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Book Review: Blood Guilt by Philip Kapusta Book Title: Blood Guilt: Christian Responses to America’s War on Terror
Kapusta peppers the book throughout with generous amounts of source material and quotes from not only the Bible, though he clearly takes the Evangelical approach the the Bible is the final authority, but from scholars and theologians through two millennia of Church history... [He] positively defends his position with an impressive, if not full (who knows what that looks like?) spectrum of ideas... Like him or not, he does an impressive job. -- Pieter Dykhorst, Editor, In Communion magazine
Extremely good use is made of quotes from the earliest post-apostolic writers and believers on the matter of War and the Christian. An interesting observation is made in which the author states, "Cain the first murderer who over a matter of worship, hated his brother and settled a religious dispute through violence." Some of those to whom Kapusta refers are the following: Arnobius, Clement of Alexandria, Cassin, Cyprian, Justin Martyr, Marcellus, Maximilian, Lactantius, Origen and Tertullian. -- Harold Thomas
In Blood Guilt, Kapusta addresses the problems of added on traditions to the basic teachings of Christ. The years of research into current events and quotes is a research masterpiece which greatly adds to the discussion. To me, Blood Guilt will be a reference book which I can go back to again and again for encouragement and assistance in combating man's traditions which have dominated for so long. Although the subtitle seems to restrict the content to the war on terror, this book is a classic for all time to the discussion of a Christian's response to politics vs. obedience to Christ's teachings. [Although] Kapusta is not "an accredited theologian"... I would contend that this was the charge of the Pharisees about Jesus and the apostles. Even so, there were the Nicodemus types who broke from tradition to understand what Jesus meant when He said, "If you love Me, you will obey my commands". This was the teaching of Jesus, the apostles, and their disciples for the first three hundred years of the church. A remnant has proclaimed this truth throughout the history of the church, and Blood Guilt is the latest installment. -- Carl Mease
As a Christian teacher and speaker, I found Mr. Kapusta's book inspiring, very informative, and a resource that I will be able to draw on. I will share his insight with others regarding the matters of Christians in the military. There are many conflicts that Christians have when making a choice to serve in the military. Many know and feel that there is something that is inconsistent with the teachings of the Bible, yet their spiritual leaders encourage them to go and fight. Trusting them to know what's right, they go. Many do not realize exactly what will be required of them and how they will be mentally programmed to simply become killing machines. This is very inconsistent with the life and teachings of our Lord and Savior. Mr. Kapusta has step-by step provided all the scriptures on how our walk should be till our Lord returns, understanding that there will come a time (as we're told) that Christ will come with all the saints against those nations that come to fight against Israel. He proves very well that there will be a time for Christians to fight, but it will be under our Commanding Officer Jesus Christ, not the rulers of this world who only seek their security and power on this earth. -- Roger Anderson
Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies. Why then are there Christians serving in the military? How can Christian soldiers go to war and kill when the Bible says, “Thou shalt not kill”? Is there a conflict between fighting for Cæsar and the command to “Render…unto God the things that are God’s”? Can patriotism
and the spirit of Christ coexist within the heart of a believer? What is a “just war,” and can there ever be such a thing? Was Jesus a pacifist? What exactly is a pacifist?
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