Customer Reviews

Justice and Peace: A Christian Primer

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J. Milburn Thompson's book Justice and Peace is an excellent introduction into current global issues and Christian ethics. It is up to date, very readable and great for anyone who is looking to gain a better understanding of issues like poverty, human rights, the enviroment, weapons & disarmament, the post cold war world and the Christian response. It could easily be used for underclassmen in college or as a book for seniors in high school.

Uncompromising, fearless, and accurate--this is the one I've waited for. Finally, a Christian who boldly tackles issues like sweatshops, the World Bank and IMF, militarization and its effects on poverty, America's role in arms sales to the Third World, the environment, and world peace. The facts, figures, and graphs are there for anyone who wants them, but it's not a dull government-style book. It's rebellious and astounding, and makes you feel like taking action. It's also loaded with relevant scripture examinations and lists of resources (organizations, books, nonprofit agencies) who attend to the issues Thompson raises.

Enough with silly sunday School classes about stories and opinions; THIS should be the textbook of sunday School classes of the truly justice-minded churches of America.

This book by Prof. Thompson fills a gap in Catholic teaching on peace and justice. I would hope that this book gets wide circulation among clergy, especially deacons in the Catholic Church. This book gives a very good historical overview of the wide range of issues that Christian peacemakers face in the world.

As good as this book is as an introduction, I think an exploration of the fundamental principles of Catholic Social teaching would round off the presentation. Also, there is a need to discuss practical application of Catholic teaching such as Princpled Nonviolence and grassroots praxis.

The range and depth of the book is a welcome addition to a growing attempt by Catholic theologians and ethicists to apply the Gospel to the "signs of the times". Kudos for a job well done ! One will eagerly await the second volume of Christian praxis.

Purchased this book for a class. It provides a solid overview of contemporary issues, although I find a number of Thompson's conclusions dubious. (His confidence in international/multilateral institutions and agreements is unwarranted; the assertion that "American colonialism seems indistinguishable from European colonialism" (p. 16) ignores the far larger scope of the latter.) Published in 2003, the material is somewhat out of date (i.e. no analysis of the impact of the U.S. invasion & occupation of Iraq). The synopsis of Catholic Social Teaching isn't bad, although the book certainly could have devoted much more space to the topic. (For a comprehensive treatment of Catholic Social Teaching, I recommend the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.)

or almost now.

This was last revised in 2002 from the earlier 1997 edition; therefore we do not see our more recent national (security state, increased economic disparity) and international (one million Iraqis estimated dead by the Lancet) developments. Thus this book continues to discuss economic sanctions against Iraq instead of the current total war policy.

Nevertheless it is a very useful textbook, as it describes its audience, and a very comprehensive overview. For a more clear conception of the principles of justice and peace involved, nothing can beat the National Conference of Catholic Bishop's The Challenge of Peace and Economic Justice For All,except anything by the Rev. Father John Dear, SJ, of course.

Of special personal interest is the discussion of British colonialism in Ireland and the real causes of the "famine" in a land full of food.

Again and always it is highly recommended to visit the excellent amazon Search Inside function, which you will soon discover impossible in this case to put down. Try the Table of Contents and go from there.

A very useful historical overview in the perspective of applied Catholic moral theology.

Very left anti-capitalism book. Contains no cogent arguments. Facts are skewed or are outright lies. Example: Page 56 states "The huge budget deficits during the Reagan years in the 1980s were due to tax cuts..." When , in fact, data from 'Budget of the United States Government: Historical Tables' show large increases in Government revenue during the years after the tax cuts. The increased deficits being due to large house/senate spending. Of course, in this book, Bill Clinton can do no wrong. Over all, this book is a very hard left leaning and biased work. I wish I could get my money back.