Disarming Scripture

Cherry-Picking Liberals, Violence-Loving Conservatives, and Why We All Need to Learn to Read the Bible Like Jesus Did

By: Derek Flood

Narrated by: Dan McGowan

A God of love and genocide?

For many Christians, the problem of violence in Scripture can result in a crisis of faith - especially when we see how such passages have been used throughout history to justify horrific bloodshed in God's name. Moving beyond typical conservative and liberal approaches, which seek to either defend or whitewash over violence in the Bible, Disarming Scripture takes a surprising yet compelling approach: Learning to read the Bible like Jesus did.

Along the way the book deals with some very big issues, ranging from passages commanding genocide and infanticide in the Old Testament to passages in the New Testament that have been used to justify slavery, child abuse, and state violence. The take-away is an approach to Scripture that not only sees questioning as an acceptable part of a healthy faith, but as an absolutely essential part of it.

©2014 Derek Flood (P)2015 Derek Flood

A Fresh Perspective

Should we read the Scriptures with unquestioning obedience or with faithful questions? Flood encourages the latter and I agree. For far too long fundamentalists and evangelicals have shut off their brains to the detriment of Christianity. His other book- Healing The Gospel is another must read. Actually I recommend multiple readings in order to adjust your thinking. Unlearning is not quick and easy

Great book.

I stumbled on this book, unaware of the author or his writings. I found it a good read (or listen) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It provided insight in dealing with friends and family members from the fundimentlist side. The book flowed well and it put together very good points.

A new way to hear the Bible story.

Flood explains how all of us can learn to live in love as Jesus intended. We have to learn to love Jesus more than we love the book about Him.

This is the book to read!

Derek Flood has something here... Several something's. Having lived most of my life as an inerrantist, conservative evangelical I found his arguments insightful and compelling. I'm glad to be free of the cognitive dissonance that inerrancy entails... No longer worrying about defending scripture and God. My amygdala need not be triggered in a falsely perceived need to defend the inerrancy and infallibility of scripture. This is a fine work, Derek, and I'm a better person for having read it.
@humblethinker1

faithful, serious examination of scripture

This book engages the hard parts of the Bible head on and honestly, and wrestles with the text in a way that still takes scripture seriously and keeps Jesus at the center. Very well done! I highly recommend this book and Flood’s other book, Healing the Gospel, also an amazing book.