Abstract:
This study was motivated by the desire to make a difference in the world. A better understanding of how ancient peoples perceived the phenomenon of war, and how these perceptions were shaped by social values, can hold great value for contemporary peace processes. A large number of Old Testament passages can further be illuminated through a study of this nature. The problem can be summarised by the following question: ● Why did the ancient person positively regard war as an inevitable cultural phenomenon, while the contemporary Western person negatively regards war as an anomaly? The hypotheses are as follows: ● the social values of respectively the Western and the ancient world can explain why there is a discrepancy between their respective perceptions about war; ● a study of Joshua 23 can verify the results attained above. The purpose of this essay is: ● to determine whether the social values of respectively the Western and the ancient world can explain why there is a discrepancy between their respective perceptions about war; ● to determine whether a study of Joshua 23 can verify the results attained above. Chapter 1 introduces the study. Chapter 2 examines the difference between Western and ancient perceptions of war regarding the following social values: honour and shame, group-orientation, limited goods, purity. A synchronic exegesis of Joshua 23 follows in Chapter 3. During the course of this exegesis, the results of Chapter 2 will both illuminate and be verified by Joshua 23. Chapter 4 presents the interested student with guidelines for further study on this subject. The aim of this study is to promote peace in 2004 by illuminating Joshua 23.
