Christians and War: A Brief History of the Church’s Teachings and Practices

by Allen James Reimer

Publisher:

Fortress Press

, 2010

Overview

Religion has often been blatantly invoked to support and oppose war and violence of all kinds, including terrorism and ethnic cleansing. Christians are deeply divided over whether and when such violence is justifiable. James Reimer offers a fair presentation of these controversial standpoints, especially the three classical Christian attitudes toward war: crusading or holy war, just war, and pacifism. His thoughtful survey of Christian teachings and practices on issues of war, violence, and the state takes readers from classical Greco-Roman times to the present. Arguing that the church’s responses to war can only be understood through the church’s changing relationship to culture, Reimer concludes with an analysis of the contemporary debate and proposes criteria for legitimate and illegitimate use of force by nation-states.

Product Details

• Title: Christians and War: A Brief History of the Church’s Teachings and Practices
• Author: Allen James Reimer
• Series: Facets Series
• Publisher: Fortress Press
• Print Publication Date: 2010
• Logos Release Date: 2013
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: War › Religious aspects--Christianity--History of doctrines
• Resource ID: LLS:CHRWARREMIER
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-11T17:34:19Z

About Allen James Reimer

Allen (A. ) James Reimer (August 10, 1942 – August 28, 2010) was a Canadian Mennonite theologian who held a dual academic appointment as Professor of Religious Studies and Christian Theology at Conrad Grebel University College, a member college of the University of Waterloo, and at the Toronto School of Theology, a consortium of divinity schools federated with the University of Toronto.