Violence, religions and contemporary life
“As for violence, I will remember that it is ancient, inseparable from life. It is polymorphous,” wrote the historian Pierre Chaunu in the introduction to his book The Violence of God (1978). Over the centuries, religion and violence have coexisted in sometimes explosive ways. Today, it is clear that religion is often associated with violence even though the Christian message is intended to be peaceful. This intrigues and gives rise to lively debates, especially since certain biblical passages surprise the reader with their violent nature. The Bible indeed shows, on several occasions, God commanding the death of humans and even executing them. Animal sacrifices occupy a central place in Old Testament worship, not to mention the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which founded the Christian faith.
This book addresses the theme of violence from two angles: the relationship between religions and violence, violence in contemporary life. Specialists present biblical, philosophical, religious, psychological and cinematic approaches to the subject.
Collaborated on this work: Karim Arezki, Agnès Blocher, Henri Blocher, Émile Nicole, Micaël Razzano, Charles-Éric de Saint-Germain, Jean-Baptiste Separi.
ISBN: 9782755003109