The Old Testament is a hurdle for many modern readers of the Bible, not least of all Christians. Violent accounts are woven through the Hebrew Scriptures and seem to upset the image of Judaism and Christianity as religions of peace and the image of God as a loving deity. This has led some to conclude that the God of the Old Testament is different from the one found in the New Testament. Others have doubled down on the greater importance of the New Testament, furthering the divide between the two parts of Christian Scripture. While many people’s objections come from a place of antagonism toward the Bible, Judaism, and Christianity, many others raise objections and concerns that are fair and reasonable. The Bible does not avoid such seeming contradictions. Rather, it seems to welcome the discussion.

Why do these biblical accounts so disturb our modern sensibilities? What do these texts say about our faith? More importantly, what do they say about our God? Should these texts be sugar coated, nuanced, or avoided altogether? All that and more on this edition of Questions From The Pew.