Oxford University Press Christian Martyrdom and Christian Violence: On Suffering and Wielding the Sword

What is the place-if any-for violence in the Christian life? At the core of Christian faith is an experience of suffering violence as the price for faithfulness, of being victimized by the world's violence, from Jesus himself to martyrs who have died while following him. At the same time, Christian history had also held the opinion that there are situations when the follower of Jesus may be justified in inflicting violence on others, especially in the context of war. Do these two facets of Christian ethics and experience present a contradiction? Christian Martyrdom and Christian Violence: On Suffering and Wielding the Sword explores the tension between Christianity's historic reverence for martyrdom (suffering violence for faith) and Christianity's historical support of a just war ethic (involving the inflicting of violence). While the book considers the possibility that the two are unreconcilable, it also argues that they are ultimately compatible; but their compatibility requires a more humanized portrait of the Christian martyr as well as a stricter approach to the justified use of violence. Review The debate about violence in Christian ethics has become repetitious, stale, boring, and something of a dead end. But then Christian Martyrdom and Christian Violence appears out of nowhere. What a refreshing angle from which to tackle a hackneyed set of issues. Lundberg opens up a whole new field of investigation and we are drawn into a clear, substantive discussion that gets us back on board. More still, he opens up a further set of issues related to sanctity that cries out for follow-up treatment. This is a volume rich in argument and in felicitous expression that is a delight to ponder. ― William J. Abraham, D.Phil. (Oxon), Director of the Wesley House of Studies, Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, Waco, Texas Lundberg achieves an intelligent, careful, and honest probing of the core problem of Christian just war theory: justifying killing in the name of Jesus Christ. To analogize from martyrdom is ingenious and illuminating. Lundberg never avoids or dissembles regarding the realities and perplexities of war. Wherever you stand on the just war to pacifism spectrum, whatever your erudition on the subject, you will learn from Lundberg's fascinating tour de force. ― Lisa Sowle Cahill, J. Donald Monan, S.J. Professor of Theology, Boston College This is an important book. The author brings rigorous scholarship and profound insight to his analysis of Christian martyrdom, just war ethics, and the general problem of violence in the experience of people of faith. That this work was partly seeded in theological dialogue at the Faith and Order table should give readers confidence, not only in its comprehensive reading of historical and contemporary sources and examples, but also in its ecumenical sensitivities. For all of these reasons, the value of this book is undeniable. ― Dr. Antonios Kireopoulos, Associate General Secretary, National Council of Churches USA About the Author Matthew D. Lundberg is Professor of Religion and Director of the de Vries Institute for Global Faculty Development at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the co-author of An Introduction to Christian Theology (Cambridge University Press), forthcoming in its second edition.