The Only Alternative: Christian Nonviolent Peacemakers in America

by Alan E. Nelson

The radical message of Jesus is that there is only one alternative to the common method of confronting violence with more violence. The Only Christian Nonviolent Peacemakers in America explores the spiritually active practice of compassionate nonviolence. Here is a journey through the lives of seven courageous American peacemakers who have embodied Christian nonviolence and dedicated their lives to addressing the suffering caused by racial discrimination, slavery, poverty, militarism, nuclear weapons, prisons, environmental degradation, and the psychology of fear and hatred. Here are highlights from the inspirational ideas and actions of Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Rufus Jones, Thomas Kelly, Jim Douglass, and Kathy Kelly. They remind us that to be Christian is to use the power of love to transform spiritual, economic, and social violence. The great turning from violence to nonviolence is the story of Christianity in America. There has never been a more urgent time for this revolutionary teaching to be heard, understood, and lived. "It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence . . ." --Martin Luther King Jr. Human beings are now facing the stark choice between survival and destruction amid myriad forms of violence. The nonviolent peacemakers within this book can inspire the peacemaker within each of us to cultivate a direct relationship with God and love through contemplation, meditation, writing, and compassionate action based in the life and teachings of Jesus. Alan Nelson was a clinical psychologist who worked closely with Carl Rogers. In 1978 Nelson founded a nonprofit organization called the Peace Project, which he directed until his death in 2002. He also helped to create and lead the American Psychological Association's Peace Psychology Division as well as Psychologists for Social Responsibility, an independent nonprofit organization. Nelson's work appeared in the American Psychologist, the Journal of Peace Psychology, and the Journal of Humanistic Psychology. John Malkin is a writer and musician based in Santa Cruz, California, where he hosts a weekly radio program focusing on social change and spiritual liberation. He is the author of Sounds of Freedom, a book of interviews with fifteen musicians. His interviews and writing have appeared in numerous magazines, including Sojourners, Buddhadharma, Shambhala Sun, Namarupa, Z Magazine, In These Times, Mandala, AlterNet (www.alternet.org), and the Sun.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Alan E. Nelson, Ed.D., is a social entrepreneur, professor, and young leader expert, who lives near Los Angeles, California. He has a graduate degree in psychology-communication and doctorate in leadership (University of San Diego). As an adjunct professor at USC Marshall School of Business, the Naval Postgraduate School, and Pepperdine University, he teaches leadership, org behavior and change, and related topics.

At midlife, Alan came to the conclusion that the best leadership development is used on adults, after they're set in their ways. He began his pioneering work on identifying and developing 10-18 year olds, gifted in leadership. "The goal is to get to leaders while they're moldable, not moldy," Nelson quips. He is the founder of LeadYoung Training Systems (www.LeadYoungTraining.com) and KidLead Inc. (a non-profit).

Dr. Nelson is the author of 20 books, over 200 articles, and 150 hours of young leader training curricula. He's a corporate trainer and keynoter, focusing on an array of topics, usually related to his writings. He lives with his wife of 36 years, Nancy, in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outlines the lives and thinking of American, Christian nonviolent peacemakers Martin Luther King Jr., Jim Douglass, Kathy Kelly, Dorothy Day, Rufus Jones, Thomas Merton, Thomas Kelly.

Not enough in each chapter to make a full biography, but gives a good introduction to each peacemaker. Most of each chapter deals with the peacemaker's thoughts and writing about how nonviolent peacemaking works.

Lots of quotes from Jesus and Gandhi throughout.

For someone who wants an introduction to nonviolence in the US--perhaps having read some Gandhi--it's a nice introduction. For those who have read more, it's a good summary and highlights some themes and issues that cross all of the peacemakers highlighted.