Peace Be with You: Christ's Benediction Amid Violent Empires

Is it the church's role to sustain cultures and empires? Or should churches take a prophetic stand in relation to the human situation? Can the church both stand for justice and continue in the way of peace? This book offers proposals for those who want to carry forth Christ's benediction of peace. As Nancy Heisey, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Church History, Eastern Mennonite University, observes, "From a concrete story of a real congregation trying to be faithful among its neighbors to discussions of just policing, white superiority, and excommunication for refusal to forgive, this collection offers a challenging and worthwhile read for those who care deeply about how Christian commitment to peace is lived out in our complex world." James E. Brenneman, President, Goshen College, says that "This volume captures not only the good news proclaimed in Christ's benediction to his disciples but also the imagination of its contributors--who propose creative, inspiring, practical and prophetic ways to create a more peaceful planet. Let's hope the contagion spreads." J. Denny Weaver, Co-Author; Defenseless Christianity; and Author, The Nonviolent Atonement, thinks that Peace Be With You offers some soul-satisfying responses to empire. But equally as important, other essays offer needed critique of ways the peace church is drifting toward assimilation to American empire and the ways of empire."