----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Henwood" <dhenwood at panix.com>
Financial Times - June 12/13, 2004
One man and his god By Jonathan Steinberg
[snip]
As the Evangelical Centre for Christian Statesmanship in Washington DC puts it, "Today, in our nation's capital, a new call is going forth. It is a call to serve that invites us to embrace God's providential purpose for this nation." That "new call" is how Evangelicals see the administration of George W. Bush.
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Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik by Douglas Johnston Hardcover: 270 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.02 x 10.28 x 5.44 Publisher: Oxford University Press; (March 1, 2003) ISBN: 0195160894
Synopsis For most of the 20th century, the most critical concerns of national security have been balance of power politics and the global arms race. The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the motives behind them, however, demand a radical break with this tradition. If the United States is to prevail in its long-term contest with extremist Islam, it will need to re-examine old assumptions, expand the scope of its thinking to include religion and other "irrational" factors, and be willing to depart from past practice. A purely military response in reaction to such attacks will simply not suffice. What will be required is a long-term strategy of cultural engagement, backed by a deeper understanding of how others view the world and what is important to them. In non-Western cultures, religion is a primary motivation for political actions. Historically dismissed by Western policymakers as a divisive influence, religion may in fact have significant potential for overcoming the obstacles that lead to paralysis and stalemate. The incorporation of religion as part of the solution to such problems is as simple as it is profound and, the author argues, long overdue.
Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft by Douglas Johnston, Cynthia Sampson, Center for Strategic and International Studies Paperback: 350 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.97 x 9.17 x 6.10 Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (September 1, 1995) ISBN: 0195102800
Book Description Religion plays a crucial role in many international conflicts, yet for the most part, diplomacy either ignores or misunderstands its role. This unified collection of case studies and theoretical pieces attempts to restore this missing dimension to its rightful place in the conduct of international diplomacy. offers the first systematic account of modern cases in which religious or spiritual factors have played a helpful role in preventing or resolving conflict and achieving nonviolent change. A distinguished roster of scholars provides examples from Europe, Central American, Asia, and Africa. Additional essays bring out the implications of these case studies for foreign policy and for religious communities.