Summary

In this difficult and sobering episode, we look at a range of ancient – and not-so-ancient – war practices that were common in the Ancient Near East. But though we talk about what these horrific practices entailed (we hope, in ways that are not unnecessarily gruesome), what’s most interesting is in their connection with scripture. While scripture is aware of all these practices, biblical law disallowed virtually all of them. We begin to talk about the ultimate justice of God, which is a subject we will take up more in future episodes. And we start to ask uncomfortable questions about whether war practices have actually changed that much.

Notes

1) Further on the subject of forced stripping, Dr David Tombs has done extensive work on sexual violence in the context of torture and terror, focusing recently on Jesus as a victim of sexual humiliation/violence:

Reaves, J. R., Tombs, D., & Figueroa, R. (Eds.). When did we see you naked? Jesus as a victim of sexual abuse. London: SCM Press, 2021.

Tombs, D. The crucifixion of Jesus: Torture, sexual abuse, and the scandal of the cross. Abingdon: Routledge, 2023. doi: 10.4324/9780429289750 (available free online from publisher)

He also presented many of these thoughts as part of this recent CSBV webinar: Unspeakable: Preaching and Trauma-Informed Theology. Lent Book Club

2) Webb and Oeste refer in Chapter 13, footnote 34, to a Babylonian lament that recoils from the ripping of pregnant women, English text of which may be found in Shalom M. Paul, Amos, Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991, p. 68.

3) Imprecatory (cursing) psalms are a cry of the powerless for justice, and for God to act in ways that those who have been abused cannot. A recent CSBV webinar may be of interest: Cursing with God: The Imprecatory Psalms and the Ethics of Christian Prayer. Lent Book Club

4) The Toronto Star article on war rape in Ukraine that Kate referenced: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2023/01/25/it-is-clearly-a-strategy-the-truth-is-emerging-about-russias-use-of-rape-in-the-war-on-ukraine.html

5) On issues of trauma carried in the body, see van der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score. New York: Penguin Books, 2014.

6) If you are interested in issues of Palestinian oppression and the misuse of scripture to provide the theological underpinnings for that oppression, check out this webinar with CSBV, and also our upcoming conference:

The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope. Lent Book Club.

https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/annual-conference-2023/

7) Our thanks and appreciation to our partners:

A production of the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence.

https://www.csbvbristol.org.uk/

Podcast cover art by Studio of Broken Things

https://www.facebook.com/ISA4048

Intro music "Br1ghter" by Tape Machines (feat. Le June & Nbhd Nick)