God forbid… English literature students in Britain warn of violence and murder in the Bible, including the crucifixion of Christ.

After criticizing Homer, Shakespeare and Dickens, and the censored classic films, the students are also “messing” with… the word of God.

Surprisingly, the University of Sheffield echoes the criticism, and as the Daily Mail reports, warns of “sensitive content”, stating that the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John include scenes of “intense physical harm and sexual violence” as they recount the events leading up to Jesus’ death.

Christians and historians said the sensitive warnings were “wrong”, “absurd” and incompatible with discussions of morality.

One story relates to the story of Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. In the Book of Genesis, Cain, the first person born, kills his brother, Abel, who becomes the first person to die.

However, critics of the censorship point out that there is no mention in the Bible of Cain killing Abel – and could not explain the inclusion of “sexual violence” in the warnings at all.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Law Centre, said: “Applying sensitive content warnings to salvation narratives that have shaped our culture is not only wrong, it’s absurd. To single out the Bible in this way is biased and deeply wrong. To imply that the story of the crucifixion involves “sexual violence” is not just inaccurate, it is a profound misinterpretation of the text. The narrative of Jesus’ death is not a story of trauma, it is the ultimate expression of love, sacrifice and redemption, central to the Christian faith.”

The Most Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, former Anglican Bishop of Rochester who converted to Catholicism, said: “Knowledge of the Bible is essential if you study English literature.

“Students need to be exposed to what is unpleasant and scary so they can learn to deal with it.” The Bible is very restrained in the way it describes both the killing of Abel by Cain and the crucifixion, especially if you compare the accounts of the Evangelists with something like “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson.

Jeremy Black, author of A Brief History of History, pointed out: “Biblical and classical narratives contrast good and evil, in the world, in society, and within individuals. These struggles are elemental and fundamental… Students must be exposed to the power of the texts, their uncompromising character, and the violence of the passage to redemption. There is no need for sensitive content warnings when it comes to ethics.”

The University of Sheffield said: “A content note is a standard academic tool used to indicate when sensitive or figurative content is to be discussed. Its purpose is to ensure that issues can be highlighted and discussed openly and critically, while preparing students who may struggle with such details.’