The Spiritual Power of Nonviolence: Interfaith Understanding for a Future Without War

"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 justifi cation 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.
George Wolfe is an interdisciplinary
scholar who presents a compelling
case for the sustainability paradigm
and for offering peace education and
interreligious dialogue on a global
scale. With the mind of a theologian
and the vision of a prophet, Professor
Wolfe probes the scriptures of the world
proving that nonviolence is a shared
virtue and that the real enemy we must
battle against and ultimately defeat is
actually within us."