The destructive power of religion : violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam / J. Harold Ellens, editor ; foreword by Martin E. Marty ; Ad testimonium by Desmond Tutu.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

v. 1. Sacred scriptures, ideology, and violence -- Introduction : the destructive power of religion / J. Harold Ellens -- The zeal of Phinehas, the Bible, and the legitimation of violence / John J. Collins -- Seeds of violence in Biblical interpretation / Charles T. Davis III -- "The Bible made me do it" : text, interpretation, and violence / D. Andrew Kille -- Scenes of sex and violence in the Old Testament -- Human sacrifice in the Old Testament : in ritual and warfare / Simon John De Vries -- The disarmament of God / Jack Miles -- Abraham and Isaac : the sacrificial impulse / Donald Capps -- The evolution of a Pauline toxic text / Charles T. Davis III -- Retribution and agency in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the teaching of Jesus / Mark Adam Elliott -- The Qur'an, Muhammad, and jihad in context / Charles T. Davis III -- Religious metaphors can kill / J. Harold Ellens --

v. 2. Religion, psychology, and violence -- Introduction : the interface of religion, psychology, and violence / J. Harold Ellens -- Violent religions : Rene Girard's theory of culture / Mack C. Stirling -- Judaism, Christianity, and Girard : the violent messiahs / Cheryl McGuire -- The dynamics of prejudice / J. Harold Ellens -- Violence, prejudice, and religion : a reflection on the Ancient Near East / Edmund S. Meltzer -- The historical Jesus as a justification for terror / Charles T. Davis III -- Revenge and religion / Zenon Lotufo Jr. and J. Cassio Martins -- Hell hath no fury : God, language, and Lacan / Ilona N. Rashkow -- Splitting and violence in the New Testament : psychoanalytic approaches to the revelation of John and the letters of Paul / Johan S. Vos -- Legion : a violent soul in a violent society (Mark 5:1-20) / Michael Willett Newheart -- Reflections of a psychoanalyst on the dynamic bond between religion and violence / Cassandra M. Klyman -- Destructive and constructive religion in relation to shame and terror / Jack T. Hanford -- The role of self-justification in violence / LeRoy H. Aden -- Religion and violence : from pawn to scapegoat / Paul N. Anderson --

v. 3. Models and cases of violence in religion -- Introduction : toxic texts / J. Harold Ellens -- The violent Jesus / J. Harold Ellens -- Jihad in the Qur'an, then and now / J. Harold Ellens -- The rape(s) of Dinah (Gen. 34) : false religion and excess in revenge / Ilona N. Rashkow -- The Cain-Abel syndrome : in theory and in history / Ricardo J. Quinones -- Augustine : the vicious cycle of child abuse / Donald Capps -- Terrorizing the self to save the soul : the destructive power of legalistic Christianity / Donald E. Sloat -- Imposed shame : the origin of violence and worthlessness / Donald E. Sloat -- Hell, martyrdom, and war : violence in early Christianity / Grant R. Shafer -- Secondary violence : adding injury to insult / Dirk H. Odendaal -- The myth of redemptive violence / Walter Wink --

v. 4. Contemporary views on spirituality and violence -- Introduction : spirals of violence / J. Harold Ellens -- The crusade pogroms : Christian holy war on the home front / Alfred J. Eppens -- Genocide or Jesus : a God of conquest or pacificism? / Paul N. Anderson -- Beyond just war and pacificism : Jesus' nonviolent way / Walter Wink -- God does not require obedience; he abhors it! / Rafael Chodos -- Reflections on monotheism and violence / Charles Mabee -- Fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and violence / J. Harold Ellens -- Posture as a metaphor for biblical spirituality / Edson T. Lewis -- The myth of redemptive violence of the myth of redemptive love / Wayne G. Rollins -- Violence and Christ : God's crisis and ours / J. Harold Ellens -- Psychoreligious roots of violence : the search for the concrete in a world of abstractions / Ronald Johnson -- The lasting effects of a childhood trauma / Donald Capps -- Revenge, justice, and hope : Laura Blumenfeld's journey / J. Harold Ellens.