Military & Weapon History

There's a saying about war that religious pacifists will balk at: For the faithful, wars shall never cease. The referent is not physical bloody conflict, of course, but the spiritual and ideological wars we fight as Christians. We aren't warmongers by any stretch, but we are engaged in a spiritual struggle with the forces of darkness and ungodliness that requires vigilance, strength, and tactical savvy.

What does this have to do with books about war and weapons? Just this: that the wars fought with swords and rifles and hand grenades are in many ways symbolic of the less outwardly violent conflict we wage in God's name. War isn't like a wrestling match; one side isn't going to walk away from the mat, and there will be no handshaking when it's all over.

War means death. In its physical manifestation, it's nothing to glory over—destruction and carnage are bad, and there's nothing noble about men slitting each others' throats and blowing each other up.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

Did you find this review helpful?