In the latter years of the previous century, the world saw a marked increase in ethnic violence.
Whether it was ethnic cleansing in Bosnia or the mass murder of Tutsis at the hands of Hutus in Rwanda, the increase in violence worldwide was clearly evident. After Americans and Europeans only reluctantly became involved in ending these crusades, the horror of such atrocities hit home with us after the turn of the century, when Islamic terrorists attacked the United States in the name of Allah and on a mission of jihad, or “holy war.”
Since September 11, Christians in the West have demonstrated a renewed interest in the idea of “holy war,” especially since the Old Testament clearly recounts certain narratives in which God not only commands, but also commends the absolute destruction of nations, including women and children.
How are we to understand these difficult passages of Scripture?
How can we maintain our trust in a good God when he commands Israel to engage in what appear to be genocidal atrocities?
Show Them No Mercy: 4 Views on God and Canaanite Genocide
Tomorrow and Wednesday, I will briefly summarize each of the four positions and later on this week, I will offer some personal reflections on each contribution.
written by Trevin Wax © 2009 Kingdom People blog
