Christian Nonviolence in the US in the 20th Century

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course examines the writings and social thought of Christians who opposed war and critiqued various other forms of organized violence. We will look at pacifism as a part of but not the totality of Christian nonviolence. Some attention will be paid to the role of key organizations such as the Fellowship of Reconciliation played in disseminating techniques and teachings to form nonviolence practices and protests. We will linger on the theological and Scriptural underpinnings of Christian nonviolence. At times, we pause to understand how Christian nonviolent advocates tried to address recurring critiques of their proposals as utopian, naïve, or unrealizable in a fallen and violent world.