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Book looks at roots of religious violence
Published on Saturday, Sep 06, 2008
ABRAHAM'S CURSE
By Bruce Chilton
(Doubleday, 259 pages, $24.95)
In his latest book, Bruce Chilton brings his exploration of the historical realities behind religious faith to bear on violence in the Abrahamic religious traditions.
His thesis is that within Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the story of Abraham's near-sacrifice of his son has been perverted to justify human sacrifice in the name of faith. By linking a willingness to die with faith, salvation and the hope of resurrection, these traditions have made the sacrifice of the young, particularly in war, into a virtue. In doing so, they have glorified violence in the name of martyrdom, while losing the rich meaning of sacrifice as a shared participation in God's bounty.
For Chilton, this ''curse of Abraham'' is not inevitable. By discovering the historical circumstances under which the Abrahamic tradition was distorted from its true meaning, he says, contemporary Jews, Christians and Muslims can recover the positive meaning of sacrifice.
Chilton is most convincing
in his treatment of the Jewish and Christian traditions, of which he clearly has the deeper grasp. His treatment of the Islamic traditions of sacrifice and war are hemmed in with unnecessary apologies for past Western scholarship and a relatively thin historical treatment of the related concepts of martyrdom and the holy warrior. Still, this book is a must-read for those seeking to understand the religious roots of violence, and how authentic faith might grow more fruitfully from better stock.
— Robert HuntDallas Morning News
Web site of the week
Catholic Relief Services sponsors a fair trade program to encourage reasonable wages and conditions for farmers and artisans around the world. Consumers can buy coffee, chocolate and handcrafts through links on the site. The ministry offers suggestions for how to extend fair trade within congregations and communities, providing advice for a Work of Human Hands sale. Readers also can learn about a grant program that provides resources to folks in Guatemala, India, Kenya, Madagascar and Nicaragua. And, check out the blog links to other fair trade organizations.
— Tyra Damm
Dallas Morning News
ABRAHAM'S CURSE
By Bruce Chilton
(Doubleday, 259 pages, $24.95)
Get the full article here.
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