Ethical responsibility in the face of violence

a narrative and phenomenological-hermeneutical study of Genesis 4,1-16

Abstract

The biblical narrative of Cain and Abel has been the subject of multiple exegetical and philosophical approaches. Traditionally, most scholars have focused on the historical character of the narrative, understanding it as an etiological account that explains the origins of violence and guilt in human experience, in addition to highlighting the different ways of life represented in the social configuration of ancient Israel. In recent years, however, there has been an increase in ethical and phenomenological interpretations of the Bible, especially from the hermeneutical works of Paul Ricoeur, emphasizing symbolic and metaphorical elements in the text and their existential reverberations. This article aims to undertake a synchronous and attentive reading of the narrative of Cain and Abel, integrating narrative criticism with ethical phenomenology. The central focus of the analysis was on the theme of face, ethical responsibility, and otherness, considering the writings of Emmanuel Lévinas. The methodology adopted was twofold: initially, a critical narrative reading that examines the literary devices and the internal construction of the text; then, a phenomenological and ethical reading based on Lévinas’ concepts. In the meantime, the narrative of Genesis 4:1-16 addresses violence and ethical responsibility through Cain’s fratricide against Abel. Cain’s melted or disfigured face reflects his anger and inability to recognize the other, culminating in aggression and indifference to Abel’s absent face. Finally, the phenomenological-hermeneutic analysis highlights the ethical implications of this denial of otherness.