Episode 125: Deconstructing Evil with Ingrid Faro

“Deconstructing Evil” is the title to a lecture delivered by Ingrid Faro at the Lanier Theological Library 20-22 January 2023. 

And, Dr. Faro had been at the library a year earlier on the panel during a lecture weekend featuring Dr. Michael Lloyd.  Links to those videos are in the show notes below.

Who is Ingrid Faro?

Ingrid Faro is a Visiting Professor of Old Testament in Northern Seminary in Lisle, IL.  Prior to that she was the Academic Dean of the School. 

In addition, she has a Masters in Nutrition and for a time taught courses in nutrition in college, but then she pursued a masters and PhD from Trinity Evangelical Theological Seminary. 

She entered those years of study after some deep, personal trauma in order to find answers to whether or not God was actually good. 

This study took her into the book of Genesis to consider the source and depth of evil. She was intent on deconstructing evil. 

To see Mark Lanier’s interview of Ingrid click here.

Deconstructing Evil

Dr. Faro wrote a book from her studies: Evil in Genesis: A Contextual Analysis of Hebrew Lexemes for Evil in the Book of Genesis (Lexham Press, 2021). 

It is a book that examines the various words and meanings for evil in the Scriptures with particular focus upon Genesis.

Through these studies, she is intent on understanding the language of evil, its source, and then deconstructing evil so that its power over humans is lessened.

What scholars say

Here is what Andrew T. Abernethy, associate professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College, says about her work:

Dr. Ingrid Faro offers us a treasure trove of insight into evil in Genesis!

Faro lays the essential groundwork for a biblical theology of good and evil and does not shy away from the ethical and theological implications of her study.

From insight into how evil correlates with perception and how prominent good and evil are across Genesis, I had many moments of illumination while reading this volume. Highly recommended!

The Stone Chapel Podcast

The Stone Chapel Podcast is a podcast of the friends and staff of the Lanier Theological Library in Houston, TX. 

And, you can find the podcast on all the major platforms: Apple, Spotify, Google, iHeartRadio, and others. 

So be sure to listen, SUBSCRIBE, and tell your friends.

To enjoy Michael Lloyd’s lecture click here.

To hear Ingrid Faro’s lecture click here.

To watch the panel discussion between Mark Lanier, Ingrid Faro, John Walton, Jonathan Walton, David Baggett, and Catherine McDowell click here.

For more Stone Chapel Podcasts, click here.