A Farewell to Mars: An Evangelical Pastor’s Journey Toward the Biblical Gospel of Peace

“War is a repudiation of the Lordship of Christ,” writes Zahnd (Beauty Will Save the World). “War is a thing of the past.” Leaning heavily into the work of critical theorist René Girard, Zahnd argues that peace—which he defines as a courageous, faithful belief that Jesus has defeated the need for humans to kill one another—is the heart of the Christian message. Zahnd outlines his transformation from an evangelical pastor who preached retribution in the aftermath of 9/11 to one willing to lay down his life for an enemy. His book shines in its readings of the Bible as well as in its sharp distinction between Christianity and nationalism, and in its passionate conviction that the Kingdom of God is not to be realized wholly in the afterlife but here, today, on earth. Written in simple, unequivocal language for a Christian audience, this work mounts a persuasive challenge to any Christian theology that supports military might. (June)