On the right, we see one of the panels Lorenzo Ghiberti created in the fifteenth century for the Bapistery of San Giovanni in Florence. It depicts Cain and Abel, the Bible's first account of humanity outside of Eden (Genesis 4:1-16). In the story, the older brother kills the younger.
Many Old Testament texts return to the idea of violence. Warfare is mentioned in every book except Ruth. In several publications, I wrestle with what to do with the Old Testament's violent texts. |