ST302: God and Genocide

This episode explores the intense theological conflict between the Old Testament commands for genocide and the New Testament mandate of love. Through a collection of essays, multiple scholars debate whether there is continuity or discontinuity between the warrior-like portrayal of God in the conquest of Canaan and the nonviolent character of Jesus Christ. Specifically, contributor C.S. Cowles argues for a Christocentric hermeneutic, suggesting that Jesus serves as the final lens through which all prior scripture must be evaluated and refined. Ultimately, the text seeks to provide readers with a framework to resolve the ethical "tension between the texts" by examining the authority and inspiration of Scripture in light of modern concepts of ethnic cleansing and religious violence.