Abraham’s Curse: The Roots of Violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

About this event

Bruce Chilton (Bard College) discusses his book Abraham’s Curse, which traces how the story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 has shaped traditions of martyrdom and religious violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He looks at how a single sacred narrative has been read and reread across the three Abrahamic faiths, and what that legacy means for religion in public life today. Chilton has taught at Bard College since 1987. He holds a PhD from Cambridge University and is an ordained Episcopal priest. His many books include Rabbi Jesus: An Intimate Biography and Rabbi Paul: An Intellectual Biography. Part of the Kennedy Center's fall 2026 lecture series, "Religion, Identity, and Public Life."