A chapter by Mark Baker, Ph.D., professor of mission and theology, “My Conversion to Christian Pacifism: Reading Jacques Ellul in War-Ravaged Central America,” has been published in the book Jacques Ellul on Violence, Resistance, and War, eds. Jeffrey M. Shaw and Timothy J. Demy (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2016) 145-158.
Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) was a French philosopher, law professor, sociologist and lay theologian. According to publishers Wipf and Stock: “The last few decades seem to have ushered in new levels of violence, challenging the notion that our globalized, interconnected world offers increased prospects for cooperation and peace. Many philosophers and theologians have offered various reasons for why this might be so, but none has come so close as the French philosopher Jacques Ellul to providing a comprehensive explanation for many of the pitfalls inherent in increasing levels of technological advance. The chapters in this book explore the phenomena of violence, terrorism, and war through the lens of Ellul’s thought. Readers unfamiliar with Ellul will find as much to consider in these chapters as those who have studied Ellul extensively, and for both the novice and the expert, this book offers an opportunity to both evaluate and reevaluate Ellul’s extensive thought on matters of importance to contemporary society.” Order the book at wipfandstock.com/jacques-ellul-on-violence-resistance-and-war.html