S2E13: The Bible and Moral Injury with Dr. Brad Kelle

Listen in on a discussion of moral injury, how it shows up in the Bible, & how we might read accounts war and violence in antiquity. Jeff interviews guest Dr. Brad E. Kelle is professor of Old Testament & Hebrew at Point Loma Nazarene University. His academic work focuses on the OT prophets, warfare in ancient Israel, trauma studies, moral injury, and the history of ancient Israel and Judah. He is author of The Bible and Moral Injury: Reading Scripture alongside War's Unseen Wounds (Abingdon, 2020). And came out with an edited book this Sunday entitled Moral Injury: A Guidebook for Understanding and Engagement (Lexington, 2020). We discuss forgiveness, healing, and repair and how the concept of moral injury can help us better understand the potential emotional damage that abusive religion can cause for individuals and communities.

Dr. Brad Kelle

We also end with a bonus discussion (minute 48:00ff) wherein we shift to questions about professional life in biblical studies and related fields. Don’t miss that part if you are thinking of going to grad school in biblical studies or theology.

We mention

Our mutual friend, the late Frank Ames

Jonathan Shay on moral injury and Homer

Volunteers of America Center for Moral Injury

Soul Repair at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University

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Warnings

CW: Brief mention of suicide, combat trauma and abuse in churches

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Credits

The opening piano is by Aidan mallinson, mixed up and produced by Jeff.

The song “Jamming” at the break is courtesy of Jeff’s former student Jonathan Geidel.