Covenant of Peace

One would think that "peace," a term that occurs as many as a hundred times in the New Testament, would enjoy a prominent place in theological and ethical textbooks. But it is surprisingly absent. "Covenant of Peace" seeks to restore to New Testament theology and ethics the peace that many standard texts have missed.In this accessible volume, Willard Swartley explicates virtually all of the New Testament, relating peace -- and the related emphases of love for enemies, non-retaliation, and reconciliation -- to core theological themes such as salvation, Christology, and the reign of God. No other book in English makes this contribution. Swartley concludes by considering practices that lead to peacemaking and what place these might have in our contemporary world. Remedying a historical deficiency in biblical scholarship, Swartley's book beckons us to hear the compelling New Testament witness to peace.

Willard M. Swartley is professor emeritus of New Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana.