Ep. 233 - Violence and the Bible

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 the Warrior God

→ Proposes that violent portrayals of God in the Old Testament are refracted through human understanding and ultimately point toward the nonviolent revelation of God in Jesus.

• Eric A. Seibert — Disturbing Divine Behavior

→ Explores troubling depictions of God in scripture and argues that not all portrayals of God in the Bible should be accepted as morally authoritative.

• John J. Collins — Does the Bible Justify Violence?

→ Examines how biblical texts have historically been used to justify violence and urges careful, contextual interpretation.

• Miroslav Volf — Exclusion and Embrace

→ Reflects on violence, justice, and reconciliation in light of human conflict and the Christian call to forgiveness.

🧠 Ethical & Philosophical Perspectives

• Jonathan Sacks — Essays on Ethics

→ Engages deeply with moral questions surrounding violence, responsibility, and the misuse of religious texts.

• Stanley Hauerwas — The Peaceable Kingdom

→ Advocates for a distinctly Christian ethic rooted in nonviolence and the teachings of Jesus.

• Reinhold Niebuhr — Moral Man and Immoral Society

→ Explores the tension between personal ethics and collective political responsibility, including the justification of force.

💬 Join the Conversation

What do you think?

Is violence ever justified? How do you interpret the difficult passages in scripture?

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