Suicide attack, genocide, attempted child sacrifice. Not things you would expect to find in the Bible, but think of Samson, Moses / Joshua / Saul, and Abraham, and as part of their stories you have got just those three things!
The problem is that many Christians do not recognise the present-day resonances of their scriptural stories. Brought up as they are to read the stories from within the community of faith, it is not always easy to see them as others do, and so it can be quite a shock to realise that the figure you have been brought up to think of as a hero, or the event you have been brought up to understand as an act of faith, is seen by others as anything but.
The aim, therefore, of these three Bible Studies is to introduce those within the community of faith to another way of looking at three well-known biblical stories: Abraham’s Near-Sacrifice of Isaac; Moses / Joshua / Saul and the Occupation of Canaan; Samson’s Suicidal Defeat of the Philistines.
Course led by Peter King
Each session will last one hour from 7.00-8.00pm on Zoom.
Link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82764342451?pwd=Ni9iRnFIaUUvUUMwQUJkUHNLK1RsQT09
Meeting ID: 827 6434 2451 | Passcode: 977876
Tuesday, November 8th, 7pm - Killing A Child For God?
Exploring the story of Abraham and Isaac.
Genesis 22: 1 - 18
Hebrew 11: 17 - 19
Tuesday, November 15th, 7pm - Divine Genocide?
Reading of the of the occupation of the Promised Land.
Deuteronomy 7: 1 - 6 / 20: 16 - 18
1 Samuel 15: 1 - 3
Tuesday, November 22nd, 7pm - Suicide Killer for God?
Reading of the death of Samson.
Judges 16: 18 - 30
Hebrews 11: 32 - 40
Course Booklet can be found here:
The course will be led by Peter King.
An ordained Baptist minister, Peter King works for the Anglican Diocese of Chichester in ministerial formation. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for the Study of Bible & Violence at Bristol Baptist College and is the author of the article 'Sunday School Hero or Suicide Bomber? Reading Samson Responsibly'.