Circumcision as Covenant! Why Mutilate Genitals? E23

In this episode, we read Genesis 17 and confront the bizarre covenant of circumcision. Why would God demand the mutilation of genitals as a holy sign? We unpack the morality of marking children and slaves, explore circumcision as divine branding, and question how this covenant shaped Jewish and Christian history. Along the way, we discuss Sarah as a kingmaker, the role of elites in biblical history, and whether Eden was a Marxist Utopia.

00:00 – Introduction & fun moments
04:46 – Reading Genesis 17:1–14 (Abraham and the covenant of circumcision)
07:41 – Discussion: Circumcision — something doesn’t settle well
20:23 – Entering the “Jewish century” through anti-nationalism & what this means for Christianity
23:11 – Abraham is told to circumcise slaves — Are Americans slaves?
32:40 – Circumcision is barbaric — castration as God’s brand mark
38:17 – Reading Genesis 17:15–27 (Isaac’s birth promised)
40:24 – Discussion: Why is Jewish history usually about the elites?
47:53 – Sarah becomes the kingmaker — a terrible woman would make terrible kings
51:12 – Was Eden a perfect world or a Marxist utopia?

Available on:
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kQIlWjkWpjkNgs95zZ16k
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-silent-oak/id1817722549