On May 18, 2004 you responded to a question under the title, "Christian Reflection in A Time of War". I have a question parallel to the subject, and it deals with the character of God.
For me, it all started with a sense of great dis-ease over the war in Iraq, and our governments justification for being there in the first place. Many of my friends honestly think that you can't be a Christian and not be a supporter of President Bush and the current policies in Iraq. It seems that sometimes christians identify with what the Israelites did in laying claim to the promised land instead of with what Jesus said about, "being salt and light."
So I'm really struggling with with the fact that the God whom I trust with all my heart told Joshua to lead the Israelities in slaughtering all the men, women and children in Jericho. According to scripture they were evil and that's about all we have to go on. Can you help me understand the character of God that includes both this event and the Christ event in his redemptive plan for his creation?
Answer: This is a huge question that I can’t do justice to here. In my book “A Generous Orthodoxy,” I sketch out a few steps in the direction of a solution in the chapter “Biblical.” I don’t think it is the whole answer, but I think it gets us on a path where a better answer can come into view. Having said that – I don’t think that we should ever be comfortable with violence. Having been spiritually formed by Jesus’ teachings and Spirit, we inwardly resist saying that violence is ever “OK” – and that’s as it should be.