Peacemakers: A Christian View of War and Peace.

Dixon (Making Peace with Faith), former Royal Air Force pilot and CEO of conflict resolution organization Concordis International, argues that there is a Christian obligation to engage in “just” war and peace efforts in this strident study. The first half of the book introduces the author and the work of Concordis and briefly reviews Christian traditions around war and peace. Dixon tracks Christian thinking on war from early pacifist writers, through Augustine (who preached “the need for love as a motivation” for war), and ending in modern arguments for just war, such as Ian Durie’s Price for Peace. Rejecting the case for pacifism as unpersuasive, Dixon assesses the War on Terror and the Syrian civil war and argues that in both cases lives were saved through intervention and that even more could be done to prevent violence before bad actors attack. He then turns to peacemaking, detailing the Concordis approach to mediating conflict and fostering lasting peace through building relationships and reconciliation. Dixon’s film and podcast suggestions, as well as an extensive bibliography, add value for those interested in learning more about the history and context of international conflict intervention. Though much of the text reads like the mission statement of his company, this clear, instructive work will appeal to those who share Dixon’s religious beliefs and also be worthwhile for those seeking to understand the role of NGOs in global conflict intervention. (BookLife)