This book elucidates the great just war traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, evaluating the key events of the war in light of the religious rhetoric. It is fascinating for scholars and laypersons coming to this subject from almost any area of interest.

The war on the ground and in the air over Kuwait and Iraq was not the only Gulf War being fought in early 1990. George Bush and Saddam Hussein were also battling for public opinion and for the perception of legitimacy for their actions. In this effort, both men as well as their spokespersons appealed to the just war theory of their religious traditions. In this perceptive and wide-ranging book, Kenneth Vaux elucidates the great just war traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, evaluating the key events of the war in light of the religious rhetoric used by both sides. From the first stirrings of conflict to its uncertain aftermath, religious and ethical traditions played a major role in winning support not just for the U.S. and Iraqi peoples but of public opinion worldwide. Throughout Vaux demonstrates the wide gaps between religious rhetoric and the political-military action it has been called on to support. Ethics and the Gulf War is not a typical ethical treatise; Vaux understands ethical reflection to encompass history, philosophy, psychology, ecology, theology, and eschatology. His book is a valuable contribution to the understanding of the Gulf War, and it is fascinating for scholars and laypersons coming to this subject from almost any area of interest.

Description: Ethics of Wars of Insurgency is my fifth study on ""the ethics of war and peace."" It spans a twenty-year period of perplexing war and peace history focusing on the theological and ethical aspects of American foreign policy analysis from Somalia to Rwanda to Bosnia, concluding with present activities involving Syria--and the concurrent events of ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This study highlights the theological themes of prophecy and biblical teaching and the ethical themes of human rights, violence, and peacemaking. The thesis of Ethics and the Wars of Insurgency is that only theological and ethical analysis can fathom the depths of meaning and appropriate action in these vital areas of policy and strategy in American and world affairs.

Description: This third volume of Ken Vaux's memoirs covers the calendar year of 2012 which focused on (1) teaching in the Evanston church as this body struggled to be both evangelical in theology and oriented to social justice in the community. We searched together for having what it takes to be a "University Church"--preaching and teaching a credible and relevant message and living out a vital witness; seeking honest responses to issues in church and state such as homosexuality, embodying concern for the poor and lively ministry in the neighborhoods of the parish. (2) That community was confronted with belief crisis and ethical challenge during the year with eight gun-killings of young people. The churches now had to move beyond the prevalent complacency, confront the racisim and disregard for the poor disband the apartheid of the village that existed even in black and white Ministeria and get real with what an interfaith community had to do to leaven and heal its own backyard. (3) For Such a Time as This also deals with global and national political issues such as an unwinding war in Iraq and Afghanistan and a new one arising in Syria--biblical theology being put to the test--and the provocative election of 2012 as the theological imagination was stirred by candidates Obama and Romney.

In this comprehensive volume, Dr. Kenneth L. Vaux explores the shared theological ground of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-the common God, the common good, the common word, and the common work. Based on the premise that the three Abrahamic faiths are given by God for some purpose in God's universal history, Journey Into An Interfaith World traces the ways in which these faith movements flow together from and into each other in synergistic ways. At the same time, the book reveals how each fraternal faith has missed the mark in disassociating from its sibling traditions. Vaux's "journey" examines the spiritual genealogy shared by the three cognate faiths--from whom we come--as well as the mutual spiritual ontology--to whom we belong. "All three traditions echo the same refrain: 'Do we not belong to One God?'"

Synopsis: The Ministry of Vincent Van Gogh in Religion and Art surveys the historical venues where Van Gogh's life and work unfolded--Aldersgate, England, Amsterdam, Au Borinage, Antwerp, Asnieres-sur-Seine, Arles, Auvers-sur-Oise--culminating in an assessment of his legacy. Arguing that he is a painter-evangelist, a man of authentic religious calling, it demonstrates a novel thesis that theological spirituality is the genius of both his religious ministry and his art. Endorsements: "One hopes readers will find or even join the figurative, spiritual journey on which this book thrives." --Martin Marty, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, University of Chicago "It has been a pleasure to watch this wonderful work on Van Gogh unfold." --Cliff Edwards, author of Van Gogh and God, The Shoes of Van Gogh, and Mystery of the Night Cafe Author Biography: Ken Vaux is Emeritus Professor of Theology at Garrett Seminary and the Graduate Faculty of Northwestern University. The research was accomplished while a guest scholar at Cambridge University, The Protestant Faculty of the Sorbonne, Paris, and Van Gogh centers in Antwerp and Amsterdam.