"This book began in an argument between friends surprised to find themselves on opposite sides of the debate about whether the United States and the United Kingdom should invade Iraq in 2003. Situated on opposite sides of the Atlantic, in different churches, and on different sides of the just war/pacifist fence, we exchanged long emails that rehearsed on a small scale the great national and international debates that were taking place around us. We discovered the common ground we shared, as well as some predictable and some surprising points of difference....When the initial hostilities ended, our conversation continued, and we felt the urgency of contributing to a wider Christian debate about whether and when war could be justified."—From the preface.

Table of contents: Introduction : the debate over war in a Christian context -- Sources and methods for a Christian ethic of war -- Christian pacifism and the just war tradition -- Does humanitarian intervention pass the test? -- The challenge of weapons proliferation -- Political and holy terrorism : frameworks for analysis and action -- Spreading democracy or asserting national interests? The case of the Wars on Iraq -- Conclusion : a Christian agenda for a warring world.