Grant Shafer
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Grant Raymond Shafer | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 13, 1951[1] Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Biblical scholar, educator |
| Known for | Biblical ethics, Jewish resistance, nonviolence |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan, Harvard Divinity School |
| Thesis | St. Stephen and the Samaritans: An evaluation of and a contribution to the samaritanology of the New Testament (especially Acts 7:2-53) (1995) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | University of Michigan; Eastern Michigan University; Henry Ford College; Jackson Community College; Siena Heights University; Washtenaw Community College |
| Notable ideas | evolutionary model of religious ethics; samaritanology |
Grant Raymond Shafer (born April 13, 1951)[2] is an American biblical scholar and Judaic historian. His research focuses on the use of violence and force in biblical texts—particularly how Scripture addresses the prevention of wrongdoing through warfare, law enforcement, and resistance. Shafer has taught religious studies and philosophy at multiple institutions and frequently publishes public reflections on theology, nonviolence, and social ethics. Shafer’s core intellectual contribution is his articulation of an evolutionary model of religious ethics, particularly focused on the transformation from retributive justice and sanctioned violence to principled nonviolence within religious traditions.
Early life and education
[edit]Shafer was born in Detroit, Michigan. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and earned a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Harvard Divinity School. He later received a Ph.D. in biblical studies, concentrating on ancient Jewish history and theology, from the University of Michigan.
Academic career
[edit]hafer maintains an active presence online, publishing analyses of Jewish–Roman history, biblical ethics, and nonviolent theology, especially on platforms such as LinkedIn and Academia.edu. Shafer has held teaching positions at University of Michigan, Siena Heights University, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College, Henry Ford College, and Jackson Community College (now Jackson College), and he has taught religion, philosophy, and Judaic studies at various colleges, including Jackson College in Michigan. S. [3]
Research focus
[edit]Shafer's scholarship examines how biblical texts engage with violence and force—particularly in contexts of preventing wrongdoing or preserving covenantal identity.
Old Testament perspectives
[edit]Shafer emphasizes passages where violence is depicted as divine justice or legal imperative within the Mosaic covenant.[4]
- He highlights capital punishment laws such as those in Deuteronomy 17:6–7 as emblematic of a covenantal framework mandating communal enforcement of divine statutes.[4]
- He points to the conquest narratives in Joshua 6–12—often termed "holy war"—as textual evidence of divinely sanctioned military action aimed at establishing and safeguarding Israel’s covenant identity.[4]
- He also underscores regulations for self-defense and retributive justice in Exodus 21 as structured mechanisms for maintaining social order.[4]
Shafer argues that, together, these texts reflect ancient Israel’s social and theological rationale for communal protection and the enforcement of justice.[4]
New Testament and emerging nonviolence
[edit]Shafer contrasts the Old Testament’s permission for divinely sanctioned violence with the New Testament’s emphasis on ethical non-retaliation and compassionate engagement.[4]
- He identifies Matthew 5:38–48—Jesus’ injunction to “turn the other cheek”—as a pivotal moment reshaping traditional retributive justice into a model of nonviolence.[4]
- Shafer also interprets Romans 13:1–4 as redefining the concept of “the sword,” presenting it as a tool of civil authority rather than individual action.[4]
He contends that this progression in New Testament thought—from Old Testament violence to New Testament ethics—signals a deliberate theological shift toward mercy, forgiveness, and restorative justice within early Christian communities.[4]
Jewish resistance and biblical justification
[edit]In “Jewish Wars and Rome,” Shafer examines how Jewish revolts during the Second Temple period were justified via biblical themes of justice and covenant loyalty.[4] He highlights the tension between visions of peace (e.g., Isaiah 2:4) and historic calls to defend sacred identity.
Collaborations
[edit]Shafer has co-authored several works with theologian-psychologist Harold Ellens, focusing on the intersection of violence, religion, and psychology.
Personal life
[edit]Shafer has one daughter.
Publications
[edit]Grant Shafer’s published work primarily consists of essays on biblical ethics, Jewish history, and nonviolence.
Books
[edit]- Shafer, Grant R. (2004). "Hell, martyrdom, and war: violence in early Christianity". The destructive power of religion ; Vol 3: Models and cases of violence in religion. Praeger. pp. 193–246.
- Shafer, Grant R., ed. (29 May 2023). Probing Parapsychology: Essays on a Controversial Science. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 9781476680385. LCCN 2023004082. - The volume features prominent scholars—including Stanley Krippner, Dean Radin, V.G. Miller, Ralph W. Hood Jr., and James G. Matlock.” [5]
Selected works by Grant R. Shafer
[edit]- Shafer, Grant R. “Jewish Wars and Rome.” December 17, 2014. LinkedIn Pulse essay. Accessed 16 June 2025.[6]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Dating the Cleansing of the Temple." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[7]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Conversion in Buddhism." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[8]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Creation in Buddhism." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[9]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Sin and Atonement in Buddhism." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[10]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Muriel, Akiba, and God." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[11]
- Shafer, Grant R. "The Mahdi in the History of Religions." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[12]
- Shafer, Grant R. "Jews v. Romans." Academia.edu, Download PDF. Accessed 16 June 2025.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Birthdate noted in preface to most recently-published book
- ^ Birthdate noted in preface to most recently-published book
- ^ "Probing Parapsychology". McFarland. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shafer, Grant R. "Jewish Wars and Rome". LinkedIn Pulse. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Table of contents: Probing Parapsychology". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Jewish Wars and Rome". LinkedIn Pulse. LinkedIn. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Dating the Cleansing of the Temple" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Conversion in Buddhism" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Creation in Buddhism" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Sin and Atonement in Buddhism" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Muriel, Akiba, and God" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "The Mahdi in the History of Religions" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Shafer, Grant R. "Jews v. Romans" (PDF). Academia.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- Living people
- 1951 births
- American biblical scholars
- University of Michigan alumni
- Harvard Divinity School alumni
- Judaic scholars
- Historians of religion by nationality
- New Testament scholars
- Old Testament scholars
- Religious ethics
- Nonviolence advocates
- People from Detroit
- 21st-century American male writers
- Start-Class United States articles