The Curse of Cain : The Violent Legacy of Monotheism

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Summary: Helpful Summary of Monotheistic Violence.
Review: This book is a useful introduction to the idea that Western religious identites are formed through exclusionary violence. As such, it is an important book that could be a great resource for adult education in churches and synagogues. However, Schwartz does not really say anything that hasn't been said before, or rather she doesn't engage with a slew of writers who have made similar associations between identity and violence (Adorno being the most uncompromising example). For a more satisfying look at how the critique of identity looks when applied to biblical criticism, see Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza's _But SHE Said._ Still, Schwartz's accessible prose opens these challenging questions to a wider readership than has previously been attempted.

Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: This is a truly brilliant book.

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Summary: Very important discourse
Review: While frequently very western in scope and perspective, this book offers a unique view of the formation of identity within the framework of competition that has been the calling card of monotheism since the beginning of recorded history. She quotes the bible and related texts familiarly and, without apology, draws attention to the paradigms that are built and followed throughout. The writing is flawless and edgy, very flowing and logically directed, and, if anything, she is too kind to her subject, willing to accept the undeniability of certain facts, even outside the influence of monotheism (important since identity seems to be a secular goal as well, a national goal...) Maybe some readers would be more content to have her draw more solid lines between competitive identification (deFacto creation of an "Other" within a closed system) and violence, but I found that the connections were readily available, especially to anyone familiar with contemporary church teachings. Her discussions of Ownership and Land are the most unsettling and satisfying, while the attention paid to homosexuality (and the innately un-biologically sponsored disgust of manufactured by monotheists) is thin and frustratingly incomplete. But that is not a flaw. This is a large subject, one not lending itself to easy interpretation. Most exciting, I think, is the evidence supporting her claim that Monotheism is a philosophy of scarcity,not just regulated inclusion. There are powerful images there, especially when seen alongside the newly revived evangelism of many protestant religions. You realize in the face of that movement, it is bound to fail because it is not built to succeed. Their God is not meant to be a God patronized by everyone, however, he is meant to be a God superior to everyone. This is necessarily a violent dynamic, if even ideologically. A very insightful book, even handed and reasonable. In a larger format, it would have been fascinating to see more pieces drawn from other monotheistic religions...