In the public sphere, it is often assumed that acts of violence carried out by Muslims are inspired by their religious commitment and encouraged by the Qur’an. Some people express similar concerns about the scriptures and actions of Christians and Jews. Might they be right? What role do scriptural texts play in motivating and justifying violence in these three traditions? Marking the publication of Scripture and Violence (ed. Dr Julia Snyder and Dr Daniel Weiss), this unique online event will hear responses to such questions from the book's editors and contributors. It will also introduce a variety of free resources that have been prepared to accompany the book. These enable local groups to engage with the subject matter whether in the classroom or within religious communities.

About the book

Scripture and Violence explores the complex relationship between scriptural texts and real-world acts of violence. A variety of issues are addressed, including the prevalent modern tendency to express more concern about other people’s texts and violence than one’s own, to treat interpretation and application of scriptural passages as self-evident, and to assume that the actions of religious people are directly motivated by what they read in scriptures. Contributions come from a diverse group of scholars of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity with varying perspectives on the issues. Highlighting the complex relationship between texts and human actions, this is an essential read for students and academics studying religion and violence, Abrahamic religions, or scriptural interpretation. Scripture and Violence will also be of interest to researchers working on religion and politics, sociology and anthropology of religion, socio-political approaches to scriptural texts, and issues surrounding religion, secularity, and the public sphere. This volume could also form a basis for discussions in churches, synagogues, mosques, interfaith settings, and government agencies. Chapters include: Reading and debating the Qur’an with ISIS (Omar Shaukat); Left behind? The New Testament and American evangelical Christian support for war (Jacob L. Goodson); "There never was and never will be": violence and interpretive erasure in the Jewish tradition (Laurie Zoloth), and Wrestling with scripture and avoiding violence in the university classroom (Marianne Moyaert). The book is available to purchase from the publishers (Routledge) in the following formats:

• Paperback ISBN 9780815362579
• Hardback ISBN 9780815362562
• Ebook ISBN 9781351024228

Companion resources are available via the dedicated website: www.scriptureandviolence.org