054: Understanding Extreme Violence in the Bible

The Art of Catholic with Matthew Leonard

It's not a pretty topic. But it has to be addressed. The extreme violence in Sacred Scripture (particularly the Old Testament) understandably causes a lot of people problems. After all, how are we supposed to reconcile this kind of bloodshed with a loving, merciful God? Why did He command it? How could He command it? Didn't Jesus say to love your neighbor and pray for your enemies? Sometimes what we read just doesn't seem to square with who we know Him to be. And you can't, as some do, simply gloss over or ignore this material. We're not. In fact, we're going to tackle it head on with my guest, Curtis Mitch. Among his other illustrious achievements, Curtis is the main guy behind the commentary in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. He's been living, eating, and breathing Scripture for the last 18 years on that project. It's his full-time job. In other words, he knows the Bible like few others. So in this episode of the Art of Catholic, Curtis and I will discuss: The historical context of perhaps the darkest passage of Scripture Why God commanded the killing of the Canaanites...all the Canaanites in the land The insidious role of idolatry (both then and now) Why you can't call the Conquest of Canaan genocide (it's anything but) The beauty and logic of what scholars call "divine accommodation" The hidden mercy of God in all of this (it's there...trust me!) This episode will transform the way you understand God's dealing with people in ancient times, and how He deals with us today. God bless! Matthew P.S. Grab your FREE copy of my quick guide to deeper prayer 8 Ways To Jumpstart Your Prayer Life! It's an easy step-by-step guide to help you rocket to God! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't miss a show! Subscribe to The Art of Catholic by clicking this link and then clicking "View in iTunes" under the picture and then "Subscribe"! Love the show and want more people to hear the Catholic faith? Leave a review by clicking here and then the "View in iTunes" button under my picture. This pushes the show up the rankings and puts it in front of more people. Android user? You can listen to The Art of Catholic on the Beyond Pod app from the Google Play Store. Want to tour Catholic Europe's most beautiful holy sites? Join Matthew on a St. Paul Center pilgrimage to Fatima, Spain, Lourdes, and other amazing holy sites this October 23rd to November 1st. Click here for details.