Rod and Staff Books

The Biblical and Historical Case for Nonresistance

We live in a world wracked with violence and despair. Does that mean that every act of violence must be met with an equal or greater counterblow? Overcoming Evil God's Way asserts that the biblical message offers hope of repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation in place of hatred, vengeance, and fear. This book looks at both the historical and the biblical evidence for the nonresistant lifestyle of the Christian. Some of the themes the book deals with:

• Why do Christians disagree among themselves about war?
• What is the overarching narrative of the Bible, and what does it have to say about peace?
• What is the Christian's right and just battle?
• What is the biblical model for the Christian life?
• How have platonism and Islamic thought weakened the church's grasp on nonresistance?
• What place does the gospel of peace have in winning Moslems and others who have discounted the Christian message, life, and community?

Contents

• Dedication
• Foreword
• Author's Preface

Section 1: Getting Started

• 1. Definitions
• 2. Why I Wrote This Book
• 3. The Theme of the Bible

Section 2: Nonresistance in the Old Testament

• 4. Restraint of Man's Evil Inclinations
• 5. Uplift Through Covenant
• 6. God Directs History

Section 3: Nonresistance in the New Testament

• 7. Church and State
• 8. The Christian's Fight
• 9. Excommunication

Section 4: Nonresistance in Church History

• 10. The Early Church
• 11. The Constantinian Synthesis and the Middle Ages
• 12. The Reformation and the Modern Church

Section 5: The Modern Need for This Witness

• 13. The Great Temptation
• 14. Commitment
• 15. Objections and Problems

Section 6: Where Do We Go From Here

• 16. Summary
• 17. How to Move Ahead

• Study Guide
• Selected Bibliography