Comments on: Hammers that Didn’t Quite Fall

By: So many books! So little time! | The American Catholic

So many books! So little time! | The American Catholic — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:01:41 +0000

[...] the book is already causing quite a stir. As First Things‘ Matthew Millner observes, the usually cantankerous, “rhetorically violent” Stanley Haurwaus gave it a surprisingly…, concluding: “As a pacifist I could not want a better conversation partner than Peter [...]

By: Deacon Dana

Deacon Dana — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 03:30:17 +0000

Walter Brueggemann is correct: Dr. Reno’s commentary is quite satisfying for certain readers and I’m one of them. What a pleasure to read a commentary that doesn’t leave faith behind when it opens Holy Scripture.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 01:08:29 +0000

@Amelia:

If I’m correct, I remember reading that Prof. Hauerwas has stated that he thinks even self defence, even in his own home, and even in defence of his family members, would be something he would deny himself. (I’d expect even Gandhi to throw a punch for his mom or dad.) If true, talk about a dedicated pacifist!

And it’s another reason why I can never get on board with pacifism. Noble-hearted as many of them may be, a rejection of military action at any time and under any circumstances seems to necessitate a rejection of police action for the same reasons, even against the knife-wielding rapist in your living room. After all, an aggressor is an aggressor, right?

I could be wrong on that Hauerwas information, so please, anyone, correct me if I’m wrong.

By: Bob G

Bob G — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:17:31 +0000

Reno is in good company. Pope Benedict is another theologian who uses the work of biblical scholars, and, it seems, considerably better than they do. On any biblical passage we can find biblical scholars all over the map. It seems to me that without strong and orthodox faith a biblical scholar is likely to make a mess of his/her work. Garry Wills, a self-styled biblical scholar, comes to mind. By the way, the comments above are delightful.

By: Fr. Kev Kevin, SJ

Fr. Kev Kevin, SJ — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:24:30 +0000

Good for Russ. Much worse would be (1) Indifference from the likes of Bruegemann and (2) Agreement from the likes of Bruegemann.

By: Amelia

Amelia — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:48:16 +0000

I would like to see Prof Hauerwaus leave his ivory tower and live somewhere in the world which is unprotected by courageous soldiers–Somalia for example. The professor’s pacifism is a dangerous fairytale– untested in the fire of the real world. The genial professor’s views are winsome enough here in the United States, protected as we are by soldiers willing to die so that we can live safely enough to write and think. I have no doubt Hauerwaus could charm some of his followers to put their lives on the line and die in service of pacifism in Somolia or elsewhere–but will he? I am reminded of the reason that Buddhism has disappeared, for the most part, from the birthplace of the Buddha.