Though many people believe that humanity is doomed to be mired in violence, Kaufman argues that the Judeo-Christian offers a path toward peaceful, harmonious coexistence among humans and between humans and the rest of creation, including animals. The book first analyzes the sources of human violence and scapegoating and then compares insights from the social sciences (particularly the works of Ernest Becker and Rene Girard) to the biblical accounts. In pursuit of self-esteem, humans often find themselves in conflict with each other, which results in crises that threaten to tear communities...