"Where Is Abel Your Brother?" Levinas' Response to a Psychological Reading of the Story of Cain and Abel

Contemporary psychology interprets the story of Cain and Abel erroneously. They characterize God as a narcissistic abuser, a view that strongly destroys God’s right and just relation to human beings. They argue that God triggered Cain to kill his brother. In doing so, they hold God as accountable for Cain’s crime. Such an approach, beyond destroying the meaning and significance of scriptural accounts, entirely overlooks the fact of human experience in concrete reality. This article critically examines the psychological views particularly disclosed by Philip Culbertson and Rein Nauta to restore the original meaning of the text. It rationally evaluates their approach through displaying the danger of human blind passion supported by clear reason. It also illuminates Levinas’ reflection on God’s explorative inquiry that calls back and questions Cain’s own conscience that proves his accountability. As Cain denied the witness of his conscience, it also reveals the practical consequences of a curse that left him between physical existence and essential death.status: publishe