Faith- Based Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitik

Faith- Based Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitik

Author: Douglas Johnston

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2008-06-02

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0199721955

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For most of the twentieth century, the most critical concerns of national security have been balance-of-power politics and the global arms race. The religious conflicts of this era 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 in fact has 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. It is long overdue. This book looks at five intractable conflicts and explores the possibility of drawing on religion as a force for peace. It builds upon the insights of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (OUP, 1994) -- which examined the role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict -- while achieving social change based on justice and reconciliation. The world-class authors writing in this volume suggest how the peacemaking tenets of five major world religions can be strategically applied in ongoing conflicts in which those religions are involved. Finally, the commonalities and differences between these religions are examined with an eye toward further applications in peacemaking and conflict resolution.


Book Synopsis Faith- Based Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitik by : Douglas Johnston

Download or read book Faith- Based Diplomacy Trumping Realpolitik written by Douglas Johnston and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2008-06-02 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For most of the twentieth century, the most critical concerns of national security have been balance-of-power politics and the global arms race. The religious conflicts of this era 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 in fact has 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. It is long overdue. This book looks at five intractable conflicts and explores the possibility of drawing on religion as a force for peace. It builds upon the insights of Religion, the Missing Dimension of Statecraft (OUP, 1994) -- which examined the role that religious or spiritual factors can play in preventing or resolving conflict -- while achieving social change based on justice and reconciliation. The world-class authors writing in this volume suggest how the peacemaking tenets of five major world religions can be strategically applied in ongoing conflicts in which those religions are involved. Finally, the commonalities and differences between these religions are examined with an eye toward further applications in peacemaking and conflict resolution.


Faith-based Diplomacy and Interfaith Dialogue

Faith-based Diplomacy and Interfaith Dialogue

Author: Scott Blakemore

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2019-05-27

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 9004408959

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Interfaith dialogue is a practice that could benefit diplomatic strategies but has not yet been brought into diplomacy’s scope. This paper uses the theoretical construct of faith-based diplomacy to recommend interfaith dialogue as a viable strategy within diplomatic activities.


Book Synopsis Faith-based Diplomacy and Interfaith Dialogue by : Scott Blakemore

Download or read book Faith-based Diplomacy and Interfaith Dialogue written by Scott Blakemore and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2019-05-27 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interfaith dialogue is a practice that could benefit diplomatic strategies but has not yet been brought into diplomacy’s scope. This paper uses the theoretical construct of faith-based diplomacy to recommend interfaith dialogue as a viable strategy within diplomatic activities.


Faith Based Diplomacy

Faith Based Diplomacy

Author: John Chikago

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 189

ISBN-13: 1420825593

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Faith Based Diplomacy-The Challenge to Development is not just another book on diplomacy. It is a book in its own class. Concisely written and imbued with pragmatism, it outlines a vision of hope to poverty-stricken people making a concerted effort to improve their situations. Based on practical experience and influenced by faith, Ambassador James John Chikago's book is useful reading for those possessing faith based values; specifically, people believing that God created the Universe before creating mankind and those sensitive individuals aware that poverty is not a permanent condition relegated to any specific ethnic identity. Beginning with the early pages, Chikago defines "diplomacy" as statesmanship, disavowing the assumption that diplomacy is a new invention by modern states. Instead, the author shows how the Holy Bible makes references to diplomacy in the books of 2 Samuel 10:2, 2 Corinthians 5:20, and Ephesians 6:20 With the consolidation of democratic regimes and the flowering of democracy worldwide, the author explores the problems diplomatic missions from developing countries face in the world's new political environment. For instance, he extols those ordinary citizens in developing countries who courageously question the status quo of resident diplomatic missions in search for something better, but also deplores public anger for performance improvements at diplomatic missions explaining that such anger is misdirected because diplomatic missions are not independent entities. The author contends that governments in developing countries have acted responsibly by implementing development diplomacy as a strategy for improving the performance at diplomatic missions. While the change to development diplomacy has aroused a sense of optimism among some citizens, the author cautions that many unwisely place too much hope in political systems and man-made solutions alone. Ambassador Chikago reminds readers of the prophet's promise in Isaiah 44:2a; "He who made you will help you". He also notes that Pastor/author Rick Warren(Purpose Driven Life) has stated that no person was born by mistake, and that God has a purpose for all of us; God plans who will be born and when. In other words, while adopting development diplomacy is a positive step, it is not a silver bullet and it means little without God's blessings. The resolution of poverty in developing countries will be realized through prayers and by asking God for an awakening to correct value systems. Faith Based Diplomacy- The Challenge to Development is a thoughtful and stimulating discussion for politicians, the diplomatic community, bureaucrats and students of diplomacy everywhere.


Book Synopsis Faith Based Diplomacy by : John Chikago

Download or read book Faith Based Diplomacy written by John Chikago and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2005 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Faith Based Diplomacy-The Challenge to Development is not just another book on diplomacy. It is a book in its own class. Concisely written and imbued with pragmatism, it outlines a vision of hope to poverty-stricken people making a concerted effort to improve their situations. Based on practical experience and influenced by faith, Ambassador James John Chikago's book is useful reading for those possessing faith based values; specifically, people believing that God created the Universe before creating mankind and those sensitive individuals aware that poverty is not a permanent condition relegated to any specific ethnic identity. Beginning with the early pages, Chikago defines "diplomacy" as statesmanship, disavowing the assumption that diplomacy is a new invention by modern states. Instead, the author shows how the Holy Bible makes references to diplomacy in the books of 2 Samuel 10:2, 2 Corinthians 5:20, and Ephesians 6:20 With the consolidation of democratic regimes and the flowering of democracy worldwide, the author explores the problems diplomatic missions from developing countries face in the world's new political environment. For instance, he extols those ordinary citizens in developing countries who courageously question the status quo of resident diplomatic missions in search for something better, but also deplores public anger for performance improvements at diplomatic missions explaining that such anger is misdirected because diplomatic missions are not independent entities. The author contends that governments in developing countries have acted responsibly by implementing development diplomacy as a strategy for improving the performance at diplomatic missions. While the change to development diplomacy has aroused a sense of optimism among some citizens, the author cautions that many unwisely place too much hope in political systems and man-made solutions alone. Ambassador Chikago reminds readers of the prophet's promise in Isaiah 44:2a; "He who made you will help you". He also notes that Pastor/author Rick Warren(Purpose Driven Life) has stated that no person was born by mistake, and that God has a purpose for all of us; God plans who will be born and when. In other words, while adopting development diplomacy is a positive step, it is not a silver bullet and it means little without God's blessings. The resolution of poverty in developing countries will be realized through prayers and by asking God for an awakening to correct value systems. Faith Based Diplomacy- The Challenge to Development is a thoughtful and stimulating discussion for politicians, the diplomatic community, bureaucrats and students of diplomacy everywhere.


Faith–Based Diplomacy

Faith–Based Diplomacy

Author: Brian Cox

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

Published: 2015-06-19

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 1503550931

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The rise of religion and religious actors combined with nonstate actors increasing influence in the international order has become the new normal. These fundamental changes in the security environment call for a new paradigm to address national security concerns. That paradigm must acknowledge the cultural and historical factors at the heart of many identity-based conflicts and advance the role of nation-states in resolving them. That emerging paradigm is faith-based diplomacy, and this bookwritten by one of the worlds leading expertsdescribes the principles and methodology of this form of engagement in the strategic political realm. It is informed by twenty-five years of experience in some of the worlds roughest neighborhoods, including East Central Europe and the Balkans, Sudan, Kashmir, and the Middle East. Canon Brian Cox is an ordained Episcopal priest; a pastor in Santa Barbara, California; a diplomat with a Washington, DC, nongovernmental organization; and a professor in a law schoolbased conflict-resolution program in Southern California.


Book Synopsis Faith–Based Diplomacy by : Brian Cox

Download or read book Faith–Based Diplomacy written by Brian Cox and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2015-06-19 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rise of religion and religious actors combined with nonstate actors increasing influence in the international order has become the new normal. These fundamental changes in the security environment call for a new paradigm to address national security concerns. That paradigm must acknowledge the cultural and historical factors at the heart of many identity-based conflicts and advance the role of nation-states in resolving them. That emerging paradigm is faith-based diplomacy, and this bookwritten by one of the worlds leading expertsdescribes the principles and methodology of this form of engagement in the strategic political realm. It is informed by twenty-five years of experience in some of the worlds roughest neighborhoods, including East Central Europe and the Balkans, Sudan, Kashmir, and the Middle East. Canon Brian Cox is an ordained Episcopal priest; a pastor in Santa Barbara, California; a diplomat with a Washington, DC, nongovernmental organization; and a professor in a law schoolbased conflict-resolution program in Southern California.


Religion and Public Diplomacy

Religion and Public Diplomacy

Author: P. Seib

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2013-07-03

Total Pages: 261

ISBN-13: 1137291125

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Mixing religion and public diplomacy can produce volatile results, but in a world in which the dissemination and influence of religious beliefs are enhanced by new communications technologies, religion is a factor in many foreign policy issues and must be addressed. Faith is such a powerful part of so many people's lives that it should be incorporated in public diplomacy efforts if they are to have meaningful resonance among the publics they are trying to reach. This book addresses key issues of faith in an increasingly connected and religious world and provides a better understanding of the role religion plays in public diplomacy.


Book Synopsis Religion and Public Diplomacy by : P. Seib

Download or read book Religion and Public Diplomacy written by P. Seib and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-07-03 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mixing religion and public diplomacy can produce volatile results, but in a world in which the dissemination and influence of religious beliefs are enhanced by new communications technologies, religion is a factor in many foreign policy issues and must be addressed. Faith is such a powerful part of so many people's lives that it should be incorporated in public diplomacy efforts if they are to have meaningful resonance among the publics they are trying to reach. This book addresses key issues of faith in an increasingly connected and religious world and provides a better understanding of the role religion plays in public diplomacy.


Finding Faith in Foreign Policy

Finding Faith in Foreign Policy

Author: Gregorio Bettiza

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2019-06-04

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 0190949481

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Since the end of the Cold War, religion has become an ever more explicit and systematic focus of US foreign policy across multiple domains. US foreign policymakers, for instance, have been increasingly tasked with monitoring religious freedom and promoting it globally, delivering humanitarian and development aid abroad by drawing on faith-based organizations, fighting global terrorism by seeking to reform Muslim societies and Islamic theologies, and advancing American interests and values more broadly worldwide by engaging with religious actors and dynamics. Simply put, religion has become a major subject and object of American foreign policy in ways that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. In Finding Faith in Foreign Policy, Gregorio Bettiza explains the causes and consequences of this shift by developing an original theoretical framework and drawing upon extensive empirical research and interviews. He argues that American foreign policy and religious forces have become ever more inextricably entangled in an age witnessing a global resurgence of religion and the emergence of a postsecular world society. He further shows how the boundaries between faith and state have been redefined through processes of desecularization in the context of American foreign policy, leading the most powerful state in the international system to intervene and reshape in increasingly sustained ways sacred and secular landscapes around the globe. Drawing from a rich evidentiary base spanning twenty-five years, Finding Faith in Foreign Policy details how a wave of religious enthusiasm has transformed not just American foreign policy, but the entire international system.


Book Synopsis Finding Faith in Foreign Policy by : Gregorio Bettiza

Download or read book Finding Faith in Foreign Policy written by Gregorio Bettiza and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-06-04 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the end of the Cold War, religion has become an ever more explicit and systematic focus of US foreign policy across multiple domains. US foreign policymakers, for instance, have been increasingly tasked with monitoring religious freedom and promoting it globally, delivering humanitarian and development aid abroad by drawing on faith-based organizations, fighting global terrorism by seeking to reform Muslim societies and Islamic theologies, and advancing American interests and values more broadly worldwide by engaging with religious actors and dynamics. Simply put, religion has become a major subject and object of American foreign policy in ways that were unimaginable just a few decades ago. In Finding Faith in Foreign Policy, Gregorio Bettiza explains the causes and consequences of this shift by developing an original theoretical framework and drawing upon extensive empirical research and interviews. He argues that American foreign policy and religious forces have become ever more inextricably entangled in an age witnessing a global resurgence of religion and the emergence of a postsecular world society. He further shows how the boundaries between faith and state have been redefined through processes of desecularization in the context of American foreign policy, leading the most powerful state in the international system to intervene and reshape in increasingly sustained ways sacred and secular landscapes around the globe. Drawing from a rich evidentiary base spanning twenty-five years, Finding Faith in Foreign Policy details how a wave of religious enthusiasm has transformed not just American foreign policy, but the entire international system.


God's Diplomats

God's Diplomats

Author: Victor Gaetan

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2023-07-15

Total Pages: 483

ISBN-13: 1538184672

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Using inside sources and extensive field reporting about the secretive, high-stakes world of international diplomacy, Vatican reporter Victor Gaetan takes readers to the Holy See to explicate Pope Francis's diplomacy, show why it works, and to offer readers a startling contrast to the dangerous inadequacies of recent U.S. international decisions.


Book Synopsis God's Diplomats by : Victor Gaetan

Download or read book God's Diplomats written by Victor Gaetan and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-07-15 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using inside sources and extensive field reporting about the secretive, high-stakes world of international diplomacy, Vatican reporter Victor Gaetan takes readers to the Holy See to explicate Pope Francis's diplomacy, show why it works, and to offer readers a startling contrast to the dangerous inadequacies of recent U.S. international decisions.


Religious Soft Diplomacy and the United Nations

Religious Soft Diplomacy and the United Nations

Author: Sherrie M. Steiner

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2021-04-21

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 149859736X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The engagement of religious diplomacy within the United Nations systems has become increasingly important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The editors argue that effective religious diplomacy must reflect the great diversity of religious and spiritual expressions within human communities. The editors argue that this can best be achieved through a worldview shift within the United Nations systems. Religious engagement in the United Nations systems has been understandably constrained by limited and formal organizational structures and conventions. However, the existing patterns of engagement mitigate against the very goals they seek to achieve. The editors argue that expanded, yet measured, religious inclusion will strengthen social cohesion in the global community. Contributors demonstrate how communities become stronger when marginalized minority voices are included in public discourse. The editors further argue that governance has a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for this interaction. The editors propose that the United Nations adopt the posture of "loyal opposition", that is inherent in parliamentary democracies, to serve as a guideline for expanded religious engagement. The contributors advance this proposal with illustrations from multiple contexts that address a diverse array of social problems from perspectives rooted in theory and practice.


Book Synopsis Religious Soft Diplomacy and the United Nations by : Sherrie M. Steiner

Download or read book Religious Soft Diplomacy and the United Nations written by Sherrie M. Steiner and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-04-21 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The engagement of religious diplomacy within the United Nations systems has become increasingly important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The editors argue that effective religious diplomacy must reflect the great diversity of religious and spiritual expressions within human communities. The editors argue that this can best be achieved through a worldview shift within the United Nations systems. Religious engagement in the United Nations systems has been understandably constrained by limited and formal organizational structures and conventions. However, the existing patterns of engagement mitigate against the very goals they seek to achieve. The editors argue that expanded, yet measured, religious inclusion will strengthen social cohesion in the global community. Contributors demonstrate how communities become stronger when marginalized minority voices are included in public discourse. The editors further argue that governance has a responsibility to ensure a safe environment for this interaction. The editors propose that the United Nations adopt the posture of "loyal opposition", that is inherent in parliamentary democracies, to serve as a guideline for expanded religious engagement. The contributors advance this proposal with illustrations from multiple contexts that address a diverse array of social problems from perspectives rooted in theory and practice.


On the Significance of Religion for Global Diplomacy

On the Significance of Religion for Global Diplomacy

Author: Philip McDonagh

Publisher: Religion Matters

Published: 2020-11-05

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13: 9780367514341

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"What could it mean, in terms of strengthening multilateral diplomacy, if the UN, the OSCE, the European Union, and other regional diplomatic frameworks engaged more creatively with a religious perspective? In this ground-breaking volume it is argued that international organisations, backed by governments, can and should use their convening power to initiate new, multi-layered frameworks of engagement, inclusive of the representatives of religion. This can make multilateralism more fit-for-purpose and have a major impact over time on our planetary future. Divided into an introduction and six chapters, the topics covered include: Towards a culture of encounter inclusive of the world's religious traditions structural questions in 21st century diplomacy Knowing what we ought to know: the issues that face 21st century diplomacy Towards the global objective of a common peace for humanity understanding how change happens The diplomacy of the two standards the development of new frameworks of engagement A brief outline is offered of what an all-European initiative - an Agora for Europe - might look like if, in the 2020s, there were the political will to inaugurate a European regional process reflecting the orientation and methodology proposed in the book. Combining cutting-edge research and reflection with concrete recommendations for academics, religious actors, policy makers and practitioners, this concise and easily accessible volume helps to build bridges between these oftentimes separated spheres of engagement"--


Book Synopsis On the Significance of Religion for Global Diplomacy by : Philip McDonagh

Download or read book On the Significance of Religion for Global Diplomacy written by Philip McDonagh and published by Religion Matters. This book was released on 2020-11-05 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "What could it mean, in terms of strengthening multilateral diplomacy, if the UN, the OSCE, the European Union, and other regional diplomatic frameworks engaged more creatively with a religious perspective? In this ground-breaking volume it is argued that international organisations, backed by governments, can and should use their convening power to initiate new, multi-layered frameworks of engagement, inclusive of the representatives of religion. This can make multilateralism more fit-for-purpose and have a major impact over time on our planetary future. Divided into an introduction and six chapters, the topics covered include: Towards a culture of encounter inclusive of the world's religious traditions structural questions in 21st century diplomacy Knowing what we ought to know: the issues that face 21st century diplomacy Towards the global objective of a common peace for humanity understanding how change happens The diplomacy of the two standards the development of new frameworks of engagement A brief outline is offered of what an all-European initiative - an Agora for Europe - might look like if, in the 2020s, there were the political will to inaugurate a European regional process reflecting the orientation and methodology proposed in the book. Combining cutting-edge research and reflection with concrete recommendations for academics, religious actors, policy makers and practitioners, this concise and easily accessible volume helps to build bridges between these oftentimes separated spheres of engagement"--


Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith

Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith

Author: Andrew Preston

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2012-02-28

Total Pages: 779

ISBN-13: 0307957608

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A richly detailed, profoundly engrossing story of how religion has influenced American foreign relations, told through the stories of the men and women—from presidents to preachers—who have plotted the country’s course in the world. Ever since John Winthrop argued that the Puritans’ new home would be “a city upon a hill,” Americans’ role in the world has been shaped by their belief that God has something special in mind for them. But this is a story that historians have mostly ignored. Now, in the first authoritative work on the subject, Andrew Preston explores the major strains of religious fervor—liberal and conservative, pacifist and militant, internationalist and isolationist—that framed American thinking on international issues from the earliest colonial wars to the twenty-first century. He arrives at some startling conclusions, among them: Abraham Lincoln’s use of religion in the Civil War became the model for subsequent wars of humanitarian intervention; nineteenth-century Protestant missionaries made up the first NGO to advance a global human rights agenda; religious liberty was the centerpiece of Franklin Roosevelt’s strategy to bring the United States into World War II. From George Washington to George W. Bush, from the Puritans to the present, from the colonial wars to the Cold War, religion has been one of America’s most powerful sources of ideas about the wider world. When, just days after 9/11, George W. Bush described America as “a prayerful nation, a nation that prays to an almighty God for protection and for peace,” or when Barack Obama spoke of balancing the “just war and the imperatives of a just peace” in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, they were echoing four hundred years of religious rhetoric. Preston traces this echo back to its source. Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith is an unprecedented achievement: no one has yet attempted such a bold synthesis of American history. It is also a remarkable work of balance and fair-mindedness about one of the most fraught subjects in America.


Book Synopsis Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith by : Andrew Preston

Download or read book Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith written by Andrew Preston and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2012-02-28 with total page 779 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A richly detailed, profoundly engrossing story of how religion has influenced American foreign relations, told through the stories of the men and women—from presidents to preachers—who have plotted the country’s course in the world. Ever since John Winthrop argued that the Puritans’ new home would be “a city upon a hill,” Americans’ role in the world has been shaped by their belief that God has something special in mind for them. But this is a story that historians have mostly ignored. Now, in the first authoritative work on the subject, Andrew Preston explores the major strains of religious fervor—liberal and conservative, pacifist and militant, internationalist and isolationist—that framed American thinking on international issues from the earliest colonial wars to the twenty-first century. He arrives at some startling conclusions, among them: Abraham Lincoln’s use of religion in the Civil War became the model for subsequent wars of humanitarian intervention; nineteenth-century Protestant missionaries made up the first NGO to advance a global human rights agenda; religious liberty was the centerpiece of Franklin Roosevelt’s strategy to bring the United States into World War II. From George Washington to George W. Bush, from the Puritans to the present, from the colonial wars to the Cold War, religion has been one of America’s most powerful sources of ideas about the wider world. When, just days after 9/11, George W. Bush described America as “a prayerful nation, a nation that prays to an almighty God for protection and for peace,” or when Barack Obama spoke of balancing the “just war and the imperatives of a just peace” in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, they were echoing four hundred years of religious rhetoric. Preston traces this echo back to its source. Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith is an unprecedented achievement: no one has yet attempted such a bold synthesis of American history. It is also a remarkable work of balance and fair-mindedness about one of the most fraught subjects in America.