“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This phrase is familiar to most Christians, but is that really what the Bible says?

In a lecture titled “Reclaiming the Savage Side of God,” Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion Jim Metzger explained there is more to it than that. He urged listeners to take a closer look at the Bible’s portrayals of God.

Metzger explained that alongside biblical descriptions of a loving and nurturing God lie portrayals of God’s wrath, cruelty and injustice.

“I’m not making metaphysical claims,” said Metzger. “Rather, I’m saying that negative images of God are prevalent and should be included in theological discourse.”

Metzger began the lecture by providing his audience with numerous Bible passages which depict God as wrathful and unjust.

“God’s world is characterized by violence, thievery and suffering — is filled with demons,” Metzger said. “Happiness is the rarest of commodities, and humans’ well-being is the least of God’s concerns.”

Savage portrayals of God are present in both the Old and New Testaments. They describe God killing, assaulting and annihilating humans.

“Ascribing justice, as we normally conceive of it, to God is a mistake,” said Metzger. “God is all-powerful and omniscient but not just.”

Metzger noted that many Biblical descriptions of God’s actions are contrary to those we would expect from a God who “loves” us.

“We are not the apple of God’s eye,” said Metzger. “We’re just another creation. God’s world was not designed specifically for us or with our well-being in mind, and God has no intention of amending it.”

Metzger explained the benefits of recognizing unflattering biblical portrayals of God.

First, these images should account for life in a world that is just as often experienced as antagonist as it is friend. Maintaining an understanding of God as gracious in times of suffering is difficult, but recognizing that there is a savage side to God’s character releases that pressure.

“Our visions of God come from very real experiences,” said Metzger. “God may be one we have to learn how to love, if such love can be mustered at all.”

A second benefit to recognizing unflattering portrayals of God is that these portrayals cohere better with recent discoveries made by evolutionary biologists.

“The ideal image of God evaporates upon the examination of nature,” said Metzger. “Nature is driven by chance and strength, and the world is teeming with parasites.”

Metzger further explained that the popular portrayal of God as just, holy and merciful is anthropocentric and does not mesh well with other scientific narratives.

“There has been a theological shift away from geocentrism,” said Metzger. “We no longer believe that our planet is the center of the universe.”

As society continues its attempt to reconcile evolutionist and creationist explanations of human existence, Metzger recognizes the role that perceptions of God play in the battle.

“The issue here is one of plausibility,” Metzger said. “Can our views [of God as loving, just and merciful] be sustained in light of the emerging views of the sciences? I don’t believe they can.”

Metzger will further assert his opinions on the savage side of God in a paper he is writing on the subject. In the paper, he hopes to reclaim the unflattering side of God for theological discourse.

“[The paper] will call the biblical studies discipline to task,” he said. “Why assume a traditional vision of God when evidence of another description exists?”

Metzger’s lecture was one of six in this year’s Religion Forum series. Coordinated by Gereon Kopf and Wanda Deifelt, associate professors of religion, the series gives students exposure to deeper biblical and theological topics. Speakers include professors in many departments at Luther, as well as visitors from other colleges.

The next lecture in the series will be presented April 30 by University of Iowa Professor Morten Schluetter. The title of the lecture is “Lay People in Zen Buddhism as seen through the Platform Sutra.”