In what many consider to be the single most important event in human history, Jesus of Nazareth submitted willingly to His death on a cross, making no attempt to defend Himself. Consistent with His example, there are no recorded instances of physical resistance on the part of the early Christians in defense of themselves or their families for the first 175 years of the church’s existence. Nonviolence: A Challenge to Today’s Christianity poses serious questions to those desiring to follow in the steps of the Man who, when “He was reviled, did not revile in return,” and “when He suffered…did not threaten” (1 Pet. 2:18-23). Scripture is used to demonstrate how a conviction to follow Christ’s example of nonresistance ultimately becomes a test of authentic conversion.This book addresses the most common arguments for the use of violence and explores a number of hypothetical scenarios, revealing the contours of two opposing kingdoms—one ruled by brute force and the fear of death, the other empowered by a supernatural love that lays down its life for its friends. On the heels of the bloodiest century in the history of humankind, might there be a greater power than violence—one capable of ultimately overcoming death and the grave?
