Dr. David May, Professor of New Testament Emeritus, Central Seminary
"Justifying War's Violence or Teaching Nonviolence:
How are We to Understand the Bible, as Followers of Jesus?"
Part I: Weaponizing the Bible for Violence –
Thursday, October 8 at 12:00-1:00 pm (Central time)
Part II. Jesus’ Response to Violence –
Thursday, October 15 at 12:00-1:00 pm (Central time)
Zoom registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/KWFNxebsRcq2ZfReSVpREQ
Description: In some of the Bible's most challenging passages, violence appears to be
commanded or sanctioned by God, leading some political leaders and some people in the
pew to conclude that violence can, under certain circumstances, be justified for God's
people. Yet a careful reading of Scripture challenges whether these “texts of violence”
should be understood as establishing a normative ethic for followers of Jesus. These two
Zoom sessions will explore the interpretive approaches that shape how Christians read
difficult passages in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Together, we will
consider how Jesus' life, teachings, and response to violence provide an interpretive lens
for understanding Scripture and the Christian call to nonviolence.