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The Benefit of a Punitive God: The Story of Ananias and Sapphira
A. Jerry Bruce, Marsha J. Harman
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5313/2017.01.002
In this narrative, we explore the story of Ananias and Sapphira from the book of Acts in the Christian scriptures. We examine the story in the light of a recent book by Dominic Johnson (2016), God Is Watching You, and other related research. The idea of a punitive God and/or the belief in a punitive God may have significant effects on group functioning. The troubling story of Ananias and Sapphira may be seen as a central cog in the cooperative coming together of what became the Christian Church. In our modern world, a punitive God is an idea we seek to avoid but it may be the one that is essential for a peaceful cooperative world.
punitive God, cooperation, Early Church, psychology of religion