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What in the Word?
Did God Command Genocide? | Tremper Longman on the Canaanite Conquest
Feb 12, 2025
Tremper Longman, a Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, joins the discussion to tackle the controversial question: Did God command genocide in the Old Testament? He navigates complex themes like divine judgment, the ethical dilemmas of warfare, and differing interpretations of scriptural texts. Longman addresses how these narratives relate to modern faith and morality, emphasizing the need for contextual understanding and thoughtful teaching on spiritual warfare as highlighted in Jesus' teachings.
52:55
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast explores the ethical complexities of divine warfare, encouraging listeners to critically evaluate Old Testament commands in modern contexts.
- Tremper Longman emphasizes the importance of understanding ancient texts as hyperbolic rather than literal, affecting interpretations of God's commands related to violence.
Deep dives
The Challenge of Divine Commands
The discussion centers around the controversial Old Testament passages which depict God commanding the Israelites to kill the Canaanites, raising the question of whether this constitutes genocide. Such commands are seen as difficult to reconcile with the notion of a loving and just God, leading to debates on the morality of these actions within the biblical narrative. Various interpretations arise, including the allegorical view, which sees the commands as symbolic rather than literal, and the continuity perspective, which asserts that these divine commands reflect an ongoing divine battle against evil. The complexity of these texts challenges readers to critically engage with the ethical framework presented in the Scriptures.
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Discover
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