The Early Church, obeying Jesus’ teaching, was explicitly nonviolent. The later Churches, both Catholic and Protestant, certainly weren’t, meting out coercion, torture, execution, massacre, atrocity and war to those who disagreed with them. Does this history of extreme violence matter? If it does, why is it largely ignored? Why are Christians today comfortable with involvement in state sponsored violence? Has the Church lost its bearings dealing with violence?

For Christians, there is an answer to all of this, one which is faithful to Jesus’ teaching and example. This book sets out the concept of ‘active Christian nonviolence’, what it is, and what it isn’t. It is potentially costly discipleship to which Jesus called his first followers, and to which he calls us now.

It is the Way of the Cross.