Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands but Most Christians Have Never Really Tried

From the Back Cover Testing the Possibilities of Nonviolence"Every once in a while a book substantially changes the conversation, and even the posture, of the church. What Ron Sider's Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger did to change how Christians think about poverty, Nonviolent Action promises to do for how we think about war. It is not just for pacifists. It is for skeptics, war hawks, liberals, and conservatives."--Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and founding partner of The Simple Way "Ron Sider's powerful blend of scholarship and passion has gripped me! I fully endorse Ron's call to an organized, active campaign of nonviolence."--Lynne Hybels, advocate for global engagement, Willow Creek Community Church "When Ron Sider talks, I listen. When he writes, I read. Whether or not one is a pacifist--I am not--one has something to learn about the power of nonviolent protest and resistance from Dr. Sider's careful and thoughtful study of successful nonviolent movements against tyranny and oppression."--Robert P. George, Princeton University"This wise, balanced, and inspiring book is a richly instructive guide for all who have pledged their allegiance to the Savior who is also the Prince of Peace."--Richard Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary (from the foreword)"Gandhi and King are not anomalies. Ron Sider shows that these outstanding witnesses to nonviolence are part of a long and often-successful tradition. I hope this book of case studies inspires more people to seek the knowledge and training that Christian action for justice requires."--David Neff, speaker, writer, and former editor-in-chief of Christianity Today"[A] persuasive book. . . . Sider recognizes that civil disobedience often functions as only one factor among many in ending oppression--but often the one that tips the balance. . . . Proponents of just war and pacifists need to recognize they are often on the same side and work together to make war a true last resort. History shows they can."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) There are numerous examples throughout history of effective nonviolent action. Nonviolent protesters defied the Soviet Empire's communist rulers, Gandhi's nonviolent revolution defeated the British Empire, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful civil-rights crusade changed American history. Recent scholarship shows that nonviolent revolutions against injustice and dictatorship are actually more successful than violent campaigns. In this book, noted theologian and bestselling author Ron Sider argues that the search for peaceful alternatives to violence is not only a practical necessity in the wake of the twentieth century--the most bloody in human history--but also a moral demand of the Christian faith. He presents compelling examples of how nonviolent action has been practiced in history and in current social-political situations to promote peace and oppose injustice, showing that this path is a successful and viable alternative to violence. About the Author Ronald J. Sider (PhD, Yale University) is the founder and president emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action and distinguished professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary at Eastern University in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He is the author of more than thirty books, including Nonviolent Action, The Early Church on Killing, Just Politics, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, Good News and Good Works, and the bestselling Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger.