Religion and violence: a Protestant Christian perspective

It is common knowledge that much of the violence done in the name of religion has little to do with religion. Often religion is used, misused and abused in conflicts that have social, economic and political motivations, and many of the persons that actively perpetrate violence have little or no knowledge of the tenets of the faith in the name of which they join battle. In most of these cases it is religious identity and fervour that play the major role, rather than the motivations provided by the faith itself.

Our purpose here, however, is not to deal with this broader issue but to ask ourselves, in the context of the events of September 11, whether our respective religious traditions do in fact contribute to violence in its many forms and manifestations. "It is too easy in an apologetic concern", says Francois Houtart, "to claim that the content of the religion is essentially non-violent and that it is the human beings who, whether individually or collectively, divert [it] from [its] meaning", adding that "in fact the roots of violence can be found fight back in the religions, and that is why the religions can also easily serve as vehicles for violent tendencies." (1)

One needs to heed this warning when one speaks of "religion and violence" from a Christian perspective. Beyond doubt, Christianity has had a violent history, and today many trace this history to the Bible itself and to the way it has been interpreted and applied in the development and spread of Christianity as a religion. Speaking about the Bible in an interfaith context, however, is a difficult matter because what Christians call the Old Testament is also, and primarily so, the Hebrew scriptures. There are considerable differences between Christians and Jews in the understanding and interpretation of scriptures, and therefore what I say here must be seen as a Christian perspective on the scriptures that we share.

Violence in the Bible

The Bible begins with the affirmation that God saw the universe that had been created as "very good", but soon outlines the human predicament in terms of alienation between God and human beings, and between human beings and nature (Gen. 3). This chapter is immediately followed by the story of the brutal murder of Abel by his brother Cain. The story is said to reflect on the early struggle between the pastoral and agricultural

ways of life. However, even though the story says that God held Cain accountable for his brother's murder, in fact it depicts Cain, the murderer, as the one who begins human civilization under the protection of God. In response to Cain's fear that he might himself be killed as a fugitive, God said, "'Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a seven-fold vengeance.' And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him" (Gen. 4:15).

   Soon violence is also to be attributed to God:

   Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in
   the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their
   hearts was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he
   had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
   So the Lord said, "I will blot out from the earth the human
   beings I have created--people together with animals and creeping
   things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made
   them" (Gen. 6:5-7).

This attribution of violence to God is to continue in much of the rest of the Bible. The devastation brought on Egypt, including the death of the first born of Egypt, the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, the conquest of Canaan, including the genocidal acts of wiping out whole tribes are all depicted as acts done by or supported by God. The conquest of Jericho, for instance, ends on this note:

   As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a
   great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged
   straight ahead into the city and captured it. Then they devoted to
   destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and
   women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys (Josh. 6:20-21).

All the wars that are won are presented as the Lord himself leading the people into battle, and all wars lost are God's punishment for the sins of the people.

What is violence?

Thus within the first few books of the Bible we come across the many dimensions of what is generally covered by the word "violence":

* Violence as a human response arising from jealousy, fear or hatred (story of Cain and Abel).

* Violence as judgment or punishment (the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah).

* Violence as structured oppression (the Hebrews under the Egyptians).

* Violence as part of a liberation struggle (events connected with freeing the Hebrews).

* Violence in war and conquest (the occupation of Canaan).

* Violence as part of maintaining law and order (punishments related to the breaking of the social laws).

* Violence as part of religious duty or practice (the sacrificial system).