Ep. 233 - Violence and the Bible

About this episode

John explores the complexities of violence in the Bible and its implications for modern readers.

Episode: Violence and the Bible – What Do We Do With It? 🧭 Episode Summary Violence is everywhere in the Bible—and for many, it’s one of the most difficult aspects of scripture to reconcile with the idea of a loving God. In this episode, John explores one of the most pressing and personal questions facing modern readers of the Bible: What do we do with the violence in scripture—and what does it mean for us today? Prompted by a recent discussion group and unfolding global events, this episode wrestles with: • Whether violence is ever justified • The ethics of war, self-defense, and state power • How ancient texts have been used—and misused—to justify modern violence Rather than offering easy answers, this conversation leans into the tension, drawing on biblical scholarship, theology, and ethical philosophy to better understand what the Bible is —and what it is not . 📚 Scholars & Works Referenced 🧠 Foundational Biblical & Ethical Scholarship • Peter Enns — How the Bible Actually Works → Argues that the Bible reflects the perspectives of ancient people trying to understand God, rather than functioning as a rulebook dictated from heaven. • Greg Boyd — The Crucifixion of…

People in this episode

Host: John Williamson

Topics covered

• violence in the Bible
• ethics of war
• self-defense
• state power
• biblical scholarship
• theology
• ethical philosophy

Keywords

• violence
• Bible
• God
• ethics
• war
• self-defense
• biblical scholarship
• theology

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: How the Bible Actually Works, The Crucifixion of the Warrior God, Disturbing Divine Behavior

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