Description: In his book, 'Building the Kingdom of God on Earth', Dr. Erdmann deals primarily with John Foster Dulles' participation in the ecumenical movement from 1919 to 1945. Dulles' role in shaping the religious, economic, and political policies of the Federal Council of Churches in its support of world order and peace, especially in his function as chairman of the Commission on a Just and Durable Peace, was crowned with success in the founding of the United Nations Organisation in 1945. His personal friends Philip Kerr (Lord Lothian) and Lionel Curtis, the principal leaders of the Round Table Group, come into the pictures at various times. By and large they pursued the same objectives as those of Dulles. The book shows the detailed influence of the Round Table Group and its affiliated organisations - such as the Royal Institute of International Affairs (London) and the Council for Foreign Relations (New York City) - on the ecumenical movement, using it successfully for their purpose of creating an international community of nations. Endorsements: ""Martin Erdmann's study of John Foster Dulles's vision of a new world order breaks new ground by uncovering the close connections between the internationalist and ecumenical movements in the first half of the twentieth century. It will be of equal value to historians of international relations, American politics, and the Christian churches."" Dr. Brian Stanley, University of Cambridge About the Contributor(s): Dr. Martin Erdmann studied theology in Columbia, South Carolina (Master of Divinity), Basel, Switzerland, and Aberdeen, Scotland (Master of Theology). In 1999, he was awarded a doctoral degree in modern Church History at Brunel University, Uxbridge, England. In 1996, he founded Online Communication Systems, Inc., in Columbus, Ohio, using it primarily for the purpose of theological distance education. As Vice-President of Mustardseed Media, San Jose, California, he participated in a project called Biblelands, an Online-Multimedia Tour of Israel and the Near East. For four years he headed up the New Testament department of the Staatsunabhaengige Theologische Hochschule Basel (State-independent Theological Seminary), Switzerland. In his position as Senior Scientist at the University Hospital in Basel, he is currently involved in researching the ethical implications of Nanotechnology. He is also an Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies (distance education) at Patrick Henry College, Virginia, and Director of the Verax Institute (Christian apologetics). Dr. Erdmann is married to Joy and has two children, Estelle Cherie and Johannes Luc.
