"The presentation of issues is clear, the analysis of opposing views is searching, and the engagement between them is both thoughtful and candid. Far from a sterile textbook survey, this is a model of careful and honest dialogue, generating lively heat while shedding fresh light." Revd Prof. Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, Christchurch, Oxford
"[This book's] prose style is engaging, highly readable, literally conversational...in touch with the conversation its readers will carry out inside themselves... I do not know of a more readable text on the topic, or a text so current, or such a mutually respectful conversation and debate on the topic." Glen H. Stassen, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary
"In one of the better books to appear on this subject in recent years, David Clough and Brian stiltner provide a thorough description, analysis and conversation about the ethics of war and peace within the Christian tradition. rather than provide an apology for one position, this book presents two central trajectories of the Ôjust warÕ (Stiltner) and ÔpacifistÕ (Clough) ethical traditions in dialogue with each other, demonstrating their divergences and convergences. The authors hope that through their conversation, they can witness to others that Ôit is time for Christians to step beyond the stale debate between narrow and doctrinaire versions of pacifism and just war theory, especially versions that take their cues from political discourseÕ (p. 239). Accordingly, their overall purpose is twofold: (1) to describe, analyze and evaluate these two positions; (2) to move the debate forward, exploring how both theories propose an ethics of peacemaking. written for both a Christian and general audience, they focus primarily on the ethical dilemmas posed by military engagement, humanitarian intervention, weapons proliferation, terrorism, and spreading democracy in post-1990 developments in kosovo, the Gulf war, and Afghanistan and iraq. regarding these issues, stiltner and Clough provide readers with a practical, yet charitable, conversational method for how enlightening civil discourse can take place on difficult moral issues, pertaining to war and peace. At times, the conversation becomes hotter and escalates with Ôtough questionsÕ and responses. other times, the conversation becomes cooler and more reflective, leading to humility and willingness to reflect on the limitations of oneÕs own position. Hence, the primary value of this book is not only the precise, yet accessible, descriptions and examples of historical and contemporary perspectives on war, but the Ôback and forthÕ conversational format placed at the end of each chapter, in which the authors discuss issues raised in the chapter. Like all good conversations, the discussion moves forward, while probing deeper into the subject, and providing further explanations, examples, questions, rebuttals, and closure. For all of these reasons, this book is highly recommended as a valuable teaching resource and/or student textbook for courses in social ethics or ethics of war and peace." Prof. David Haddorf, St John's University, New York, review in Studies in Christian Ethics 22:2 (2009), 229Ð30
Placed second in for the 2008 CPA Theology Award: "In the fifth year of the Anglo-American military action in Iraq (2007), these two Christian theologians brought their theological acumen to bear on the most pressing contemporary ethical issue for their two nations. Drawing on the resources of the Christian tradition, they come to very different conclusions about the ethical imperatives that led to war and underpin the case for continued engagement. Tensions between pacifism and just war theory are brought out in high relief, points of agreement and disagreement are noted, and the application of theological principles to specific aspects of the conflict are explored. This book is a powerful resource for readers who are searching for a way to ground their analysis of the second Iraq War in the moral teachings of the Christian faith."
Review from Catholic Online, April 6th, 2007