Nonviolent Action
When I saw I had the opportunity to review Ron Sider’s Nonviolent Action, I had some mixed emotions. I do believe that violence is required in certain cases, as seen by my role as a chaplain in the Canadian Army. It is not just my job, I have reflected on these issues and am satisfied with my decision to not identify as a pacifist. You can find some of my thoughts on pacifism here.
On the other hand, I really like Ron Sider. I had the opportunity to take a course from him at Acadia Divinity College and I was deeply impressed. Sider, who is the founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, does a great job of balancing evangelism and social action. Plus, Sider was born in Canada which always wins points.
I was both surprised and pleased by the book. This book is not a call for all Christians to become pacifists. In fact, he makes it clear from the beginning that this book is for both pacifist and just war Christians. His thesis is simply that nonviolent action can produce radical change.
Sider shares some of the great examples of nonviolent action, including Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. He shares the tremendous experiences of Poland and East Germany. I really enjoyed how Sider told these stories, writing not just about the victories but the setbacks as well. The examples given are truly inspiring, no matter what you think of pacifism.
My biggest problem with the book is the subtitle. The full title is Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands But Most Christians Have Never Really Tried. The concern I have is that Sider never demonstrates that Christian ethics demand nonviolent action. Perhaps he just takes that as a given. However, there are plenty of Christian ethicists who see just war as a viable option. It also creates some tension in the book, where Sider seems to invite just war theorists into the conversation, even though the subtitle seems to exclude them.
As a person who believes in just war, I agree that nonviolent action should be our first option. I’m thankful that the Berlin wall came down the way it did and not through a pitched battle. However, I also believe there are times for military intervention. Rwanda is an example of a situation that perhaps could have used a more forceful intervention.
Having said all that, I do recommend Ron Sider’s Nonviolent Action. It is a great reminder of the power of standing up for what is right.
Purchase your copy of Nonviolent Action.
You can find my interview with Ron Sider in Faith Today magazine here.
