Question

Abraham nearly sacrificed his son at God's command. The author of the New Testament book of Hebrews saw this as an action of great faith (Heb 11:17-19). Other ancient Jewish texts lifted up Isaac as a courageous martyr. In our current world, which is highly sensitive to child abuse, how do you respond to Abraham's willingness to go through with such an act? Is Abraham truly an example of faith? Why do you think Abraham is praised for his willingness to carry out this sacrifice? In your opinion, is this ethically problematic or is there a way to resolve this issue?

Answer 1

In my view, Abraham’s near sacrifice of his own child advocates a dangerously irrational and individualistic form of religious faith. If we were to imagine this story, as happening before us, we would be able to recognise its horror, pain involved, the raw violence it does against an innocent child. It would also become immediately apparent that Abraham is someone who is no better than a murderer, who exploits his child’s vulnerability to prove his notion of faith.