Conference to examine 'Violence in the Bible'

From the 11th to the 15th September 2006 The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome will host Italy's 39th National Bible Week promoted by the Associazione Biblica Italiana. Where are the roots of violence? Is their a connection between religion and violence? Can violence be mastered? Can belief in God help defuse the spiral of violence? These and other questions prompted the choice of theme for this year's National Bible Week reflection: 'Violence in the Bible.' Thirteen speakers, professors of ancient eastern history and languages, biblical exegesis and theology will focus on texts of the Old and New Testaments comparing them with historical juridical and religious documents of the ancient near East, Jewish tradition and the Greek-Roman environment, pinpointing ethical-religious implications also in relation to the present day when religious beliefs and experiences are involved in conflicts regional and between nations. Source: Fides