Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses
Date of Award
5-9-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
First Advisor
Dr. Lance Hawley
Abstract
This paper explores the nature of divine and human violence in the Book of Joshua and its relation to ritual and liturgy. I argue in this paper that the violence that readers encounter in the Book of Joshua makes more sense as a subcategory or product of ritual. I point out that the emphasis on violence in Joshua is misplaced if the elements of ritual and worship, which are prevalent throughout the work are not given proper attention. I contend that the חֵרֶם commands in Deuteronomy and Joshua serve the specific functions of removing Canaanite identity from the land of Israel, cleansing sacred space, and creating a ritually performed unity of uniquely Israelite identity. I then discuss how modern readers of the Book of Joshua might faithfully approach this text today with its ethical dilemma of divine and human violence that has been co-opted into the service of oppression. I conclude that in ritualizing the violence of the conquest, the redactors of Joshua portrayed warfare is an element of their worship in a time where Israel’s ability to enact these commands was doubtful. Thus, a more faithful reading of Joshua will attend to the way in which violence against the Other is subtly subverted throughout the text, and directed towards the kings of the land, rather than their people.
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Recommended Citation
Highfill, Ethan James, "Destruction as Devotion: Warfare as Worship and Liturgy in Joshua 1–8" (2026). Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses. 52.
https://scholarworks.harding.edu/hst-etd/52
