If I Had More Time Episode 142 - A Loving God—Yet Conquests and Genocides in the Bible?
Jan 4, 2026
Rebecca McLaughlin, author and theologian with a Ph.D. and training in pastoral studies, tackles hard questions about Scripture. She discusses the tension between a loving God and Old Testament conquest accounts. She explains ancient warfare context, how Jesus links Old and New, mercy within judgment narratives, and Christianity’s influence on human equality and justice.
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Christianity Gave Us Universal Moral Concern
- Our modern moral revulsion to ancient conquest comes from Christian ethics that expanded moral worth beyond tribe to all humans.
- Rebecca McLaughlin argues Jesus reshaped moral sensibilities, so we critique Old Testament narratives using a Christian-informed compass.
The Cross Resolves Justice And Mercy
- The cross reconciles God's justice and mercy by showing judgment fall on Jesus while demonstrating the highest act of love.
- McLaughlin uses the crucifixion to explain why God can be both just against sin and profoundly forgiving.
Rahab Shows Mercy Inside The Conquest Story
- Rebecca recounts Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, who shelters Israelite spies and is spared in the conquest.
- Rahab later appears in Jesus' genealogy, showing mercy within a violent conquest narrative.
