Kristen, I am in the belly of the beast———white, male, married, 72 years old, lifelong Texas BAPTIST of all things. I have been in pretty normal churches my entire life. No hellfire evangelists for the most part, no prosperity gospel charlatans, no faith healing quacks, etc. In fact, we prided ourselves on being the absolute champions of the separation of church and state. John Leland, Baptist pastor from Virginia, encouraged and influenced Madison and the rest of the founding fathers to enshrine that tenet in the First Amendment. Baptist pastor George W. Truett made a famous speech(to Baptists at least)on the steps of the US Capitol in 1920 championing religious liberty and the separation of church and state, a free church in a free state. That was in our Baptist DNA I thought. If any are not free to worship, or not worship, according to the dictates of his or her conscience, then none of us are, am I right? This belief and so many others I believe, are now out the window with the current Christian nationalism heresy, which is wrong and of course historically a lie. The theology/mindset/cultic behavior and attitudes this author and you describe is stark raving mad from both a common sense and theological point of view. It hate it, I despise it, it drives me insane, but I do not dispute its accuracy. What was fringe talk from the nut job “holy roller” preachers is now mainstream or at least widely accepted. I mean Trump got rid of abortion, so every evil satanic act and deed known to man is all good. This is crazy, and I do not know what to do about it. American Christianity in great measure has sold its soul. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. We are about to reap what we have sowed.
All these Christian nation people better watch out. If the Middle East monarchs keep bribing the Trump family, Islam may soon be decreed the only faith allowed by another executive order. Oops!
Sorry for the long reply. I have been thinking about the cult attitudes, the groupthink, the backwards thinking in the “church people” for a long time, even before Trump. Evangelicals are the worst of course, but mainline churches and Catholics too are way infected. Christians in 2016 gave us Donald J. Trump and every evil, cruel and vile thing that has transpired. I am heartsick, depressed and totally baffled by the mindset described today, but IT IS REAL. Fringe heretical theology is the coin of the realm now. We are so messed up as a nation and especially as believers. Help!
This is so needed. In my prior comment I didn't state that my former group was a well-known campus cult from the 70s and 80s that broke up, kicked out their former leader, rebranded themselves (twice), and were central in mainstreaming what was fringe 30-40 years ago. For example, C. Peter Wagner credited them by name for his seeing the light about dominion theology. I already mentioned their films, books, music and pro sports - major American cultural touchstones.
Maranatha Campus Ministries, now Every Nation. They are more in the background than they were some years ago, but they were very influential in the early development of the NAR (though they no longer identify as NAR - I now call them proto-NAR) and in rebranding and repackaging Shepherding, dominion theology, leftovers from the Latter Rain movement, bits from ILP about covering and submission to authority, and Christian Reconstructionism all under one roof. Where there's no cognitive dissonance, all these things work together I guess... The glue is unquestioning submission to authority.
I am coming to believe that we are engaged in a battle in this country, not for the soul of America but for the meaning of Christianity. What gets called Christian Nationalism is far worse than non-Christian. It is actively anti-Christian.
Oh, my…what a revelation. I am speechless. I know evangelicalism inside and out, having been steeped in it for 50 years, but the “gospel of prosperity” and the notion of wealth as a confirmation of godliness ~ that was one step too far for me. (Then came a period of deconstruction/reconstruction) There was a strong, malodorous stench that always accompanied these false teachings! It stretches my imagination to think my evangelical siblings and friends honestly believe there is no corruption, only blessing! How could they possibly?
The constant gaslighting from Trump and his apologists, together with the constant barrage of the sort of head-spinning, incoherent “reasoning” described here is absolutely exhausting.
Yes, the script has been flipped and those of us follow the Way of Jesus who humbled himself and took the form of humanity and was obedient unto death are deemed losers and fools. So, be it. Willing to walk this road to hopefully bring some folks back to their senses!
I guess Christians with this view also don’t care how it, and its alignment with power grabs, is seen as a double standard and thus is turning people from faith. Maybe they have to decide which path will convert new believers, if that indeed is the calling.
Thank you, Kristen. You have opened my eyes to things that would never cross my mind as a Christian. Thank you for opening my eyes to different perspectives and ways to understand. As a teacher of over 30 years it’s always been my goal to understand my students. And it’s my goal now that I’m retired to understand why those people I’ve looked up to you for so many years have seemingly changed their ideas of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Kristin, do you think that the election of Pope Leo will offer evangelicals a choice between a moral, empathetic person and the president? I wonder if this will have impact on the tenets espoused by the current administration.
Sadly, many fundamentalist Evangelicals probably do not consider Roman Catholics are Christian. Therefore what the Pope says will have little effect on them.
Feeling very confused and wondering why people are “ok” with the things certain politicians are doing, thank you for once again helping me understand how people get to being able to “justify” these things to themselves. I look forward to reading and ruminating on the full version once it is published!
It’s not that I don’t believe what Stephanie Jo Warren has written, and I know your writing well, Kristin, and so admire your wisdom, communication skills, and willingness to do the (exhausting!) research. I deeply appreciate you and Diana, Jemar and Robbie ~ I have learned SO much from you and the resources you have shared. I just can’t understand how Christian people have been so duped. It will take some time and thought to digest this revelation of ‘corruption vs blessing’ that you have been aware of for some time, no doubt.
The fifty million dollar question…how? How in the world have they been so duped???? I think they are busy tuning out. While some of us listen to and read and process every detail, others are making a conscious effort to tune out completely. But there must be more to it—right? I know. It just makes no sense at all.
An acquaintance of mine posted the following quote from Charles Spurgeon today:
"The church is not perfect, but woe to the man who finds pleasure in pointing out her imperfections! Christ loved his church, and let us do the same. I have no doubt that the Lord can see more fault in his church than I can; and I have equal confidence that he sees no fault at all. Because he covers her faults with his own love-that love which covers a multitude of sins; and he removes all her defilement with that precious blood which washes away all the transgressions of his people."
I don't know the context of this quote, but taken as read it sure sets off a bunch of red flags for me. Your post reminded me of this, because it's the same kind of mindset. Don't take pleasure in pointing out the flaws in the church is very close to "don't question the church" which is very close to "don't question your church leadership" which is very close to "don't question".
Thank you for this. This answers my last lingering questions on the “why” of all this. Another observation I’ve had recently is that many people who say they’re Christian (and they may well be) are still ”babies” in their understanding of the faith and who they really serve. I’m taking Alpha with a friend and the fundamentals I thought every one who chooses Christ knows - are at actually news to the new Christians at my table. They have this general belief in a generally good and definitely all-powerful God and think Jesus is pretty great - a decent start! I’m thinking that’s where it stops for many. They never take steps to mature, to learn, to really know, and understand, this radical saviour we follow - because they think they do know. So being a “good person”, believing in God, and people gaining power/favour as you say (supposedly in the name) are signs that they’re right. Bad preaching and teaching must be part of the root cause - one woman was stunned to hear that reading the Bible frequently is part of growing in faith and understanding. In her years in various churches - that came as news to her and she asked if our church taught us that - in great surprise! We have some serious work do do, and I fear significant woe to those who have been misleading so many “children” in faith for so long.
I see an example of this in my small community. For the second year, white Christian’s nationalists are staging a parade the week before the annual PRIDE parade and festival which has much more widespread support. They publish a list of “right beliefs” that you have to subscribe to participate in the parade. Only the brainwashed can march! Last year, they featured an inflatable cross in red, white and blue stars and stripes. It was sickening.
“Warren notes how evangelical pastors are rarely held to account for their misdeeds.”
This statement brought to mind Biblical stories about Abraham. Here are my queries to ChatGPT4o regarding these stories:
Query #1-What books of the Old Testament document Abraham’s selling his wife Sarah to protect him from a ruler of a country?
Response - The stories where Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister—effectively “selling” or offering her to protect himself—are documented in two books of the Old Testament:
⸻
1. Genesis 12:10–20
Context: Abraham (then Abram) and Sarah (then Sarai) go to Egypt during a famine. Fearing that Egyptians will kill him to take his beautiful wife, Abraham tells Sarah to say she is his sister. Pharaoh takes Sarah into his palace, but God afflicts Pharaoh’s household, and Pharaoh returns Sarah and sends them away.
⸻
2. Genesis 20:1–18
Context: Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar, where King Abimelech takes Sarah, again after Abraham says she is his sister. God warns Abimelech in a dream, and he returns Sarah to Abraham unharmed, along with gifts.
⸻
These incidents raise theological and ethical questions and are often discussed in Jewish and Christian commentaries. There is also a similar event involving Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 26, where Isaac repeats his father’s tactic in Gerar.
Query #2: Was Abraham held accountable for these acts of infidelity? Or were there any consequences for his infidelity?
Response - Great question. The biblical narrative in Genesis does not explicitly say that Abraham was punished or held accountable by God for these acts of deception and endangering Sarah, which many readers interpret as a kind of infidelity—both to his wife and to God’s promise.
However, we can explore this in a few ways:
⸻
1. Immediate Consequences in the Text:
• In both Genesis 12 (Pharaoh) and Genesis 20 (Abimelech), Abraham is not directly punished.
• Instead, the rulers who take Sarah suffer consequences, even though they were deceived:
• Pharaoh’s household is afflicted (Genesis 12:17).
• Abimelech is warned by God in a dream, and his household is temporarily made infertile (Genesis 20:3, 17–18).
• Ironically, Abraham often leaves wealthier—he receives gifts from both Pharaoh and Abimelech.
⸻
2. Ethical and Theological Implications:
• Abraham’s actions are deeply troubling, especially from a modern ethical or relational perspective.
• He endangers Sarah to protect himself.
• However, the text doesn’t frame these events as “infidelity” in the sexual or covenantal sense the way we might today.
• Some Jewish and Christian scholars interpret these actions as a failure of faith:
• God had promised to protect Abraham and make a great nation through Sarah (Genesis 12:2–3), yet Abraham took matters into his own hands.
⸻
3. Long-Term Consequences or Patterns?
• Some commentators suggest there may be indirect consequences:
• Isaac repeats the same deception in Genesis 26, suggesting a generational pattern of mistrust or flawed behavior.
• Sarah’s silence in these episodes has been noted by scholars as possibly showing a breakdown in mutual trust.
• Some argue these actions test God’s faithfulness, and God acts to protect Sarah despite Abraham’s actions—not because of them.
⸻
4. Rabbinic and Christian Interpretations:
• Rabbinic tradition is often more forgiving toward Abraham but sometimes struggles with these stories.
• Christian theologians differ: some see Abraham’s actions as sinful but forgiven, while others see the stories as complex moral lessons rather than moral endorsements.
⸻
In summary:
Abraham was not explicitly punished or rebuked by God in the text, but his actions raise serious ethical concerns, and many interpret them as failures of faith and fidelity with possible long-term implications. The biblical narrative seems to underscore God’s protection of Sarah and faithfulness to the covenant, even when Abraham fails.
Query #3 - Please tell me see how early church fathers, Jewish rabbis, or modern theologians interpret these stories.
Response - Certainly. The stories of Abraham presenting Sarah as his sister—often seen as deception and betrayal—have drawn significant commentary from Jewish rabbis, early Church Fathers, and modern theologians. Below is a comparative summary of how each tradition interprets these stories:
⸻
1. Jewish Rabbinic Interpretation
Talmud and Midrash (Classical Rabbinic Literature):
• Defensive of Abraham: Rabbinic sources often seek to defend Abraham, emphasizing that his actions were part of a strategy for survival in hostile lands.
• Sister Motif Justified: Some rabbis highlight that Sarah was indeed his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), suggesting the statement was technically true, even if misleading.
• Sarah’s Merit: In Midrash (e.g., Genesis Rabbah), Sarah is portrayed heroically—protected by divine intervention because of her righteousness. The suffering of Pharaoh and Abimelech’s households is seen as God’s defense of her virtue.
Ethical Concern Raised:
• Some rabbis do critique Abraham subtly, noting that placing Sarah at risk was ethically troubling.
• Ramban (Nachmanides) (13th-century): Explicitly criticizes Abraham for going to Egypt during the famine instead of trusting God, and for exposing Sarah to danger—calling it a “great sin.”
⸻
2. Early Christian Church Fathers
Ambrose of Milan:
• Saw the events as allegorical of Christ and the Church: Sarah represents the Church, preserved by divine intervention despite threats.
• Abraham’s actions were not ideal but part of a divine plan beyond human understanding.
Origen:
• Emphasized allegory over literal reading. He interpreted Sarah’s experience spiritually—representing the soul that God protects, even when endangered by worldly powers.
• He was aware of the troubling literal reading but viewed the story symbolically to avoid moral difficulty.
Augustine:
• Took a more moralistic tone, seeing the stories as problematic.
• While not directly condemning Abraham, he acknowledged that these actions, if taken literally, seemed shameful, and again leaned toward allegorical interpretation to resolve the issue.
⸻
3. Modern Theological Interpretations
Jewish Modern Scholars:
• Phyllis Trible (feminist scholar): Sees these stories as examples of patriarchal sacrifice of women to preserve male status or security.
• She highlights Sarah’s silence as symbolic of the marginalization of women in biblical narratives.
Robert Alter (Jewish literary critic):
• Emphasizes the repetition of the “wife-sister” story as a literary motif that underscores Abraham’s fear and human frailty.
• Notes that Abraham’s actions show the tension between faith and self-preservation.
Christian Modern Theologians:
• Walter Brueggemann (Old Testament scholar): Acknowledges these stories as deeply ambiguous, showing Abraham as flawed and morally compromised.
• He suggests that the focus is on God’s faithfulness, not Abraham’s perfection.
• Terence Fretheim: Points out that Abraham is not an idealized hero—his failures reveal the reality that God works through imperfect humans.
⸻
Summary Across Traditions:
Tradition View of Abraham View of Sarah Main Focus
Rabbinic Often defended; some critique (e.g., Ramban) Righteous and protected God’s intervention and technical truth
Church Fathers Often allegorical, avoiding moral critique Symbol of the Church or soul Spiritual symbolism
Modern Jewish Ethical critique, feminist concerns Victim of patriarchy Justice, gender, literary form
Modern Christian Abraham is flawed but chosen Passive victim, protected by God God’s faithfulness despite human failure
FWIW - It appears that corruption & accountability might be Biblically & historically tenuous.
There are more Biblical stories (noise) like this.
Kristen, I am in the belly of the beast———white, male, married, 72 years old, lifelong Texas BAPTIST of all things. I have been in pretty normal churches my entire life. No hellfire evangelists for the most part, no prosperity gospel charlatans, no faith healing quacks, etc. In fact, we prided ourselves on being the absolute champions of the separation of church and state. John Leland, Baptist pastor from Virginia, encouraged and influenced Madison and the rest of the founding fathers to enshrine that tenet in the First Amendment. Baptist pastor George W. Truett made a famous speech(to Baptists at least)on the steps of the US Capitol in 1920 championing religious liberty and the separation of church and state, a free church in a free state. That was in our Baptist DNA I thought. If any are not free to worship, or not worship, according to the dictates of his or her conscience, then none of us are, am I right? This belief and so many others I believe, are now out the window with the current Christian nationalism heresy, which is wrong and of course historically a lie. The theology/mindset/cultic behavior and attitudes this author and you describe is stark raving mad from both a common sense and theological point of view. It hate it, I despise it, it drives me insane, but I do not dispute its accuracy. What was fringe talk from the nut job “holy roller” preachers is now mainstream or at least widely accepted. I mean Trump got rid of abortion, so every evil satanic act and deed known to man is all good. This is crazy, and I do not know what to do about it. American Christianity in great measure has sold its soul. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. We are about to reap what we have sowed.
All these Christian nation people better watch out. If the Middle East monarchs keep bribing the Trump family, Islam may soon be decreed the only faith allowed by another executive order. Oops!
Sorry for the long reply. I have been thinking about the cult attitudes, the groupthink, the backwards thinking in the “church people” for a long time, even before Trump. Evangelicals are the worst of course, but mainline churches and Catholics too are way infected. Christians in 2016 gave us Donald J. Trump and every evil, cruel and vile thing that has transpired. I am heartsick, depressed and totally baffled by the mindset described today, but IT IS REAL. Fringe heretical theology is the coin of the realm now. We are so messed up as a nation and especially as believers. Help!
In my next book I trace how this fringe movement took over the mainstream.
This is so needed. In my prior comment I didn't state that my former group was a well-known campus cult from the 70s and 80s that broke up, kicked out their former leader, rebranded themselves (twice), and were central in mainstreaming what was fringe 30-40 years ago. For example, C. Peter Wagner credited them by name for his seeing the light about dominion theology. I already mentioned their films, books, music and pro sports - major American cultural touchstones.
Cru?
Maranatha Campus Ministries, now Every Nation. They are more in the background than they were some years ago, but they were very influential in the early development of the NAR (though they no longer identify as NAR - I now call them proto-NAR) and in rebranding and repackaging Shepherding, dominion theology, leftovers from the Latter Rain movement, bits from ILP about covering and submission to authority, and Christian Reconstructionism all under one roof. Where there's no cognitive dissonance, all these things work together I guess... The glue is unquestioning submission to authority.
Fist bump to you, from Trumpistan, WV.
I am coming to believe that we are engaged in a battle in this country, not for the soul of America but for the meaning of Christianity. What gets called Christian Nationalism is far worse than non-Christian. It is actively anti-Christian.
Oh, my…what a revelation. I am speechless. I know evangelicalism inside and out, having been steeped in it for 50 years, but the “gospel of prosperity” and the notion of wealth as a confirmation of godliness ~ that was one step too far for me. (Then came a period of deconstruction/reconstruction) There was a strong, malodorous stench that always accompanied these false teachings! It stretches my imagination to think my evangelical siblings and friends honestly believe there is no corruption, only blessing! How could they possibly?
I think they must know better. They just refuse to see. After all they supposedly follow Jesus who was crucified and was never “blessed “ with wealth.
The constant gaslighting from Trump and his apologists, together with the constant barrage of the sort of head-spinning, incoherent “reasoning” described here is absolutely exhausting.
Yes, the script has been flipped and those of us follow the Way of Jesus who humbled himself and took the form of humanity and was obedient unto death are deemed losers and fools. So, be it. Willing to walk this road to hopefully bring some folks back to their senses!
I guess Christians with this view also don’t care how it, and its alignment with power grabs, is seen as a double standard and thus is turning people from faith. Maybe they have to decide which path will convert new believers, if that indeed is the calling.
Thank you, Kristen. You have opened my eyes to things that would never cross my mind as a Christian. Thank you for opening my eyes to different perspectives and ways to understand. As a teacher of over 30 years it’s always been my goal to understand my students. And it’s my goal now that I’m retired to understand why those people I’ve looked up to you for so many years have seemingly changed their ideas of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Kristin, do you think that the election of Pope Leo will offer evangelicals a choice between a moral, empathetic person and the president? I wonder if this will have impact on the tenets espoused by the current administration.
It is good to have a clear alternative presented speaking with the authority of Christian tradition.
Sadly, many fundamentalist Evangelicals probably do not consider Roman Catholics are Christian. Therefore what the Pope says will have little effect on them.
Feeling very confused and wondering why people are “ok” with the things certain politicians are doing, thank you for once again helping me understand how people get to being able to “justify” these things to themselves. I look forward to reading and ruminating on the full version once it is published!
It’s not that I don’t believe what Stephanie Jo Warren has written, and I know your writing well, Kristin, and so admire your wisdom, communication skills, and willingness to do the (exhausting!) research. I deeply appreciate you and Diana, Jemar and Robbie ~ I have learned SO much from you and the resources you have shared. I just can’t understand how Christian people have been so duped. It will take some time and thought to digest this revelation of ‘corruption vs blessing’ that you have been aware of for some time, no doubt.
Thank you for so generously sharing your gifts.
Read how Mike Johnson has absolutely no problem with all this...
Yes. Hes one of the string-pullers, acting quite deliberately.
The fifty million dollar question…how? How in the world have they been so duped???? I think they are busy tuning out. While some of us listen to and read and process every detail, others are making a conscious effort to tune out completely. But there must be more to it—right? I know. It just makes no sense at all.
Sooooooo duped. Makes me want to run! But I don’t know which way! They’re on all sides!
An acquaintance of mine posted the following quote from Charles Spurgeon today:
"The church is not perfect, but woe to the man who finds pleasure in pointing out her imperfections! Christ loved his church, and let us do the same. I have no doubt that the Lord can see more fault in his church than I can; and I have equal confidence that he sees no fault at all. Because he covers her faults with his own love-that love which covers a multitude of sins; and he removes all her defilement with that precious blood which washes away all the transgressions of his people."
I don't know the context of this quote, but taken as read it sure sets off a bunch of red flags for me. Your post reminded me of this, because it's the same kind of mindset. Don't take pleasure in pointing out the flaws in the church is very close to "don't question the church" which is very close to "don't question your church leadership" which is very close to "don't question".
Even a cursory reading of the gospels undercuts such “no corruption” thinking. Such a worldview is shaped and cultivated by other motivations.
Thank you , Kristen . Please keep it coming .
Thank you for this. This answers my last lingering questions on the “why” of all this. Another observation I’ve had recently is that many people who say they’re Christian (and they may well be) are still ”babies” in their understanding of the faith and who they really serve. I’m taking Alpha with a friend and the fundamentals I thought every one who chooses Christ knows - are at actually news to the new Christians at my table. They have this general belief in a generally good and definitely all-powerful God and think Jesus is pretty great - a decent start! I’m thinking that’s where it stops for many. They never take steps to mature, to learn, to really know, and understand, this radical saviour we follow - because they think they do know. So being a “good person”, believing in God, and people gaining power/favour as you say (supposedly in the name) are signs that they’re right. Bad preaching and teaching must be part of the root cause - one woman was stunned to hear that reading the Bible frequently is part of growing in faith and understanding. In her years in various churches - that came as news to her and she asked if our church taught us that - in great surprise! We have some serious work do do, and I fear significant woe to those who have been misleading so many “children” in faith for so long.
I see an example of this in my small community. For the second year, white Christian’s nationalists are staging a parade the week before the annual PRIDE parade and festival which has much more widespread support. They publish a list of “right beliefs” that you have to subscribe to participate in the parade. Only the brainwashed can march! Last year, they featured an inflatable cross in red, white and blue stars and stripes. It was sickening.
A red, white, and blue cross. Please, tell me it isn’t so.
“Warren notes how evangelical pastors are rarely held to account for their misdeeds.”
This statement brought to mind Biblical stories about Abraham. Here are my queries to ChatGPT4o regarding these stories:
Query #1-What books of the Old Testament document Abraham’s selling his wife Sarah to protect him from a ruler of a country?
Response - The stories where Abraham claims that Sarah is his sister—effectively “selling” or offering her to protect himself—are documented in two books of the Old Testament:
⸻
1. Genesis 12:10–20
Context: Abraham (then Abram) and Sarah (then Sarai) go to Egypt during a famine. Fearing that Egyptians will kill him to take his beautiful wife, Abraham tells Sarah to say she is his sister. Pharaoh takes Sarah into his palace, but God afflicts Pharaoh’s household, and Pharaoh returns Sarah and sends them away.
⸻
2. Genesis 20:1–18
Context: Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar, where King Abimelech takes Sarah, again after Abraham says she is his sister. God warns Abimelech in a dream, and he returns Sarah to Abraham unharmed, along with gifts.
⸻
These incidents raise theological and ethical questions and are often discussed in Jewish and Christian commentaries. There is also a similar event involving Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 26, where Isaac repeats his father’s tactic in Gerar.
Query #2: Was Abraham held accountable for these acts of infidelity? Or were there any consequences for his infidelity?
Response - Great question. The biblical narrative in Genesis does not explicitly say that Abraham was punished or held accountable by God for these acts of deception and endangering Sarah, which many readers interpret as a kind of infidelity—both to his wife and to God’s promise.
However, we can explore this in a few ways:
⸻
1. Immediate Consequences in the Text:
• In both Genesis 12 (Pharaoh) and Genesis 20 (Abimelech), Abraham is not directly punished.
• Instead, the rulers who take Sarah suffer consequences, even though they were deceived:
• Pharaoh’s household is afflicted (Genesis 12:17).
• Abimelech is warned by God in a dream, and his household is temporarily made infertile (Genesis 20:3, 17–18).
• Ironically, Abraham often leaves wealthier—he receives gifts from both Pharaoh and Abimelech.
⸻
2. Ethical and Theological Implications:
• Abraham’s actions are deeply troubling, especially from a modern ethical or relational perspective.
• He endangers Sarah to protect himself.
• However, the text doesn’t frame these events as “infidelity” in the sexual or covenantal sense the way we might today.
• Some Jewish and Christian scholars interpret these actions as a failure of faith:
• God had promised to protect Abraham and make a great nation through Sarah (Genesis 12:2–3), yet Abraham took matters into his own hands.
⸻
3. Long-Term Consequences or Patterns?
• Some commentators suggest there may be indirect consequences:
• Isaac repeats the same deception in Genesis 26, suggesting a generational pattern of mistrust or flawed behavior.
• Sarah’s silence in these episodes has been noted by scholars as possibly showing a breakdown in mutual trust.
• Some argue these actions test God’s faithfulness, and God acts to protect Sarah despite Abraham’s actions—not because of them.
⸻
4. Rabbinic and Christian Interpretations:
• Rabbinic tradition is often more forgiving toward Abraham but sometimes struggles with these stories.
• Christian theologians differ: some see Abraham’s actions as sinful but forgiven, while others see the stories as complex moral lessons rather than moral endorsements.
⸻
In summary:
Abraham was not explicitly punished or rebuked by God in the text, but his actions raise serious ethical concerns, and many interpret them as failures of faith and fidelity with possible long-term implications. The biblical narrative seems to underscore God’s protection of Sarah and faithfulness to the covenant, even when Abraham fails.
Query #3 - Please tell me see how early church fathers, Jewish rabbis, or modern theologians interpret these stories.
Response - Certainly. The stories of Abraham presenting Sarah as his sister—often seen as deception and betrayal—have drawn significant commentary from Jewish rabbis, early Church Fathers, and modern theologians. Below is a comparative summary of how each tradition interprets these stories:
⸻
1. Jewish Rabbinic Interpretation
Talmud and Midrash (Classical Rabbinic Literature):
• Defensive of Abraham: Rabbinic sources often seek to defend Abraham, emphasizing that his actions were part of a strategy for survival in hostile lands.
• Sister Motif Justified: Some rabbis highlight that Sarah was indeed his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), suggesting the statement was technically true, even if misleading.
• Sarah’s Merit: In Midrash (e.g., Genesis Rabbah), Sarah is portrayed heroically—protected by divine intervention because of her righteousness. The suffering of Pharaoh and Abimelech’s households is seen as God’s defense of her virtue.
Ethical Concern Raised:
• Some rabbis do critique Abraham subtly, noting that placing Sarah at risk was ethically troubling.
• Ramban (Nachmanides) (13th-century): Explicitly criticizes Abraham for going to Egypt during the famine instead of trusting God, and for exposing Sarah to danger—calling it a “great sin.”
⸻
2. Early Christian Church Fathers
Ambrose of Milan:
• Saw the events as allegorical of Christ and the Church: Sarah represents the Church, preserved by divine intervention despite threats.
• Abraham’s actions were not ideal but part of a divine plan beyond human understanding.
Origen:
• Emphasized allegory over literal reading. He interpreted Sarah’s experience spiritually—representing the soul that God protects, even when endangered by worldly powers.
• He was aware of the troubling literal reading but viewed the story symbolically to avoid moral difficulty.
Augustine:
• Took a more moralistic tone, seeing the stories as problematic.
• While not directly condemning Abraham, he acknowledged that these actions, if taken literally, seemed shameful, and again leaned toward allegorical interpretation to resolve the issue.
⸻
3. Modern Theological Interpretations
Jewish Modern Scholars:
• Phyllis Trible (feminist scholar): Sees these stories as examples of patriarchal sacrifice of women to preserve male status or security.
• She highlights Sarah’s silence as symbolic of the marginalization of women in biblical narratives.
Robert Alter (Jewish literary critic):
• Emphasizes the repetition of the “wife-sister” story as a literary motif that underscores Abraham’s fear and human frailty.
• Notes that Abraham’s actions show the tension between faith and self-preservation.
Christian Modern Theologians:
• Walter Brueggemann (Old Testament scholar): Acknowledges these stories as deeply ambiguous, showing Abraham as flawed and morally compromised.
• He suggests that the focus is on God’s faithfulness, not Abraham’s perfection.
• Terence Fretheim: Points out that Abraham is not an idealized hero—his failures reveal the reality that God works through imperfect humans.
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Summary Across Traditions:
Tradition View of Abraham View of Sarah Main Focus
Rabbinic Often defended; some critique (e.g., Ramban) Righteous and protected God’s intervention and technical truth
Church Fathers Often allegorical, avoiding moral critique Symbol of the Church or soul Spiritual symbolism
Modern Jewish Ethical critique, feminist concerns Victim of patriarchy Justice, gender, literary form
Modern Christian Abraham is flawed but chosen Passive victim, protected by God God’s faithfulness despite human failure
FWIW - It appears that corruption & accountability might be Biblically & historically tenuous.
There are more Biblical stories (noise) like this.