Against the Grain: Christianity and Democracy, War and Peace

Against the Grain: Christianity and Democracy, War and Peace by George Weigel

This is a series of essays on war and foreign relations written by a conservative Catholic theologian. Many were originally given as lectures at various organizations. The author admits that he is often considered to be a "theo-con".

The author is concerned with the role of church in the world. The church should have a role in society, however, it should be separate from society. It is not good to keep the church out of public discourse, nor is it appropriate for the church to conform to current norms. Issues like abortion and euthanasia and birth control are key areas where the church differs from society. The author feels it was inappropriate for the church to dominate the political sphere as it did during the middle ages. 

He returns multiple times to concerns about jihadism. Christianity has learned that it is best to separate church from state. Islam is still attempting to implement a theocracy. It is our duty to ensure that Islam its appropriate place. People must adhere to laws. We should not bend over backwards to religious bullies. (He mentioned the response to Danish cartoons that Muslims found offensive.) There is concern that western society has attempted to subjugate Christianity, while giving Islam free reign. The west also appears to be committing demographic suicide. Most of the west does not have a sustainable birth rate. Population is maintained by immigration, often by Muslim immigrants. These populations have greater birth rates and may dominate the western world.

Another theme is the concept of the just war. When is it appropriate to go to war? The Iraq and Afghan wars were given as examples of just wars. There was the potential for significant harm with the local tyrants in power. However, the full process was not carried out properly. He considers four different "wars" in Iraq. The first was done well. However, the country was then left in shambles. Borders were unmanned and other revolutionaries were allowed to slip in. Bad behavior and poor planning by the military led to the falling apart of culture and a disdain for Americans. The just war was followed by a bad occupation that hurt the end result.

The book provides insight into the conservative side of Catholic thought. The audience appears to consist primarily of Catholics or those with significant knowledge of Catholicism. There were a number of Catholic terms and teachings thrown about. It was possible to discern the meaning based on context, but I'd assume those with more experience would have a deeper understanding.