I'd like to focus on religious violence especially, and violence within the christian context in general. Two specific questions:
1) Do the religions naturally lead to violence, and if so, in what ways?
2) Can Christianity offer healing for that violence and offer a different perspective?
It seems these were already much discussed, but particularly in regard to the first question, I'd like to see our discussion range out of the realm of Christian theology and into the area of other religions as well.
Also, these comments from the previous blog posts stuck out to me:
"Is not the central focus of the Gospels the crucifixion of Christ by God? Which could be used as just another example of a violent God killing His own son?" - Zack
"But we still know there is God's righteous judgment, which is always good and right...I don't know why God judges when he does or how he does, but I do have to believe it is always good." - Nick
"As Brueggemann points out, there seem to have been times in the OT when an Israelite reached out in an effort to stop God's violent hand...Brueggemann wants us to consider that Abraham, the creation, truly affected the mind of the creator." -Jane
I think these three issues: soteriology, judgment and dissension are critical to this conversation and we likely will look to them in the context of the questions numbered above.
Posts
2 comments:
I just want to clarify my quote listed above...the context of the quote was in interpreting OT passages of God's wrath/judgment. Reading it out of context here I don't want it to be construed as looking at or looking for God's judgment via violence in modern times. Like some said the natural violence of Katrina was judgment on New Orleans. Or 9/11 was judgment on the US or gay people. Or our just and righteous war on terror (heavy sarcasm)that has destroyed iraq is God's judgment on them.
I don't think we can or should deem something as god's judgment and say it is good. This is especially true when a nation (america) believes it is carrying out god's will by war.
Yeah thanks for that Nick. For those that didn't go back to see the post, here is the full quote:
"2. In deed everyone, even before christ, has unsurpassable worth. But we still know that there is God's righteous judgement, which is always good and right. The bible records many instances in which God doles out this judgement(including sodom and gomorrah and even when those people drop dead in Acts for withholding property). I don't know why God judges when he does or how he does, but I do have to believe it is always good. This judgement is sort of a metaphysical necessity (there will be a day when we all are judged), just like Christ had to die for our sins in order for us to be reconciled. It doesn't mean that judged people have less worth before God. They were all worth the price of His son."
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