About the Book
Religion and violence—the two concepts seem incompatible given the emphasis in religion on virtue, love, forgiveness and compassion. Yet many scriptures contain martial images and stories of god-inspired military conquest. The Spiritual Power of Nonviolence confronts this theological contradiction, arguing that martial images and symbols found in religious texts are often meant to be interpreted as metaphors for an inner spiritual struggle and should never be used as a justification for war.
The analysis is undertaken from an interfaith perspective that explains many of the paradoxical concepts found in theories of nonviolence. An appeal is also made to restore civil discourse in the public arena, and for politicians and religious leaders to refrain from using religious language when engaging in hawkish political rhetoric.
“An excellent introduction to principled spiritually-based nonviolence. Professor Wolfe’s blend of different wisdom traditions is especially useful.” — Dr. Michael N. Nagler, Professor Emeritus, University of California at Berkeley, author of The Search for a Nonviolent Future