Rowman & Littlefield Publishers With or Against the World?: America's Role Among the Nations

This is a collection of essays that starts with the premise that the United States inhabits a world it understands far too little and is insufficiently prepared to lead. The author, James W. Skillen, argues that world religions and cultural patterns are forces onto themselves and do not and will not change or adapt at American bidding. In short, this post-cold war era calls for a self-critical reexamination of nationalism, state sovereignty, and the demands of international justice. Published in cooperation with The Center for Public Justice. Review In this provocative, wide-ranging and well-reasoned book, James Skillen...analyzes the roots of the deep ambiguity in U.S. foreign policy.--Duane K. Friesen "The Christian Century " As with his past efforts, With or Against the World? is a testament to James Skillen's broad perspective, deep knowledge, extraordinary insight, and his uncanny ability to bring them all together in a highly readable, lucid discussion of the most critical issues facing the U.S. and the West today.--Steven Meyer, professor of political science, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University (Washington, DC) What America's role among the nations should be, a central question of American identity since the colonial period, has taken on new urgency in the present context. Stepping off from the 9/11 attacks and the war on terrorism, Skillen brings historical, political, and theological analysis to bear on what American exceptionalism should mean today, arguing for understanding it as the effort to create an 'empire of freedom' in which the United States uses its economic, political, military, and ideological power to take the lead in reshaping the international system to foster a community of free, self-governing, and prosperous societies. Wide ranging and nuanced, this book offers a clear vision of how to build on what is best in the ideal and reality of America.--James Turner Johnson, professor of religion, Rutgers University, author of Morality and Contemporary Warfare and other works on the ideas of just war James W. Skillen has written another thoughtful book about the role of religion in public life, in this case a book to guide Christian reflection on international affairs. Why is a book like this one necessary, and why is it needed right now? To say it is because of the mess in Iraq, or as Pew studies of global opinion have shown, the almost universal unpopularity of the U.S. in international affairs, does not fully grasp the need for a book like this one.--Scott Thomas, University of Bath, Calvin College "Religion and Politics Newsletter " What this reviewer fins particularly impressive ... is not only the conciseness and clarity of Skillen's presentation, but also his broad and general familiarity with the multiple aspects of the serious problems confronting today's world. ... This book is particularly valuable for Americans to help them to arrive at a critical understanding of their self-definition and to realize...that "America's sense of itself as a new Israel, God's chosen nation, a city on a hill, is a corruption of the biblical story."--Bernard Doering, University of Notre Dame "Notes Et Documents " James Skillen's book engages issues in contemporary U.S. foreign policy through the lens of just war tradition. As such, his engagement with discussions of the U.S. policy, intervention and state sovereignty, and responses to terrorism are set in a broad moral and historical framework. One need not agree with all of Skillen's arguments to appreciate his acuity; his book is a valuable contribution to current debates.--John Kelsay, Florida State University; author of Arguing the Just War in Islam From an avowedly Christian perspective, James Skillen examines America's role in the 21st-century world. Critical of the religious Right and of George W. Bush's unilateral, militaristic pursuit of the Wilsonian mission to spread democracy worl