1. the life you save may be your own

2. A global crisis in religious identity: -Religion as an engine of violence ... - Strengthening us through hostility to the other - Creating outsiders to fear, shun, exclude - Inhibiting collaboration when we need it most

3. Religious hostility drives many moral people of peace from religious affiliation altogether.

4. We develop hostile identities through stories.

5. We develop hostile identities through stories. Through stories we can develop hospitable identities too.

6. We develop hostile identities through stories. Through stories we can develop hospitable identities too. HOW ?

7. Jacob and Esau ... You know the story ... or do you?

8. The danger of a single episode ... ... in a larger, deeper story.

9. 25:21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is to be this way, why do I live? So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.

10. If the story stopped here ... God predestines conflict and domination: insiders/outsider - selected/rejected - blessed/damned.

11. 24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. 26 Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esaus heel; so he was named Jacob.* Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

12. The stolen birthright ...

13. Isaac: Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed. 28 May God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mothers sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!

14. If the story stopped here ... God seems like a puppet controlled by blind human words ... subject to human deception. Blessing is exclusive ...

15. NOTE: The blessing in Genesis 12: I will bless you ... I will make you a great nation ... All nations will be blessed through you. Blessing is not exclusive, but instrumental. Not one to the exclusion of others, but one for the blessing of others.

16. 27:41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob. 42 But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, 44 and stay with him for a while, until your brothers fury turns away 45 until your brothers anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?

17. Jacobs journey ... departure and return, coming of age. Rachel and Leah (cheater gets cheated, not one without the other) Jacob and Laban (No mother around to pull strings....) Jacob ready to return home (a man now, facing final challenge)

18. 32:6 The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, 8 thinking, If Esau comes to one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape. 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good, 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11 Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. 12 Yet you have said, I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.

19. 13Sohespentthatnightthere,andfromwhathehadwithhim hetookapresentforhisbrotherEsau,14 twohundredfemale goatsandtwentymalegoats,twohundredewesandtwenty rams,15 thirtymilchcamelsandtheircolts,fortycowsandten bulls,twentyfemaledonkeysandtenmaledonkeys.16 Thesehe deliveredintothehandofhisservants,eachdrovebyitself, andsaidtohisservants,Passonaheadofme,andputaspace betweendroveanddrove.17 Heinstructedtheforemost,When Esaumybrothermeetsyou,andasksyou,Towhomdoyou belong?Whereareyougoing?Andwhosearetheseaheadof you?18 thenyoushallsay,TheybelongtoyourservantJacob; theyareapresentsenttomylordEsau;andmoreoverheis behindus.19 Helikewiseinstructedthesecondandthethird andallwhofollowedthedroves,Youshallsaythesamething toEsauwhenyoumeethim,20 andyoushallsay,Moreoveryour servantJacobisbehindus.Forhethought,Imayappease himwiththepresentthatgoesaheadofme,andafterwardsI shallseehisface;perhapshewillacceptme.21 Sothepresent passedonaheadofhim;andhehimselfspentthatnightinthe camp.

20. HowhasJacobchanged?

21. 32:22Thesamenighthegotupandtookhistwowives,histwo maids,andhiselevenchildren,andcrossedthefordoftheJabbok. 23 Hetookthemandsentthemacrossthestream,andlikewise everythingthathehad.24 Jacobwasleftalone;andamanwrestled withhimuntildaybreak.25 Whenthemansawthathedidnot prevailagainstJacob,hestruckhimonthehipsocket;andJacobs hipwasputoutofjointashewrestledwithhim.26 Thenhesaid,Let mego,forthedayisbreaking.ButJacobsaid,Iwillnotletyou go,unlessyoublessme.27 Sohesaidtohim,Whatisyourname? Andhesaid,Jacob.28 Thentheman* said,Youshallnolongerbe calledJacob,butIsrael,* foryouhavestrivenwithGodandwith humans,* andhaveprevailed.29 ThenJacobaskedhim,Pleasetell meyourname.Buthesaid,Whyisitthatyouaskmyname?And thereheblessedhim.30 SoJacobcalledtheplacePeniel,* saying, ForIhaveseenGodfacetoface,andyetmylifeispreserved. 31 ThesunroseuponhimashepassedPenuel,limpingbecauseof hiship.32 ThereforetothisdaytheIsraelitesdonoteatthethigh musclethatisonthehipsocket,becausehestruckJacobonthe hipsocketatthethighmuscle.

22. 33 NowJacoblookedupandsawEsaucoming,andfourhundred menwithhim.SohedividedthechildrenamongLeahand Rachelandthetwomaids.2 Heputthemaidswiththeir childreninfront,thenLeahwithherchildren,andRacheland Josephlastofall.3 Hehimselfwentonaheadofthem,bowing himselftothegroundseventimes,untilhecamenearhis brother. 4ButEsaurantomeethim,andembracedhim,andfellonhis neckandkissedhim,andtheywept.5 WhenEsaulookedup andsawthewomenandchildren,hesaid,Whoarethesewith you?Jacobsaid,ThechildrenwhomGodhasgraciouslygiven yourservant.6 Thenthemaidsdrewnear,theyandtheir children,andboweddown;7 Leahlikewiseandherchildren drewnearandboweddown;andfinallyJosephandRachel drewnear,andtheyboweddown.8 Esausaid,Whatdoyou meanbyallthiscompanythatImet?Jacobanswered,To findfavourwithmylord.9 ButEsausaid,Ihaveenough,my brother;keepwhatyouhaveforyourself.

23. Jacobsaid,No,please;ifIfind favourwithyou,thenacceptmy presentfrommyhand;fortrulyto seeyourfaceislikeseeingthefaceof Godsinceyouhavereceivedme withsuchfavour.11 Pleaseacceptmy giftthatisbroughttoyou,because Godhasdealtgraciouslywithme, andbecauseIhaveeverythingI want.Soheurgedhim,andhetook it.

24. WheredoyoufindGodrevealedin thisstory? OnlywhereGodisovertlynamed?

25. WheredoyoufindGodrevealedin thisstory? OnlywhereGodisovertlynamed? Orinthehumandevelopment andthehumanencounter?

26. WheredoyoufindGodrevealedin thisstory? OnlywhereGodisovertlynamed? Orinthehumandevelopment andthehumanencounter? Andinthekindnessofthedisfavored, theunchosen,theotherbrother?

27. Your salvation ... Your coming of age ... Your journey to maturity ... Your liberation from self- destruction ... ...is wrapped up with the other. When you show saving love to the other, the life you save may be your own.

28. There was a man who had two sons ... PS

29. There was a man who had two sons ... PS Adam: Cain and Abel Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael Isaac: Jacob and Esau ...

30. A global crisis in religious identity: -Religion as an engine of violence ... - Strengthening us through hostility to the other - Creating outsiders to fear, shun, exclude - Inhibiting collaboration when we need it most

31. We develop hostile identities through stories.

32. We develop hostile identities through stories. Through stories we can develop hospitable identities too.

33. Jacob and Esau ... Go tell good stories ... as agents of Gods peace.