Adventists & War
Adventists & War
Edited by D. J. B. Trim and Jiří Moskala
In a world shadowed by war, what does faithfulness look like for Christians called to serve their country?
For Seventh-day Adventists, questions of war, violence, military service, conscience, and Sabbath observance have never been merely theoretical. Yet the denomination’s historic commitment to noncombatant service and peacemaking has too often been forgotten.
Adventists and War brings together leading historical, biblical, theological, and ethical scholars to examine this urgent subject with honesty and depth. From the American Civil War and the world wars to contemporary questions of voluntary enlistment and the possibility of renewed conscription, the volume traces the complex—and sometimes compromised—Adventist experience. It also probes the biblical texts and Christian ethical traditions that continue to shape debates about killing, government authority, holy war, just war, and conscientious cooperation.
The contributors represent differing viewpoints, but together they recover an essential Adventist heritage: a serious commitment to conscience, peace, and noncombatant service. Timely, thoughtful, and deeply relevant, this book equips readers to engage one of the most difficult moral questions of our age.
About the Editors
D. J. B. Trim, PhD, FRHistS., is director of archives, statistics, and research for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. His publications include eighteen books, as author, co-author, editor, or co-editor, including Adventist Mission in China in Historical Perspective (2022) and European Warfare 1350–1750 (2010).
Jiří Moskala, ThD, PhD, is dean and professor of Old Testament exegesis and theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He has authored, edited, or coedited a number of books in the English and Czech languages, including Deuteronomy: The Book of Love (2021); The Laws of Clean and Unclean Animals in Leviticus 11 (2000); and God’s Character and the Last Generation (2018).
Abbreviations
Foreword Mario Ceballos
Introduction D. J. B. Trim and Jiři Moskala
PART I
ADVENTIST HISTORY
CHAPTER 1: The Civil War Kevin M. Burton
CHAPTER 2: Between the Civil War and World War I D. J. B. Trim
CHAPTER 3: The American Age of Imperialism Ashlee L. Chism
CHAPTER 4: World War I Denis Kaiser
CHAPTER 5: Between the World Wars Douglas Morgan
CHAPTER 6: Post-World War II Michael F. Younker
Part II: Biblical, Theological, and Ethical Studies
CHAPTER 7: The Sixth Commandment Jiří Moskala
CHAPTER 8: Divine War in the Old Testamen Richard M. Davidson
CHAPTER 9: Noncombatancy in the New Testament Cedric Vine
CHAPTER 10: Submission to Government Ranko Stefanovic
CHAPTER 11: Just War Theory Nicholas P. Miller and John W. Reeve
CHAPTER 12:Christian Ethics and the Military State Zdravko Plantak
CHAPTER 13: Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy Frank M. Hasel
CHAPTER 14: Conclusion D. J. B. Trim
About the Contributors
Index
Editors: D. J. B. Trim and Jiří Moskala
ISBN-13: 978–1–940980–38–6
Year: 2026
Pages: 399
In a world shadowed by war, what does faithfulness look like for Christians called to serve their country?
For Seventh-day Adventists, questions of war, violence, military service, conscience, and Sabbath observance have never been merely theoretical. Yet the denomination’s historic commitment to noncombatant service and peacemaking has too often been forgotten.
Adventists and War brings together leading historical, biblical, theological, and ethical scholars to examine this urgent subject with honesty and depth. From the American Civil War and the world wars to contemporary questions of voluntary enlistment and the possibility of renewed conscription, the volume traces the complex—and sometimes compromised—Adventist experience. It also probes the biblical texts and Christian ethical traditions that continue to shape debates about killing, government authority, holy war, just war, and conscientious cooperation.
The contributors represent differing viewpoints, but together they recover an essential Adventist heritage: a serious commitment to conscience, peace, and noncombatant service. Timely, thoughtful, and deeply relevant, this book equips readers to engage one of the most difficult moral questions of our age.
About the Editors
D. J. B. Trim, PhD, FRHistS., is director of archives, statistics, and research for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. His publications include eighteen books, as author, co-author, editor, or co-editor, including Adventist Mission in China in Historical Perspective (2022) and European Warfare 1350–1750 (2010).
Jiří Moskala, ThD, PhD, is dean and professor of Old Testament exegesis and theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He has authored, edited, or coedited a number of books in the English and Czech languages, including Deuteronomy: The Book of Love (2021); The Laws of Clean and Unclean Animals in Leviticus 11 (2000); and God’s Character and the Last Generation (2018).
Abbreviations
Foreword Mario Ceballos
Introduction D. J. B. Trim and Jiři Moskala
PART I
ADVENTIST HISTORY
CHAPTER 1: The Civil War Kevin M. Burton
CHAPTER 2: Between the Civil War and World War I D. J. B. Trim
CHAPTER 3: The American Age of Imperialism Ashlee L. Chism
CHAPTER 4: World War I Denis Kaiser
CHAPTER 5: Between the World Wars Douglas Morgan
CHAPTER 6: Post-World War II Michael F. Younker
Part II: Biblical, Theological, and Ethical Studies
CHAPTER 7: The Sixth Commandment Jiří Moskala
CHAPTER 8: Divine War in the Old Testamen Richard M. Davidson
CHAPTER 9: Noncombatancy in the New Testament Cedric Vine
CHAPTER 10: Submission to Government Ranko Stefanovic
CHAPTER 11: Just War Theory Nicholas P. Miller and John W. Reeve
CHAPTER 12:Christian Ethics and the Military State Zdravko Plantak
CHAPTER 13: Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy Frank M. Hasel
CHAPTER 14: Conclusion D. J. B. Trim
About the Contributors
Index
Editors: D. J. B. Trim and Jiří Moskala
ISBN-13: 978–1–940980–38–6
Year: 2026
Pages: 399