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Put Down Your Sword: Answering the Gospel Call to Creative Nonviolence
Few books on the market share not only a vision of Jesus' nonviolence but also ways of actually living out that same vision today. Who better to write such a work than Father John Dear, an internationally known peacemaker?
Put Down Your Sword invites us into Jesus' way of nonviolence as presented by the Gospels. Arguing that all Christians must follow Christ's example in the ways of peace, Dear outlines the many actions he himself has taken following the path of nonviolence, modeling his own vision of peace in this turbulent world.
First sharing his convictions and insights about the nonviolence of Jesus, the Beatitudes, the nature of God, and the mystery of the resurrection, Dear goes on to relate stories from the various protests in which he has been involved. Journal entries from missions to India and Colombia offer a poignant backdrop for his impassioned argument. Dear also profiles the peacemakers he finds most inspiring, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Henri Nouwen to Joan Baez. Finally, he reflects on care for the earth, the teachings of Thomas Merton, and the vision of a new world without war, poverty, or violence.
Put Down Your Sword invites us into Jesus' way of nonviolence as presented by the Gospels. Arguing that all Christians must follow Christ's example in the ways of peace, Dear outlines the many actions he himself has taken following the path of nonviolence, modeling his own vision of peace in this turbulent world.
First sharing his convictions and insights about the nonviolence of Jesus, the Beatitudes, the nature of God, and the mystery of the resurrection, Dear goes on to relate stories from the various protests in which he has been involved. Journal entries from missions to India and Colombia offer a poignant backdrop for his impassioned argument. Dear also profiles the peacemakers he finds most inspiring, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Henri Nouwen to Joan Baez. Finally, he reflects on care for the earth, the teachings of Thomas Merton, and the vision of a new world without war, poverty, or violence.
- GenresChristianityTheology
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
John Dear
56 books30 followersFather John Dear (The Society of Jesus) is an internationally known voice for peace and nonviolence. A Jesuit priest, pastor, peacemaker, organizer, lecturer, and retreat leader, he is the author/editor of 30 books, including his autobiography, “A Persistent Peace.” In 2008, John was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
From 1998 until December 2000, he served as the executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the largest interfaith peace organization in the United States.
After the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, John served as a Red Cross Chaplain, and became one of the coordinators of the chaplain program at the Family Assistance Center. He worked with some 1,500 family members who lost loved ones, as well as hundreds of firefighters and police officers, while at the same time, he spoke out against the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan.
From 2002-2004, he served as pastor of several parishes in northeastern New Mexico. He co-founded Pax Christi New Mexico and works on a nonviolent campaign to disarm Los Alamos. These days, he lectures to tens of thousands of people each year in churches and schools across the country and the world. He also writes a weekly column for the “National Catholic Reporter” at www.ncrcafe.org.
A longtime practitioner and teacher of nonviolence, John has written hundreds of articles and given thousands of talks on nonviolence. John has two masters degrees in theology from the Graduate Theological Union in California.
* BIO EXCERPT FROM http://www.johndear.org/
From 1998 until December 2000, he served as the executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the largest interfaith peace organization in the United States.
After the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, John served as a Red Cross Chaplain, and became one of the coordinators of the chaplain program at the Family Assistance Center. He worked with some 1,500 family members who lost loved ones, as well as hundreds of firefighters and police officers, while at the same time, he spoke out against the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan.
From 2002-2004, he served as pastor of several parishes in northeastern New Mexico. He co-founded Pax Christi New Mexico and works on a nonviolent campaign to disarm Los Alamos. These days, he lectures to tens of thousands of people each year in churches and schools across the country and the world. He also writes a weekly column for the “National Catholic Reporter” at www.ncrcafe.org.
A longtime practitioner and teacher of nonviolence, John has written hundreds of articles and given thousands of talks on nonviolence. John has two masters degrees in theology from the Graduate Theological Union in California.
* BIO EXCERPT FROM http://www.johndear.org/
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 13, 2019
This work is part treatise on nonviolence, part narrative journal, and part eulogy as John walks us through his pilgrimage of violent locations, war torn countries, and our very own country while affirming non-violence. His aim is to encourage all people to live our responsibility to our neighbors; to be responsible to all of creation through non-violence. Throughout this journey he calls out the powerful, often by name, who rule over our poor and marginalized brothers and sisters. But his criticism is not solely for the powerful, but also those of use who sit by and are complicit through our inaction.
His work is prophetic as he rails against the violent empire of the US, as we further stir the pot of violence, and refuse to help our poor, marginalized neighbors; neighbors whom we have marginalized. Constantly he refers back to how much destruction we engage in despite considering ourselves generous and Christlike. He sees the need for our repentance, and he himself has prayed and confessed his part in violent participation.
This work is the kind of work evangelicals need to read, not just for its treatise on non-violence, but for our own liturgical practices. As evangelicals we fall short; by leaving behind traditions and replacing them with our shallow, superficial practices, we have lost touch with the reality in which we live. We have lost sight of what it means to have the responsibility to love our neighbor. Having neglected our responsibility to our neighbors, we are guilty of partaking in violence.
Each memory he shares, each stop on his own pilgrimage, is full of the incarnation and deep peace of the gospel. He illuminates the paradoxical nature of the non-violent kingdom conquering the violence of this world; the violence of an empire bending and breaking those who who stand in its way.
That, I think, is my favorite part of his work. As he shares his journey and his stories, he illustrates a depth to the poverty, the pain, the destruction, that is both grieving, but at the same time paradoxically beautiful, as only the gospel can make it. His book illuminates the beauty of humanity while sharing the results of violence done to our brothers and sisters in this world, and it is within this confluence of violence and peace, of destruction and responsibility, that the hope of the gospel unfolds.
As he explores violence among us, and done by us, he does not stop at war. Or killing. Instead he gets to the systemic issues of poverty, of power, of greed, of furthering our own selfish goals and bank accounts at the expense of others. He takes a holistic view of violence, condemning the myriad ways in which we seek to benefit at the expense of others’ bodies, minds, and wellbeing.
In the end, despite the violence, despite the blind eye we and our imperial government turns, this book brings with it a hope. A hope that by imagining a world of peace, by asking what we need to do to achieve such a world, we will one day succeed in it. A hope that violence will not always have the last word.
His work is prophetic as he rails against the violent empire of the US, as we further stir the pot of violence, and refuse to help our poor, marginalized neighbors; neighbors whom we have marginalized. Constantly he refers back to how much destruction we engage in despite considering ourselves generous and Christlike. He sees the need for our repentance, and he himself has prayed and confessed his part in violent participation.
This work is the kind of work evangelicals need to read, not just for its treatise on non-violence, but for our own liturgical practices. As evangelicals we fall short; by leaving behind traditions and replacing them with our shallow, superficial practices, we have lost touch with the reality in which we live. We have lost sight of what it means to have the responsibility to love our neighbor. Having neglected our responsibility to our neighbors, we are guilty of partaking in violence.
Each memory he shares, each stop on his own pilgrimage, is full of the incarnation and deep peace of the gospel. He illuminates the paradoxical nature of the non-violent kingdom conquering the violence of this world; the violence of an empire bending and breaking those who who stand in its way.
That, I think, is my favorite part of his work. As he shares his journey and his stories, he illustrates a depth to the poverty, the pain, the destruction, that is both grieving, but at the same time paradoxically beautiful, as only the gospel can make it. His book illuminates the beauty of humanity while sharing the results of violence done to our brothers and sisters in this world, and it is within this confluence of violence and peace, of destruction and responsibility, that the hope of the gospel unfolds.
As he explores violence among us, and done by us, he does not stop at war. Or killing. Instead he gets to the systemic issues of poverty, of power, of greed, of furthering our own selfish goals and bank accounts at the expense of others. He takes a holistic view of violence, condemning the myriad ways in which we seek to benefit at the expense of others’ bodies, minds, and wellbeing.
In the end, despite the violence, despite the blind eye we and our imperial government turns, this book brings with it a hope. A hope that by imagining a world of peace, by asking what we need to do to achieve such a world, we will one day succeed in it. A hope that violence will not always have the last word.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
It is difficult for me to give a star rating for this book. The format and delivery was a little strange, so I decided on 2.5 stars. The ideal Dear envisions of justice for oppressed and marginalized people through nonviolent means is beautiful in the sense that it is full of goodness and truth. His David v. Goliath approach is admirable for its selflessness and courage. And who could argue with MLK Jr. or Gandhi?!
However, I am not sure that this is the best way to achieve the ends that are hoped for. Be it the cultural climate, the state of geopolitics, the lack of a definitive morality, ….or just chalk it up to my weak faith… I am not convinced that the methods Dear chooses are what will be effective in this century.
Dear says it himself:
“[The goal of non-violence] has led me to organize hundreds of non-violent demonstrations against war and nuclear weapons and to cross the line in dozens of acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. I have lobbied dozens of politicians, given innumerable press conferences, stood at countless peace vigils, and have been arrested more than seventy times. By and large, my efforts have been ignored by the media, the government, and the churches, but that has not stopped me.”
Once again, I say that his heart is admirable, but I think fresh strategies are needed. I want the same goals…freedom for the oppressed and relief for those in poverty through education, trade, agriculture, etc. I’m just not sure how to go about it effectively. This is something I want to search out. Overall, this book is good for my soul because it reminds me of how blind I can be to the suffering of others.
However, I am not sure that this is the best way to achieve the ends that are hoped for. Be it the cultural climate, the state of geopolitics, the lack of a definitive morality, ….or just chalk it up to my weak faith… I am not convinced that the methods Dear chooses are what will be effective in this century.
Dear says it himself:
“[The goal of non-violence] has led me to organize hundreds of non-violent demonstrations against war and nuclear weapons and to cross the line in dozens of acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. I have lobbied dozens of politicians, given innumerable press conferences, stood at countless peace vigils, and have been arrested more than seventy times. By and large, my efforts have been ignored by the media, the government, and the churches, but that has not stopped me.”
Once again, I say that his heart is admirable, but I think fresh strategies are needed. I want the same goals…freedom for the oppressed and relief for those in poverty through education, trade, agriculture, etc. I’m just not sure how to go about it effectively. This is something I want to search out. Overall, this book is good for my soul because it reminds me of how blind I can be to the suffering of others.
June 10, 2022
modern day prophet
Father John is a modern day prophet. The powers that be will give no heed to his words, but neither did they give heed to the words of the prophets of old. Read this book slowly as a prayer, It just might change the direction your life.
Father John is a modern day prophet. The powers that be will give no heed to his words, but neither did they give heed to the words of the prophets of old. Read this book slowly as a prayer, It just might change the direction your life.
December 13, 2020
2.5 stars. A weird little book. A disjointed mix of diary entries, tributes to activists, peacemakers, and martyrs, and the author's own musings and accounts of his own peacemaking and nonviolent protest activities. I'm left a bit unsure what to make of it. The chapter on Colombia is the best. It's heartbreaking in its depictions of first-hand accounts of Colombians who suffer at the hands of the US backed paramilitary terrors, with hundreds being killed or displaced to make way for multinational corporations to take over their land.
The rest is a sometimes insightful, sometimes bland mix of platitudes about how bad nuclear war and American imperialism is and a strange, almost bragging and ultimately offputting treatment about how many times Dear and his friends have been arrested for civil disobedience. It almost feels like he is fetishizing being arrested and mistreated in the name of nonviolent activism. I'm sympathetic to Dear's thesis that Jesus advocated a nonviolent approach, but for some reason his treatment left me a bit cold.
The rest is a sometimes insightful, sometimes bland mix of platitudes about how bad nuclear war and American imperialism is and a strange, almost bragging and ultimately offputting treatment about how many times Dear and his friends have been arrested for civil disobedience. It almost feels like he is fetishizing being arrested and mistreated in the name of nonviolent activism. I'm sympathetic to Dear's thesis that Jesus advocated a nonviolent approach, but for some reason his treatment left me a bit cold.
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December 9, 2009I think I will allow this book to haunt me for the rest of my life. Insha'allah that is ...
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August 10, 2017Unfortunate that a book of inspiring models begins with inaccurate exposition. Rhetorical twisting and speculative interpretation in the very first pages. The writer seems to reduce the gospel to a mere qualifier for nonviolence, as if that's all the gospel is about. Sad, that he has so much good to say, but discredits himself by mishandling Scripture. Sigh.
Read it to learn from the examples, but be on guard when he interprets Scripture.
Read it to learn from the examples, but be on guard when he interprets Scripture.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews