From Conquest to the Cross: How the Bible Transforms Violence

About this episode

Helen Paynter discusses how the Bible's themes of violence and power are transformed at the cross, addressing the misuse of scripture in modern contexts.

Many Christians struggle with the violence and conquest language of the Old Testament—especially texts like Joshua that seem at odds with the way of Jesus. In this episode, biblical scholar Helen Paynter helps us read these passages within the unfolding story of Scripture, showing how themes like warfare and power are transformed at the cross. Together, we explore why using these texts to justify modern political or military agendas is theologically thin, and how deeper biblical literacy helps Christians discern when Scripture is being misused. About Helen Helen is a former nephrologist who followed a call into Baptist ministry, training at Bristol Baptist College and serving in associate and interim ministry roles in South Bristol before taking up her current full-time role at the college in 2020. She holds a PhD in Old Testament, along with master’s degrees in Biblical Studies and Missional Church Leadership, and her research focuses on narrative texts in the Hebrew Bible, particularly themes of violence, humor, and the misuse of Scripture. Helen is the founding director of the College’s Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence, which equips churches and scholars to engage…

People in this episode

Host: Caleb E. Campbell

Guest: Helen Paynter

Topics covered

• violence in the Old Testament
• biblical interpretation
• Christian theology
• political agendas
• scriptural misuse
• peace and conflict

Keywords

• Old Testament
• violence
• Christianity
• scripture
• theology
• peace
• politics
• biblical literacy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bristol Baptist College

Books & works: Blessed are the Peacemakers: A Biblical Theology of Human Violence

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