Includes bibliographical references (p. 199-225) and index.

Introduction : Jesus is no sectarian : John H. Yoder's Christological peacemaking ethic / Glen Harold Stassen -- Pt. 1. Nonviolence : the case for life and love. A theological critique of violence ; Gospel renewal and the roots of nonviolence ; The political meaning of hope ; From the wars of Joshua to Jewish pacifism ; Jesus : a model of radical political action -- Pt. 2. Dialogue with just war : the case for mutual learning. Just war and nonviolence : disjunction, dialogue, or complementarity? ; The changing conversation between the peace churches and mainstream Christianity ; Gordon Zahn is right : going the second mile with just war ; Lisa Sowle Cahill is generous : pacifism is about conversion and community, not rules and exceptions -- Pt. 3. Effective peacemaking practices : the case for proactive alternatives to violence. The science of conflict ; Creation, covenant, and conflict resolution ; Conflict from the perspective of Anabaptist history and theology ; The Church and change : violence versus nonviolent direct action ; Politics : liberating images of Christ ; A theologically critical perspective for our approach to conflict, intervention, and conciliation.

Before his sudden death, Yoder planned the essays and structure of The War of the Lamb, which he intended to be his last work. Now leading interpreters of Yoder bring that work to fruition. The War of the Lamb covers pacifism, just war theory, and just peacemaking theory. It crystallizes Yoder's argument that his proposed ethics is not sectarian and a matter of withdrawal. Yoder also clearly argues that Christian just war and Christian pacifist traditions are basically compatible--and more specifically, that the Christian just war tradition itself presumes against all violence. --from publisher description