Nilay Saiya Libri

A unique, timely, and wide-ranging book that formulates and applies an ethic of Jesus to the realm of global politics. Since the fourth century, Christians have wrestled with how they should interact with political authority. The most common view holds that while their ultimate loyalty rightfully belongs to God, Christians also have allegiance to their countries and a moral responsibility to transform their political systems. In The Global Politics of Jesus, Nilay Saiya provides a normative critique of this conventional view and advances an alternative approach. While it may seem natural for the church to fervently engage in political life and cultivate a close relationship with the state, Saiya argues that such beliefs result in a "paradox of privilege." As he shows, when the church yields to the seduction of political power when enjoying the benefits of an alliance with the state, it struggles to adhere to its tenets, and when it resists the allure of state power, it does its best work. This unique and wide-ranging book examines the paradox of privilege in some of the most important areas of global politics and considers its implications for the church itself.

By integrating normative public theology with empirical political science, this work explores an ethic of Jesus in global politics. It challenges traditional theories, advocating for the church to refrain from seeking state privileges while actively engaging in the world through prophetic witness. Utilizing global data and case studies, the book addresses the paradox of privilege in critical areas such as violence, human rights, and foreign policy, ultimately reflecting on the implications for the church's role in contemporary society.

Weapon of Peace will be of much interest to policymakers, journalists, missionaries, human rights activists, people of faith and anyone interested in the intersection of religion and government. It will also appeal to those interested in terrorism, political violence, human rights, democratization, current affairs and international relations generally.