, this book will give you a powerful challenge and inspire you to further growth, both on a personal level as well as on a social and a political level.
The book bases itself on the Bible, particularly on the words and the life of Jesus, with helpful examples of real life applications of the gospel through the ages.
"The resurrection was the vindication of God's ultimate triumph of love over the forces of violence. It guarantees to all those who follow in the humble way of Christ, that in the end -against all odds and contrary to the logic of human reason- Shalom will indeed prevail."
The book is well written and easy to read and would be a good start for any congregation to look at its own position toward the use of force and violence.
The reader from Canada who wrote the one star review above must not have read the book. John Roth does refer specifically to the Old Testament. " The Old Testament story offers a series of powerful hints regarding God's desire to reconcile humans to each other and Himself. But the fullness of God's revelation to humanity is to be found in Christ and the message of the NT gospel. This may seem like an obvious point for most Christians, but it is especially relevant for those who see in the violence of the OT a justification for Christians to participate in war today."

I read this book hoping to hear a well thought out and biblically based reason for pacifism. I was let down. I felt that the author began with the innate assumption that Christians should be anti-war, and then used very little scripture (which was often taken completely out of context) to support his claim. It seemed to be much more of an appeal to emotion, rather than a conclusion that follows from reading the Bible. I also felt that this book should have addressed some of the counterarguments to pacifism. It didn't. I really believe that the author had the agenda of pushing pacifism, and was hoping that the reader wouldn't take the time to critically analyze his suppositions and arguments.

I would instead recommend reading some of the works of John Howard Yoder, which seem to be much more thought out and supported.

Most of the thinkers and writers championing the case for Christian pacifism, while nuanced and intellectually capable, lack any forthcoming advice when it comes to practically applying nonviolence and Jesus' testament into real-world setting. This book not only gives a historical explanation for our violent and militaristic ideals, it debunks the mythos around them by highlighting the life of Christ. For those who like banal rote and academic rhetoric and are content with leaving this issue in a heady safety of ideals, this book certainly satisfies the cerebral pursuits of the topic but challenges the reader to apply the theology into a daily practice of love and wisdom.

The following is an excerpt from John D. Roth's "Choosing Against War, A Christian View":

"...the crucifixion, as all Christians know, is only part of the Easter story. The dramatic climax of the gospel narrative is actually not Christ's death on Good Friday--after all, countless other good people have died cruel deaths. Rather, the main point of the Passion Story, the axis around which the whole gospel turns, is Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday. When, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day--just as he told his disciples he would--God announced to the world that the powers of evil and violence do not have the final word. The resurrection was the vindication of God's ultimate triumph of love over the forces of violence."

Roth takes a solid approach in his discussion.