Episode 192: Violence in the Bible, Part 1--Beginnings

Human history is inescapably bloody--and so is the Bible.  We aren't great at facing up to those violent episodes in our history, or owning up to the costs of our actions and choices in human lives.  And if that weren't hard enough, the biblical writers themselves often seem to permit, allow, encourage, or even endorse violence against other people.  And yet, those same biblical voices also insist that all human beings are made in the image of God, and that we are all of infinte worth and sacredness.  How do we hold these two together?  How do we understand the violence in the Bible, whether it's perpetrated by humans against other humans, or described as coming directly from God?  And if human beings are indeed preciously made in the image of God, what are we supposed to do when someone destroys that image by killing someone else?  This is the can of worms we'll be opening in this latest series for the fall exploring violence in the Bible. And as we get started, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve look at a passage from early in Genesis that lays down a policy of taking a life for a life.  We'll explore how God intends to limit and prevent human violence, but also the dangerous ways a passage like this can be abused and give license to lynch mobs who see themselves as agents of justice when they are really just bloodthirsty.  And we'll begin a journey through the Bible that will deepen our way of understanding the Scriptures, too.  Join us for a thought-provoking series here on Crazy Faith Talk!