Jumping to the end of the chapter, chernus points out that, ironically, while people tend to count thoreau among the heroes of nonviolence, thoreau never actually embraced the principle of nonviolence 54. By the end of 1953, the united states had close to 1,000 abombs, hbombs, and tactical nuclear weapons. The nonviolence handbook a guide for practical action. Oclc 03859761 the kingdom of god is within you by leo tolstoy. How presidents and pundits keep spinning us to death in his new book monsters to destroy.
Early nonviolence movements american nonviolence in the nineteenth century from world war i to world war ii. Martin luther kings legacy and israels future by ira chernus. It is an interesting and passionate study that raises serious questions about the meaning and. If they look with an unjaundiced eye, theyll quickly discover one basic principle. While this experience was difficult at times, it really was a wonderful blessing. Or they can remember the words in which he summed up a lifetime of nonviolence, on the last night of his life im not.
Now dower has written a book tracing the aftermath of world war ii, especially in the u. Some can also name champions of nonviolence like martin luther king jr. For more on her, see ira chernus book american nonviolence. But i think he was offbase because he didnt understand. Over the past twelve years, we have seen the united states take military action to. Gandhi, and includes a neverbeforepublished journal of an american peacemakers visit to gandhis ashram and the correspondence between gandhi and leo tolstoy. Ira chernus religious studies university of colorado boulder. It fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues. Vandana shiva, a renowned leader of rural resistance in india. Ira chernus is professor emeritus of religious studies at the university of colorado at boulder and author ofamerican nonviolence.
E very year, apologists for israels occupation of palestine eagerly. The history of an idea 9781570755477 by ira chernus. But little attention is paid to the intellectual tradition of nonviolence. The practice of nonviolence touches on something fundamental about human nature, about who we wish to be as individuals or as a people. While nuclear devastation threatened all nations, eisenhower believed only nuclear preparedness offered protection. And then barbara demings own context in the 60s and 70s in particular, you said, that other people that have written about her ira chernus, for example, is one in nonviolence. Faculty book publications religious studies university of. Gan shows readers that these widely adopted and violent views are largely mistaken, and require a fundamental rethinking and adjustment.
The history of an idea, and is currently working on monsters to destroy, a book about religion and the. Ira chernus is the author of monsters to destroy 4. Askesis of nonviolence final exam flashcards quizlet. I dedicate this book to ann, because the heart of nonviolence. It gave me insight into the concerns that jesus had for the people around him, living under a military occupation, and in a time when there were huge differences between the rich and poor, those who own land and those who work the land, and those who were considered worthy worshipers of god and those who were. In his atoms for peace speech of 1953, president dwight d. Ira chernus wrote that deming made it intellectually plausible, and even respectable, for nonreligious people to commit themselves to nonviolence with no religious basis. The practice of nonviolence of the strong is a significant part of the founding of america, and has been a consistent narrative throughout our history, or as writer ira chernus has said, the nonviolence tradition runs quietly, like an underground stream, through u. War and peace in the columbia guide to religion in american history, and nonviolence in the blackwell companion to religion and violence. Ira chernus wrote in her book, american nonviolence, as thousands died without fighting back, the commitment to nonviolence gave spiritual meaning to persecution and martyrdom 9. A psychedelic spin on national security common dreams. Ira chernus has three major essays in forthcoming reference works.
A 2010 course by ira chernus at the university of colorado at boulder traces the history of nonviolence movements in the u. Nonviolence for the third millennium provides insight into the past, present, and future of nonviolent theory and practice. The history of an idea paperback september 1, 2004 by ira chernus author visit amazons ira chernus page. No doubt advocates and critics of the opinion are scouring american history, looking for proof that their view is correct. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading american nonviolence. The supreme court has ruled, 54, that greece, new york, can open its town meetings with a prayer, even though nearly all the prayers have contained distinctively christian language.
While he includes material on the secular basis for nonviolence, most of his study involves individuals and groups who based their nonviolence on. While he includes material on the secular basis for nonviolence, most of his study involves individuals and groups who based their nonviolence on christianity or. Table of contents for diogenes, 61, 34, aug 01, 2014. Ira chernus began his academic career studying the history of religions, in particular the history of judaism, with special emphasis on rabbinic judaism and. The only road to freedom by mlk the poor peoples campaign. Early nonviolence movements american nonviolence in the nineteenth century from world war i to world war ii the influence of gandhi the world war ii e. Ira chernus born october 29, 1946 is a journalist, author, and professor emeritus of religious studies at the university of colorado, boulder. For a fuller elaboration of all aspects of kings thought discussed here, set in a different context, see ira chernus, american nonviolence. A psychedelic spin on national security common dreams views. This book offers an introduction to that tradition. Ideas always play some part, even for those who do not come to nonviolence primarily through logical thought.
Hello fellow wikipedians, i have just added archive links to one external link on barbara deming. To promote awareness of that heritage and efforts to enrich it, i have written an introductory book on the history of the idea of nonviolence in the united states. He described his own pilgrimage to nonviolence in his first book, stride toward freedom, and in subsequent books and articles. Ira chernus, a tomdispatch regular, is professor of religious studies at the university of colorado boulder and author of the online mythicamerica. For much of his career, his academic writing focused on the foreign policy of us presidents. Chernus pushes beyond political rhetoric and media cliches to examine psychological mechanisms that freeze our concepts of the world. Ira chernus surveys the evolution of this powerful idea from the colonial era up to today, focusing on representative movements anabaptists, quakers, anarchists, progressives and key individuals thoreau, reinhold niebuhr, dorothy day, a. Civil religion in the blackwell companion to american religion. The search for a nonviolent future by michael nagler. Robert ellsberg was a supportive and perceptive editor. Ira chernus during the early 1980s he became active in the antinuclear movement and decided to apply his academic skills as an historian of religions to studying the cultural and symbolic meanings of nuclear weapons.
If you have access to a journal via a society or association membership, please browse to your society journal, select an article to view, and follow the instructions in this box. I think in fairness to chernus, in his book he was trying to convey that it is possible to practice nonviolence without sounding like martin luther king, and so he grabbed barbara because she sort of sounded like that. In this consideration of eisenhowers speech and others leading up to it, ira chernus views the atoms for peace speech, presented to the general assembly of the united nations, not merely as a legitimation of american foreign policy but as itself an act of policy. Martin luther and coretta scott king library book catalog. Using evidence from scientific studies as well as anecdotal evidence and news reports, esteemed scholar and editor barry l. This book takes an incisive look at the stories we are told and tell ourselves about evil forces and american responses. Ghandi led india in one of the largest passive resistance movements in history through his use of satyagraha, truth force nojeim. The ideas and ideals of nonviolence cannot be understood as timeless disembodied abstractions. The effects of hiroshima and nagasaki had, by then, largely disappeared under a cloud of official secrecy, as had evidence of atomic dangers in the united states, where test blasts were already being set off with remarkable regularity.
On july 16, 1945, the united states set off the worlds first atomic explosion. The history of an idea kindle edition by chernus, ira. Ira chernus on where fear cant take us tomdispatch. The history of an idea by ira chernus surveys the evolution of the idea of intellectual nonviolence from the colonial era to the present focussing on representative movements and key individuals, including nonamericans like monhandas gandhi or thich. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
At james madison university martin luther and coretta scott king library book catalog abunimer, mohammed. Monsters to destroy ira chernus haftad 9781594512766. Reinhold niebuhrs critique of nonviolence will also be considered. Ira chernus is professor of religious studies at the university of colorado at boulder. Jul 18, 2019 geoffrey bateman rated it really liked it. Ira chernus is professor emeritus of religious studies at the university of colorado at boulder and. Ira chernus professor of religious studies university of colorado at boulder. Ira chernus most americans can recite the names of famous generals and historic battles. There is much to admire in ira chernuss american nonviolence.
Our work is licensed under a creative commons attributionshare alike 3. Apr 15, 2011 summary this chapter contains sections titled. Below, ira chernus considers what it means for all of us, critics as well as supporters of this administration, to be caught in the coils of an insecurity state and of mobilizing fears. As a theologian, martin luther king reflected often on his understanding of nonviolence. Chernus is professor of religious studies at the university of colorado at boulder. It was half a century ago, but i still remember it vividly. Access to society journal content varies across our titles. What drives him most of all, though, is his fascination with. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Americas new vietnam in the middle east a civil war story about the islamic state might spark a peace movement by ira chernus. The history of an idea by ira chernus 2004, orbis books.
We are already at war with china common dreams views. What better place to celebrate than that fabled eras epicenter, san franciscos golden gate park, where the deyoung museum has mounted a dazzling exhibition, chock full of rock music, light shows, posters, and fashions from the mindbending summer of 1967. Ira chernus on the ideas of american nonviolence waging. American nonviolence offers an essential guide for both students and activists. It effects have been less visible than the tradition of war and violence. Mar 19, 2010 the ssrc is an independent, international, nonprofit organization. Ira chernus religious studies university of colorado. True pacifism, or nonviolent resistance, king wrote, is a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love king, stride, 80.
The history of an idea by ira chernus surveys the evolution of the idea of intellectual non violence from the colonial era to the present focussing on representative movements and key individuals, including nonamericans like monhandas gandhi or. The ssrc is an independent, international, nonprofit organization. It is about the most prominent ideas advanced by nonviolence adherents. Religion and nonviolence in american history the blackwell. Jun 19, 2017 its the 50th anniversary of the summer of love. A history of an idea deming and her groundbreaking work on a nonreligious basis for nonviolence are given an entire chapter. This chapter in ira chernus american nonviolence discusses the contributions of u.