What does it mean to follow Jesus’ way of the Cross and to place our trust in God for our true security, instead of in nuclear weapons that can destroy all life on earth? How do we find hope and courage to stand for God’s reign of love, justice, and nonviolence in a world threatened by nuclear weapons and other perils? This new edition of The Risk of the Cross will inspire Christians seeking answers to these questions today, just as the first edition helped Christians a generation ago. Each small-group session focuses on Jesus’ call to discipleship in Mark’s gospel—and links to information and inspiration for embracing the way of gospel nonviolence and taking action to avert nuclear annihilation and abolish nuclear weapons.
August 6-9, 2023 marks the 78th anniversary of the US nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On January 24, 2023, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the “Doomsday Clock” to 90 seconds to midnight—the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been—due to dangerous threats posed by Nuclear Weapons, the Climate Crisis, the Ukraine War, Nuclear Proliferation, worsening world tensions and other perils. Pope Francis has declared that the possession of nuclear weapons is immoral. The United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has been ratified by 68 nations and entered into force on January 22, 2021, thereby making nuclear weapons illegal under international law. However, the US and the other eight nuclear armed nations refuse to ratify the TPNW.
This book is an invaluable resource for all followers of Jesus committed to bringing about peace, social justice and a disarmed world. Additionally, it is a timely resource for parish study and reflection during Lent and Advent.