The Bible and Violence is a definitive, inclusive, and comprehensive two-volume reference work on the challenging and troubling theme of biblical violence. This is the first major resource to cover this topic, and it does so across 100 specially commissioned contributions. The contributors outline the range, depth and varieties of violence in biblical texts, and the violent ramifications of uses and receptions of the bible in history and culture.
Volume one covers specific textual instances of violence within the bible, from the Hebrew Bible through to the New Testament, as well as issues relevant to biblical times, such as sacrificial violence, and Messianism and violence. The resource also provides articles on apocryphal and Gnostic texts.
Volume two looks at violent uses of biblical texts through history and culture, and the violent ramifications of various readings of the bible. Topics covered include Islamophobia, homophobia, racism, violence against women, sex work and slavery, and colonial violence. Some specific treated in greater depth include the Aids Crisis and Apartheid.
