Soldiers returning from war have always exhibited signs of psychological and emotional distress. In this book, Bernard J. Verkamp argues that the contemporary response to such symptoms--psychiatric treatment and therapy--is only a partial solution, and that when dealing with soldiers' emotions of guilt and shame we would benefit greatly from a consideration of the religiously grounded practices of the Middle Ages. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including Reinhold Niebuhr, Michael Walzer, and the long tradition of just war theory, Verkamp offers a stirring--and timely--call to reconsider our assumptions in light of historical understanding.
"A wonderful book. The author's erudition is staggering and the analysis is equally impressive."--Stanley Hauerwas, Duke University
