Banned Questions About the Bible

(Elliott) #1

85


Q.


Does God justify violence in scripture?


Suggested Additional Sources for Reading



  • Dave Andrews, Plan Be (published by the author).

  • Walter Brueggemann, Divine Presence amid Violence: Contextualizing the
    Book of Joshua (Cascade, 2009).

  • Lee C. Camp, Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World
    (Brazos, 2008).

  • C. S. Cowles, Show Them No Mercy (Zondervan, 2003).

  • Phyllis Tribble, Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminist Readings of Biblical
    Narratives (Fortress Press, 1984).

  • James G. Williams, ed., The Rene Girard Reader (Crossroad, 1996).

  • Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in an Age of
    Domination (Fortress Press, 1992).


Suggested Questions for Further Discussion/Thought



  1. How does the violence in the scriptures reveal the violence in ourselves?

  2. What would it look like to not “edit out” this violence but let God
    transform it in Christ?

  3. Do you see scriptures still used today to justify violence? How so?

  4. How does Jesus’ call to nonviolence “perfect” the ancient laws that
    preceded him?

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