Advancing Nonviolence and Just Peace in the Church and the World

Advancing Nonviolence and Just Peace in the Church and the World is the culmination of a three-year global conversation among church leaders, community organizers, activists, social scientists and theologians about how the Catholic Church might return to its Gospel nonviolence roots and transform the world.

The book shares the experiences of on-the-ground nonviolent interventions, explores the scriptural, theological and historical foundations of nonviolence, reviews the most current social science on how nonviolence has been effectively employed, and outlines a vision for how the Church might embrace active nonviolence into every aspect of its life.

It answers commonly asked questions about active nonviolence and Catholic social teaching, including:

• Does nonviolence work to resolve conflict?
• What did Jesus and the Bible say about nonviolence?
• What has the Church taught about nonviolence?
• Is nonviolence the same as pacifism? How are they different?

Advancing Nonviolence and Just Peace explores the foundations of Catholic thinking about nonviolence. It includes reviews of papal statements and church documents, a survey of the biblical teaching from the Hebrew Bible and Christian scriptures, a review of contemporary theological research on nonviolence, and dozens of recommendations for further discernment on how the Church might live into its Gospel nonviolence mandate.

This is an essential resource for moving forward the dialogue on how the Church can lead, teach and respond to conflict in the world. Consider ordering an extra to share with your bishop or other church leaders.