America and Its Guns; A Theological Expose
Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2012. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Trade paperback. xx, 228, [2] pages. Footnotes. Illustrations. Minor wear to cover noted. Signed by the author with sentiment notation reads "Lift up your voice! Isiah 40:9. J. Atwood". Includes list of 8 Illustrations and Tables; List of Abbreviations; Foreword by Walter Brueggermann; Preface, Bibliography, and Appendix. Walter Brueggemann (born March 11, 1933) was an American Protestant Old Testament scholar and theologian who is widely considered one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of the last several decades. He is an important figure in modern progressive Christianity whose work focuses on the Hebrew prophetic tradition and sociopolitical imagination of the Church. He argues that the Church must provide a counter-narrative to the forces of consumerism, militarism, and nationalism. The author was the Chairperson of Heeding God's Call of Greater Washington, a faith-based movement that encourages gun shops to adopt a code of conduct that deters illegal trafficking of handguns. James E. Atwood is pastor emeritus of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Arlington, Virginia. A leader in the faith-based movement for good gun laws, he has served as chair of the anti-gun violence group Heeding God’s Call of Greater Washington, interfaith coordinator of the Million Mom March, and a member of the National Committee of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. Atwood is the author of America and Its Guns and Fundamentalism. He received the 2018 David Steele Distinguished Writer Award by the Presbyterian Writers Guild and the 2019 Beard Atwood Award from the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. James Atwood contends that the thirty thousand gun deaths America suffers every year cannot be understood apart from our national myth that God has appointed America as "the trustee of the civilization of the world" and even "Christ's light to the nations" Because these purposes are noble, and we are supposedly a good and trustworthy people, violence is sometimes "required" and gives license to individuals to carry open or concealed weapons, which "save lives" and can even be "redemptive" Atwood, an avid hunter, cautions that an absolute trust in guns and violence morphs easily into idolatry. Having spent thirty-six years as a Presbyterian pastor fighting against the easy access to firearms, one of which took the life of a friend, he uses his unique experience and his biblical and theological understanding to graphically portray the impact guns have on our society. He documents how Americans have been deceived into believing that the tools of violence, whether they take the form of advanced military technology or a handgun in the bedside stand, will provide security. He closes with a wake-up call to the faith community, which he says is America's best hope to unmask the extremism of the Gun Empire. Condition: Very good.
Keywords: Religion, Politics, Gun Control, Firearms, Law, Legislation, Risk, Violence, Second Amendment, Freedom, Murder, Mass Shooting, Disorder, Peacemakers, NRA, National Rifle Association
ISBN: 9781610978255
[Book #80232]
Price: $50.00