Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Genre: Religion / Social Movements / History / Political Science

Book Review:
The World Rebuilt by Peter Howard offers a compelling account of one of the most ambitious moral movements of the 20th century: Moral Re-Armament (MRA). Founded by American minister Frank Buchman in 1938, MRA emerged at a time when the world was sliding toward war and ideological conflict. Its message—based on the simple yet profound principles of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love—spread with remarkable speed, even prompting the Gestapo to order the arrest of its leaders as a threat to Fascist ambitions.

Howard, a journalist and playwright who became a key figure in the movement, writes with passion and firsthand knowledge. He traces MRA's growth through World War II and into the post-war era, highlighting its role in defusing labor strikes on the London and Glasgow docks, resolving conflicts in the American airline industry, and winning support from government leaders in Burma, India, Japan, and across Africa. Particularly striking are accounts of MRA's impact in the Ruhr Valley, where it drew thousands away from Communist influence and prompted three Communist Party leaders to publicly acknowledge its ideological force.

The book is part history, part manifesto. Howard makes no pretense of neutrality; he is an advocate, and his enthusiasm for the movement shines through every page. For readers interested in 20th-century social movements, religious revivalism, or the intersection of morality and politics, The World Rebuilt provides a fascinating window into a force that once commanded international attention.

A valuable historical document and a testament to the power of moral conviction.