Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Forging Swords into Plows: A Twenty-First Century Christian Perspective on War
Forging Swords into Plows: A Twenty-First Century Christian Perspective on War
Forging Swords into Plows: A Twenty-First Century Christian Perspective on War
Ebook453 pages6 hours

Forging Swords into Plows: A Twenty-First Century Christian Perspective on War

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars

()

Read preview

About this ebook

The U.S. invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan have cost more than three trillion dollars and caused tens of thousands of deaths. Was either war morally justifiable? Did either war make the world a safer, more peaceful place? Forging Swords into Plows develops a twenty-first century Christian perspective on war and then argues that both wars were immoral and resulted in a more dangerous, less stable world.

The analysis begins with a critical examination of three historic Christian perspectives on war. The first two views – that God sometimes commands Christians to wage a holy war (or crusade) and that God calls all Christians to be pacifists who refuse to ever wage war – are rejected. However, the witness of pacifists who are conscientious objectors, especially selective conscientious objectors, may importantly counterbalance twenty-first century militarism.

Just War Theory, the only via media between holy wars and pacifism, offers Christians (and others) a moral framework for knowing when and how to wage war justly. However, twenty-first century warfare and globalization necessitate expanding Just War Theory to include a comprehensive, practical jus post bellum paradigm for building peace that emphasizes respect for persons, establishing justice, ecological responsibility, and multinational involvement. An analysis of the first U.S. Gulf War in 1993 illustrates the revised model's utility.

The world's three major monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – collide violently in the Middle East and elsewhere. Understanding convergences and divergences among the three great monotheistic faiths is vital in this era of religious conflict and emerging globalism. The updated Just War Theory model provides a framework for comparing the Christian with the Jewish and Muslim ethical perspectives on war. This comparison highlights important commonalities, laying the foundation for interfaith dialogue and cooperation in peace building.

Finally, Forging Swords into Plows uses the expanded version of Just War Theory, in conversation with religion, history, military science, and other disciplines, to explain why the U.S. invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan were unjust, end badly, and will not contribute to peace.

Written in an informal tone, Forging Swords into Plows the argument relies upon careful scholarship, attention to relevant religious, ethical, and historical perspectives, as well as the author's experiences as a Navy chaplain. The latter included preaching to President George H.W. Bush at Camp David on the eve of the first Gulf War, visits to Israel and the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, counseling warriors, and teaching ethics to mid-career military officers. No other book now on the market examines the moral perspectives on war in all three Abrahamic religions, revises Just War Theory to encompass post-war peacemaking, and ethically assesses the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 3, 2013
ISBN9781301805198
Forging Swords into Plows: A Twenty-First Century Christian Perspective on War
Author

George Clifford

George Clifford is an Episcopal priest who retired from the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps as a Captain. His twenty-four years of active Naval service included service at sea, overseas, with Marines, and teaching philosophy at the Naval Academy and ethics and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). Since retiring, he has been a writer, parish priest, Visiting Professor of Ethics and Public Policy at NPS, and public speaker. In addition to numerous scholarly and popular articles, he has authored the newly published book, Charting a Theological Confluence: Theology and Interfaith Relations.

Read more from George Clifford

Related to Forging Swords into Plows

Related ebooks

Religious Essays & Ethics For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for Forging Swords into Plows

Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings

0 ratings0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    Forging Swords into Plows - George Clifford

    óebook_preview_excerpt.html}۲F`$EPlmݖRHMnr,'&Ihf)||Do̧/\+ Igĥ.Y+3W&zCf?}]£'Oз_?}}8f8ߖ}eJd|:& SGvOjV-WumMU/1~ؗcц څz쇋zͣۿWxշ/ؗ]?liիW_x>/YoeC뼭Oo잾c;lƦ!d >kP\9C_\dN_WE*e0RfoYe[>~nH)}Š??}/[~ 23M*_|-v_eoz#Ye/\/U?׮Q)*N~}o ٻ꥓ .g7eSTG+l)#;yIѻiu5(eDo٫u]RVKRP֞>-+>mcRFyk_dvv sCk|U!H2sdo1n e*ArۅLlӶ72*sʺkeErC 7!cue";K}oBWlcp*eȭdycu.1le.JǓ_ rNN< ʯA ga˽밎WZYuQg: 8{^w嗯{޴-3v_xl ߉|v^}XeddVM:_奜D`WؘkHE迴_=~e`7dh|_f'2-DD43?^^f׉*u\2Nُc,GIGsrIPE\/| jTOVi7ʅpvlӗ~ S?I?|eA*X]G q _?-භy>vU Up(9 Uz^ӹ>w_U?aw>DLO,NϜj{W4Lyy/TX<:=VWw}Żx:Nw^}s ~\_x7mo;3E7wWMkF'Ӹ~Z@~)doV4o>`e9KE/GBy2"]n`QPű޴ 5A\ٖ#!iBult Uvt#B'%JW Zhg x1C  d| džĥYkoltr78lR~6(׎M;'`L0w,<[sV:tyEE7YCzueg]9yYcʘ#LHs*J. @9P3J`ho's_uxwr?*R"SGN/ǍM!vE+we>Pыp9he TȼE Om" Xu UNJކ6ek€azI^f'% ƠY]G7]񍃋>@PqEXl9>Q([(aW{RMrrUМI)4P"<8qU9@ds t:胆"][u6OЁށn˜ ϰCi6֊ p_}}/n5ʙS(ZE-$'\qalua!=ꯏ3\{OB 'RNΡq%V-lD9`j->|v#+:cE Hzc!/^ xbSNnAUr~ĆgJU5+`L枎_ڇt⊿֓UGƍF<89(3`YW+(8 I=;]D{ >/cC$sC0m4-w&s1BA8rtK}'5PԨРiPFm aԥXn]<(0vLt`Ґ˅4E!RVF[0냘E[vnV0L%F\'IQ\T$뜴7^7IMhFLlN @\vp7bphdRdy!ze2BO,י% av>l$PW (cMQ)(۰^4tjdLm4V+b$B[{9Tj,G(_vr=wǪ݈^̗`Sgw{kp /he=|#%xc`#aʝ [%ƹ5 1쟃X; 8?r*(֡QhW4-r)tnZt>{<{ Z,ԩiR  ~/2@*ӍYm.3ҝ6n59[G+ o|4EĎAH9M瑙";8^}kK>e vHlX1^{ggLs*2xZ#"#FS[/k{߉}t/!Ǜ{'s98uid fB: f-j`Β bmrlo]!:[( j Tw7"* Z4e8IsULY*ӳsz|[Kgr3u8g` #Ejlɢc"nVLߜ/f7~]$Xs@\2SmBF UCe-̐4|w%%$&đ铳 7ȾIe1Cp!}5uFf^bIAeNb>7La];Dğgxn?nr{y voFvL˽He-a L>MzzNpr{qZтۈ_2ɓڵm!4KbW\1/ 1J /w贶tCvlGp2!khF"Ȓ2DN 3\L) u?B#gYx=~'P4$b+ 1=0%,hũe@jZ0aе,:C5 ޷ʶ"`67\5W%ᓧ)1tб{RjwcČVj޸3?f}P렠#f3T^ ._;rL(16l}*7~u@;:}Һ"ոaq%u~mŪR ?S.^HaÄurg@d.Bֳ16O?*2JJ;`@(/ds f/\7`3j m0"E! ȕy*Bt{7H672=0'<-BH' 6YʝZg={w,frP,𚛔!`e1#x4FA8C0pݎ܌Z +@qF ,ߔ;ĘUI"DXrlTM 鉔c[X#Xbc*PtaV֡N?1E!v3nX8|L"#Ǻ!eu+JrWtw'q_y`J1B8A1H?w{d^m He]y"*jOb%+!M!אң" 7L%!ϐ KHg)`xN(!-G1}IPV;QM83pqm)HF!~ߗpzj(XuQa)3ݣ:|25hy3*&D^!Өj-JݽYac05}*6EsHH`^<Ǽ/Ţrqbf"<5`ٴ۶E?p#'gKO4u~2a|8Z }8.`*tFRfLEx ӑm8'25+pA۾dO vІ -%<Ԉ*њXn_5^+̼IYEdFjFdPnkx5Пj bq]\-vpbtVbB@ѸE~l \fЧ0:;#$vĵGGA 7741 4q)T^}gDX% `< 1ГPPNۭF :B4Q4RCw _QX)rg/ :U&[nyKYD.H]LW-ܤ329-@K;vy(l>ʣ#a~P֛o,?2 6Pu1s=Cz̯l>k\+(6(4h*QNcHʢ!`qr;4*ÃPo)QM?;g˂'WXQpNex3`+v_+ <;畨eW-@ƙ:fPBI)eplBt%6c23Dˣ/X0읜S4UnC-ܪ: PEbjApخs+Oj/%UXVXmVoШVp|!b/܃%"VXG,Gkp¥A>e\6o "p0lUE)+Uz؜T_G+[0_ ́Y.*<>1nWgc/d+XmYw6p/9[o|$8a')oQVl g{|/b8M2q ϲX 9",tȈ*.%O0౰al#E8a)Ҳ6}4Ǯfc^(S'ƻ<I]mHAד1/nġL%ώE5 &&իlYaS܀g5EigL+ жt7 aӵos`R-ld8~MrT2`4q=ʖ舰wiAehu2-@@6YI[ٙHcfK0ܦэw~Cj3cDg)Po[9UV5?ʎLUP-dUk>Œfh$2A[Μr#X{ywr' 3{>Gw F;wSA_)cB|gILrsVԱ,Q tmϽ6 d(-wa}6]>4bBwի{"<I?M V B#GRkȵ GYE;zRWڊ(nSc -lsdc Y3QL^5<9d_NSFڼbij-Ր@2cl+,Ųґ}AvQn[X$>[ϥ6د 7W2K*KqA6wCGoNH#*-SX$ |/Fo&SP!OQhb^u.k$."%BYƂ7I)S,FPqf[< v|VbRqAb'zM-¢u#2=g06[OwdZTŞg|Yt?kh O3 u5cnI9KwCf:)"TI14_y)Sǎ ^Cn(?fo eZn;! ~6;,Si#:N»9aO R'/ -侉fw߈DZϞXcvyݦ/IF%Ӄd6ޛz% bH=j}Et?k ȸ "BwB D @cgH6ur *{k/W%Y.ܳ3:jy҉*V*v;Sh"RfAP]e|d!2܏l@?q&WdžqI1[% M<=W?Ƀ:G*sl,n^qvW PE84j X&a%"uH i Mb.S H3VXu~h\U"g>5J)hAga\վ'emD,:Wh'޳ ܃$2eY;|ojjӻg bEd;Vrˀc/T*f/xSEjxVTJ#nH,8g,40p] !At:y(ٚ/PXX䙯7mReTa?nB 2 &kh_dz@^D%n(xs̪֝xR͟3ıп!}0hҩ(4 rcx,4a@-9v .2ؓ{ZZyPJ4IRTo*԰' NA4}~@Qg݊8mɌc8|J3sayd&gsZ*Ӣ1EY.2&Z =>(KTDnKDŘ8cF%$*P8SjhizbY@W'"[^ )XF3eX'Jܞа ژ򤴣7IXJ |s€9u()XJ<o,7f0L{8/Rt#C]H([C9aa$({Tj.f*'wTT&kŞ"l"u']eź'F(ki~x@Q̔lwiD=l( H7D0N؄01L]x }>/s{Qi3_xd mQl}x5H"rr19X&P |{AEֲg uJeJ1/_i\i=XwY *KSLVQQ_M)kjdwᣫש/~0*1eg^ N nh4 grېqn J)H/Tc% rp8sFrv 61m6[ Z ÀEb$[?UAlZڀ?&v:-'f,bL āNB`HZsj˄IiN;Oa+-J&lZ@b Z "Lé6 Y Jkє(>=!v8&/4#LD @̥޼EВ7DS+hNըrƋe*r鑟D u:f R+vLe32&Kd(,c(BWljd)timgNYf5aloTE; h!V7yjW ǖSl8 ͰSG87u S{ L<\Δ ڝ"GQVˇ?1ܟ_gNǗgPoI|/%ߕLYWD,^qLӄhu"`U@ 4.Dee_c Z e*^eb(Ese+3J;3btxkKǂ$XShaVL#FS?."PvMyb_*=gMV'ruu o-cP2Xnђzf=YA_RmokI eVg:{Udl& .T;V[t P>dY.ujWYj"s%苩9)DԟZw M8܌ -ccLn eWEO/qkjjQ0!`P α"coͱB~}oFq9{~OoC0U6^[$Qz1rh3-cJVѭ7kI$e N75b"-s l/xe(V,x:^`Xh*Ξ^tu諿?_sɮ]_[4 ?sV4baۊ-+$fgzrG"lB"`:m['JOԆ|07s%E݌Q|nHA0D?6kC [B8;J@nkǭdmC:[8ROR;k mq1맘pi!VE+}Lw}!ܡzzKYqB%B1a컞};U7tŭ3r{3lfp׉8}c'QZDFu&= 5]@)TT P8y4 a[$Ucor;!LOT͊#5U{A|$+P!POiV}ZljAUcoŌ.:Uj(GL[O L|;,4> m(=۱Eϭſ*vW虏WM%p3T6}tk;{tKUrȐpw:kj[0vmo.JEErmXv@UYb@`e80/,4?V,p YiV3BFFt'E+,,5I˼ DI% >6ÒLA?cQovxUw2mf:E.؀qy ,+/R^)tp4ڐJ;7pFnKxvTTr§!K"/jXlJ(BO QsDBč@SyzF (<\ػ1.fCJEp{@ImP{ǟgBf0Q's:LGghy$/[I&tC.7pR}6^g]=o_=@To>4?<+qS~$qrr!?֚KWf{ tt{u (SU-h͒*lVVCX1r9sᖷl;2Zօ:E/Q/č3Q 4%Sji4텿)R(#5y.:"xXݸ Ȅ,uze٥2jGQ+MVm C (.}d vngl^;"Y\gٮZkcmǧ|,ƙ'5r 0.=y7'>]?WpTziG&) ^dN'bY3]lzfsc<irԤڷ3 ZvEUdhk .aq`YB'=d`dj? Ӻ, dem?g[}j`AJ7q䏴/w#=E^NLadm {q2Rۮ-UuOnlS>@DjuѫBrzd+oy%j?Uu~fR0L9 еy}L~Bn+QYD +"`[睖c2Il/BDo\L:;S6()udkلu-ь.ѻ5 @,8 )~*}OU1mbq)8%[!^(ڨXA^ci BfwLRyec6ѾUJŌh=gT5'H^<*X!?TzХlp]c7h\,p?HUJN-W'5i f cAC/FCjƗzň֌تs: n6md!m+4e 1WUZ|7ogW3MZ鳣IEoyvֵnk) 83B LJb'mACHxcS/Γ(F%Uj5(I7bW R>۵({nZ@;9⸌8UղE{[=Y_ޤCanryJHIH y*}irJ8|}hUaXEzYfX!uu켪Bc1!XZ^>].(3 _O>wv;?)D1U~g c|H)w;y^]%S[J= wOm " h~^78@Uԇ
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1