It has bewildered Christians for generations, and it has disturbed all readers of the Bible-the challenge of a seemingly genocidal God who commands ruthless, unmerciful warfare.
The theme of divine warfare is not limited to the Old Testament historical books, however. It is also prevalent in the prophets and the wisdom literature. Yet, it doesn't stop there. The New Testament book of Revelation is also full of similar imagery. The questions we are left with multiply.
Why does God apparently tell Joshua to wipe out whole cities, tribes or nations?
Is this yet another example of dogmatic religious conviction breeding violence?
Did these texts help justify or inspire the Crusades?
What impact do they have on Christian morality and just war theories today?
How does divine warfare fit with Christ's call to 'turn the other cheek'?
Why does Paul employ warfare imagery in his letters?
Do these texts warrant questioning the overall trustworthiness of the Bible?
These controversial yet theologically vital issues call for thorough interpretation, especially given a long history of misinterpretation and misappropriation of these texts. Yet this book does more. A range o9f expert contributors engage in a multi-disciplinary approach that considers the issue from a variety of perspectives: biblical, ethical, philosophical and theological.
While the writers recognize that such a difficult and delicate topic cannot be resolved in a simplistic manner, the different threads of this book weave together a satisfying tapestry. Ultimately, we find in the overarching biblical narrative a picture of divine redemption that shows the place of divine war in the salvific movement of God.
