The Beginning of Religious Violence—and of Restorative Justice and Forgiveness 

The Beginning of Religious Violence—and of Restorative Justice and Forgiveness 

In many Christian families, the hour before going to church is often the most unholy of the week. Getting ourselves, our kids, and our spouses ready, and into the car, rarely reveals our best.   

The first worship service in human history, however, was the worst. 

As the book of Genesis narrates the story (4:3-8), Cain brings “some” of the harvest to honor God. His younger brother, Abel, brings the best part of the “firstborn” of his flock to the altar. God favors Abel. Cain gets angry. God warns Cain. Cain murders Abel.  

How is it that the “first recorded act of worship lead[s] to the first murder,”1 the first act of religious violence? 

Externally, the offerings seem similar. Internally, Cain’s face and anger tell a different story. It is the same story that God will later share through the prophet Jeremiah—that the “heart is deceitful beyond all measure.”  (Jeremiah 17:9) It is this sin of pride that causes the second sin of murder. It is Cain’s will that will be done on earth, with no regard for heaven.  

What we tend to forget, however, is that—like a parent on the way to church, warning kids who have already been bad that morning to be good in church—God reasons with His Image-bearer before Cain chooses to sin again.  “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) 

Unable to exercise responsibly the freedom inherent to the Image he bears, Cain intentionally rejects the advice of God, and he kills his brother. God responds by naming the truth: “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (4:10) Death is the only appropriate response to the murder of someone made in the image of God (as God later tells Noah, Genesis 9: 5-6). 

But that is not the choice that God makes. Yes, the crime must be named, and there must be a consequence for it. God curses Cain, forcing him to flee east. 

But in response to Cain’s ironic reasoning that the curse is too much to bear because others will seek to kill him, God gives Cain a mark, assuring seven times the vengeance to anyone who would harm Cain (4:6-10). With this deterrence, Cain “leaves God’s presence but not God’s protection.”2 

And so, with truth there is mercy, and with justice there is peace.3  

God keeps His word, and protects Cain, who goes on to father his own line, which will build cities and cultures (acts that also points to God’s grace). Within five generations, though, Cain’s descendants have forgotten how to talk with God, but not His promise of protection; sinning, perhaps more so, without remorse.  

Lamech, the great-great-great grandson of Cain, not only introduces polygamy, but he brags of killing at least one person to his two wives. Leaning on his own understanding—and with no fear of God for his sin—Lamech does not reason with God but usurps Him by speaking for Him: “If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times” (4:24). 

At this point, the author of Genesis immediately returns the reader to Eve, juxtaposing her with Lamech. The beginning of motherhood testifies: “God has granted me another child [Seth] in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” (4:25)  

God’s long-term response to the beginning of religious violence is the beginning of restorative justice. A new line begins to restore what might have happened through Abel. Seth’s line will call upon the Lord (4:26) and his descendant Noah will be use by God to begin creation anew.  

In this season of gratitude, we, who are all Cain, should be grateful for a God of second chances, a God of restorative justice, and, above all else, a God Who provides the freedom of conscience to choose between right and wrong.  

And we, who are also all Lamech, should be grateful for the command of Christ—who does speak for God, and Who forgave from the cross when no one asked—to forgive each other “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).  

Be grateful that we can speak with God, and that He will reply…if we but listen.

About the Author

Chris Seiple, Ph.D., is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience in creating and implementing strategies among diverse government and non-government stakeholders that build social cohesion through inclusion. He leads The Sagestone Group, consulting for clients such as the Templeton Religion Trust, where he helped develop and implement the “Covenantal Pluralism Initiative.”

Dr. Seiple’s extensive career includes co-chairing the U.S. Secretary of State’s “Religion and Foreign Policy” working group, chairing the research committee in support of, and advising on, the U.S. government’s first-ever summit on strategic religious engagement (at USAID), and serving as a U.S. Marine infantry officer. He has chaired the World Economic Forum’s Council on Faith, and he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Religious Advisory Committee. A prolific author, Dr. Seiple’s works include The U.S. Military/NGO Relationship in Humanitarian Interventions and he has co-edited the Routledge Handbooks on Religion & Security, as well as Religious Literacy, Pluralism & Global Engagement.