"You shall not kill"

Más información sobre el libro

The prohibition "You shall not kill" is often seen as a self-evident norm throughout history, but its implications are complex. Does this command apply solely to humans, or does it extend to non-human beings? What about cases of indirect or unintentional killing? Is killing ever justified? Initially, this prohibition likely referred specifically to homicide, as indicated in the Decalogue (Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17). However, the Bible contains numerous references to killing, including in contexts like warfare and capital punishment, which were not viewed as problematic in biblical times. Additionally, there are instances where God appears to command or carry out killings. Contrastingly, the notion that humans are created in God's image (Gen 1:26-27; 9:6) suggests an implicit prohibition against killing them. This volume explores how biblical and non-biblical killing prohibitions served as norms in antiquity. Contributors from various fields, including ancient law, biblical studies, and church history, examine these themes across a timeline from the Ancient Near East to the Christian patristic era, with insights extending to Martin Luther.