The importance of social memory in biblical texts

The article deals with the phenomenon of «social memory» through the prism of biblical texts, which is updated by the processes of identification experienced by modern humans and peoples of the world. In the light of recent commentaries on the Bible, the author focuses on the problems of forming the social memory of the nation. Analyzing the biblical texts in detail, including the book of the prophet Jonah and the passage from the book of the prophet Amos 2: 13, which describe well-known pages of Jewish history, the author argues for the need to heal collective memory, to free it from its own or imposed stereotypes and myths, fears and inconsistencies. The story with Jonah, so well known for its traditional storyline, is taking on a Українське релігієзнавство No 90 36 new light, given the process of forming collective memory. The book contains several important messages for the modern person, including the idea of the false sense of the superiority of one people over another, the ability to accept a new reality and build the future based on it, the understanding that not always a mission, defined by a person for themselves, can correspond to God's highest intentions, and about the balance of God's righteousness and mercy toward sinners. An organic continuation of the thoughts of what the collective memory of the people should preserve is the analysis of the text of the prophet Amos, which refers to the condemnation of those who destroy the memory of another people, as well as the responsibility for the consequences that the aggressor would expect for such actions. On the basis of a careful reading of the biblical texts, we can conclude that the Bible has a special role in finding adequate answers to the challenges of today that are associated with the injuries and wounds resulting from conflicts and wars. The social memory of the people should not be burdened with hatred, bitterness, and desire for revenge. A person must be healed of these sins and freed from negative memories. If Jonah's book seeks to heal this memory, then the book of the prophet Amos emphasizes that God can also punish for forgetting a covenant with God, for not obeying His commandments, which negatively affects the social memory of the people. The result of the analysis is a call to revive the social memory of Ukrainians through its healing. Understanding the complexity of the process, the author talks about specific steps that will help to overcome the current crisis of collective memory.