Cross Vision Seminar - Week 5 - Rorschach God & Echoes of a Pagan Warrior

2. Week 5, Part 1: Rorschach GodWeek 5, Part 1: Rorschach God
Whose Image of God to Trust?Whose Image of God to Trust?

3. when people project their desires, fears,when people project their desires, fears,
motives, and expectations on to other peoplemotives, and expectations on to other people
and/or circumstances; in this context,and/or circumstances; in this context,
the phenomenon of people projecting theirthe phenomenon of people projecting their
fallen and culturally conditionedfallen and culturally conditioned
preconceptions onto Godpreconceptions onto God
PROJECTION

4. a test developed by Hermann Rorschacha test developed by Hermann Rorschach
in 1921 to evaluate people’s mental health;in 1921 to evaluate people’s mental health;
subjects stare at ambiguously shaped inkblotssubjects stare at ambiguously shaped inkblots
and report what they see, the results of whichand report what they see, the results of which
reveal much more about the person involvedreveal much more about the person involved
than about the ink blots themselvesthan about the ink blots themselves……
RORSCHACH TEST

5. MAIN IDEAS
1. SEEING WHAT THE HEART ALLOWS1. SEEING WHAT THE HEART ALLOWS……
2 Samuel 22:26-272 Samuel 22:26-27
2. MAKING GOD IN OUR IMAGE2. MAKING GOD IN OUR IMAGE
1 Corinthians 1:18-301 Corinthians 1:18-30
3. ADJUSTMENTS FROM GOD’S SIDE3. ADJUSTMENTS FROM GOD’S SIDE……
Conditioned by our hearts & by what God revealsConditioned by our hearts & by what God reveals
4. REFLECTIONS OF THE ANTI-VIOLENT GOD4. REFLECTIONS OF THE ANTI-VIOLENT GOD……
Psalm 46:9Psalm 46:9

6. MAIN IDEAS
5. AN ABANDONED NON-VIOLENT PLAN5. AN ABANDONED NON-VIOLENT PLAN……
Exodus 23:28-30; Leviticus 18:24-25 . . .Exodus 23:28-30; Leviticus 18:24-25 . . .
““[W]hen Yahweh said,[W]hen Yahweh said, ‘‘I want my people to dwellI want my people to dwell
in the land of Canaan,in the land of Canaan,’’ what Moseswhat Moses’’s fallen and culturallys fallen and culturally
conditioned ears heard was,conditioned ears heard was, ‘‘I want you to slaughter theI want you to slaughter the
Canaanites so my people can dwell in the land ofCanaanites so my people can dwell in the land of
Canaan.Canaan.’’ ...[T]his tells us more about the character of...[T]his tells us more about the character of
Moses and the culture he was embedded in than itMoses and the culture he was embedded in than it
tells us about the true character and will of God.tells us about the true character and will of God.””

7. OTHER SCRIPTURES TO CONSIDER
- Exodus 5:3- Exodus 5:3
- Deuteronomy 7:2-3; 21:10-14- Deuteronomy 7:2-3; 21:10-14
- Galatians 1:8- Galatians 1:8
- 1 Samuel 15:1-3- 1 Samuel 15:1-3

8. Wk. 5, Pt. 2: Echoes of a Pagan WarriorWk. 5, Pt. 2: Echoes of a Pagan Warrior
Reading the OT In Its ANE ContextReading the OT In Its ANE Context

9. ““conflict-with-chaos”; a major literary themeconflict-with-chaos”; a major literary theme
in ANE literature where deities defeat “the sea,”in ANE literature where deities defeat “the sea,”
““the waters,the waters,”” oror ““the deepthe deep”” that representedthat represented
personified cosmic forces that threatenedpersonified cosmic forces that threatened
the well-being of a given nation or thethe well-being of a given nation or the
world at largeworld at large
KAOSKAMPF

10. an ancient Ugaritic goddess who was praisedan ancient Ugaritic goddess who was praised
for her macabre, violent ferocity, accountsfor her macabre, violent ferocity, accounts
of which are clearly paralleled by Israel’sof which are clearly paralleled by Israel’s
later accounts of Yahweh’s violent behaviorlater accounts of Yahweh’s violent behavior
in battle against Israel’s cosmicin battle against Israel’s cosmic
or national enemiesor national enemies
ANAT

11. MAIN IDEAS
1. YAHWEH BATTLES W/COSMIC ENEMIES1. YAHWEH BATTLES W/COSMIC ENEMIES……
Leviathan/Behemoth in OT; Demons/Powers in NTLeviathan/Behemoth in OT; Demons/Powers in NT
2. YAHWEH BATTLES W/HUMAN ENEMIES2. YAHWEH BATTLES W/HUMAN ENEMIES……
To ANE people, earthly batters WERE spiritualTo ANE people, earthly batters WERE spiritual
3. YAHWEH AS WARRING MOUNTAIN/STORM GOD3. YAHWEH AS WARRING MOUNTAIN/STORM GOD……
Psalm 18Psalm 18

12. MAIN IDEAS
4. YAHWEH AND ANAT4. YAHWEH AND ANAT……
Ps 110:5–6; Isa 34:3, 7; Jer 33:5Ps 110:5–6; Isa 34:3, 7; Jer 33:5;; Ps 58:10; 68:23;Ps 58:10; 68:23;
110:5–6; Lam 1:15; Isa 63:3110:5–6; Lam 1:15; Isa 63:3

13. ““Nowhere does the OT contrast with its surroundingNowhere does the OT contrast with its surrounding
ANE culture more than when it depicts God in ChristlikeANE culture more than when it depicts God in Christlike
ways. Conversely, nowhere does the OT conform to itsways. Conversely, nowhere does the OT conform to its
surrounding ANE culture more than when it depictssurrounding ANE culture more than when it depicts
Yahweh as a violent warrior GodYahweh as a violent warrior God……Every aspect of [the]Every aspect of [the]
depiction of Yahweh as a fire-breathing, smoke-snorting,depiction of Yahweh as a fire-breathing, smoke-snorting,
cloud-riding, lightning-bolt throwing, violent warrior deitycloud-riding, lightning-bolt throwing, violent warrior deity
has clear parallels with other ANE violent warrior deitieshas clear parallels with other ANE violent warrior deities……””
GREG BOYD

14. ““[I]f we grant that this imagery is a culturally[I]f we grant that this imagery is a culturally
conditioned accommodation, why should weconditioned accommodation, why should we
not conclude the same about the violence thatnot conclude the same about the violence that
is associated with this imagery?is associated with this imagery?””
GREG BOYD

15. OTHER SCRIPTURES TO CONSIDER
- Deuteronomy 32:42- Deuteronomy 32:42
- Isaiah 34:5-6; 49:26- Isaiah 34:5-6; 49:26 (an improvement!)(an improvement!)
- Jeremiah 12:12; 46:10- Jeremiah 12:12; 46:10