We need to talk about the reality of war

War remains a clear and present evil, yet North American Christians often don’t feel equipped to talk about it. When a US Air Force drone drops a bomb on a wedding party in Yemen, for example, few of us have the language to talk about that violence. When our military invades a territory or when we fight proxy wars through other countries, our response to military violence tends to follow our political beliefs rather than our religious convictions.

Our allegiance to military might goes beyond ongoing global conflicts. The United States boasts a bloated military budget, which includes displays of patriotism at sporting events and military recruitment directed at children in public schools. As nationalism and warfare trend around the globe, people seeking peace are compelled to question the mania for militarism and violence.

Grace Over Guns challenges readers to think through common justifications for military violence and to consider how those justifications might not measure up to the teachings of Jesus. Drawing on story and Scripture, pastor Ben Daniel offers a prophetic call to reject the sin of military violence and embrace the grace of Christian pacifism.