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While the post-9/11 wars have reshaped war as understood and practiced by the United States, theological discourse about war has changed very little. Highlighting distinctive dimensions of twenty-first-century war, I argue that existing theological discourse is insufficient to address these new realities. These “new wars” press up against existing theological frameworks for interpreting war and call for different modes of thought and action. This article proposes three angles for theological engagement—the traumatic, the interreligious, and the aesthetic. Taking the theological classroom as a starting point, I envision a new approach that prepares religious leaders for effective theological engagement about war. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This essay offers a theological analysis of trauma, recognizing the difficult questions posed by trauma, which indwells a person's or community's body long after the first traumatizing event(s) has passed. The research draws upon a case study, psychological trauma studies, and neuro-biology in dialogue with a fresh reading of Mark 5:25 – 34, the story of the hemorrhaging woman. The analysis concludes with theological constructs that are significant for understanding trauma and trauma-healing. These are: the importance of bodily encounter, the accent on Jesus' role as witness to radical suffering and healing, and the time-extensive nature of healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]