U.S. Diplomatic Relations - General & Miscellaneous, Imperialism, Christianity & Politics, Colonialism & Imperialism - General & Miscellaneous

Saving Christianity from Empire

Name: Saving Christianity from Empire
Author: Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer
ISBN: 9780826428301

by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer

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Overview

"First, the book describes the nuts and bolts of present U.S. foreign policy, including the philosophical foundations and practical policy options used to justify and pursue empire." "Second, the author asserts that empire distorts Christianity, especially in the U.S. context - one in which many Christians passively or actively support U.S. global domination through the exercise of unilateral military power, in opposition to the radical nonviolence of Jesus. In the U.S. imperial context, some combination of fear, patriotism, propaganda, and distorted theology results in broad-based support among Christians for policies that are dramatically opposed to authentic Christianity rooted in the life and faith of Jesus. In short, this theme addresses how the U.S. Empire subverts and distorts Christianity." "Third, Saving Christianity from Empire describes empire as a key biblical theme. It explores three conflicting biblical streams, one that embraces or aspires to empire, one that portrays opposition to empire as essential for authentic faith, and another that explains imperial domination of Israel-Palestine as deserved punishment for sin." Finally, Saving Christianity from Empire explores the radical nonviolence of Jesus, the nuts and bolts of nonviolent power and nonviolent social change theory and practice, and the practical challenges to Christians living in an imperial nation now understood by many people throughout the world to be the gravest threat to world peace.

Synopsis

The US is an empire and has been for a long time, says Nelson-Pallmeyer (justice and peace studies, U. of St. Thomas, Minnesota). He continues that the pursuit, establishment, and defense of empire have negative consequences for many US citizens and much of the world; and that there is a realistic alternative to US empire. These assertions he parallels with three others: Christianity is distorted because of empire; Christians must reject Christian complicity with empire; and Christians can and should embrace a nonviolent, anti-imperial stream of Christianity. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

About the Author, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer is Assistant Professor of Justice and Peace Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more than twenty years he has studied and written about the relationship of religion, violence, and peace and his books include Jesus Against Christianity: Reclaiming the Missing Jesus and School of Assassins: Guns, Greed, and Globalization.