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Peacemakers: Building stability in a complex world

Reviewed by Nathan Stone.

In Peacemakers, Peter Dixon has written a straight forward modern world book with a sound Christian moral basis for involvement in, and resolution from, conflict. Being a former RAF pilot and now chief executive of Concordis International, Dixon is perfectly placed to write on the subject, taking into account all points of view and giving each its own credit. The book does not provide definitive answers to some questions (Dixon himself admits to ‘being a natural fence-sitter’), but does offer real-life experience on the subject, which is often a rare thing for books of this nature.

The Christian basis of Dixon’s views on the subject are never far from the surface, and these views are always supported by relevant biblical quotations, both Old and New Testament. This offers a difference from many pieces of literature which seek to highlight the value of the Just War Theory primarily through the Old Testament, whilst largely ignoring the New.

It is by no means a heavy intellectual book; one of the author’s aims is to help non-specialist Christians better understand how they can apply their faith to conflict. Because of this, it is a useful book for any Christian, particularly those looking for a relevant Christian view on conflict and what can be done about it.