The Bible describes Abraham as a native of the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia - modern-day south Iraq - who is called on by God to journey into the Levant where he would establish a new nation.

Canadian scholar John Van Seters argued in his 1975 book Abraham in History and Tradition the Biblical patriarchs were Iron Age creations, based on the content, names and messages of their stories.

It is incomprehensible. And yet, this story is foundational to the Christian tradition. This is part of our faith. God intervened, of course. Abraham was not actually forced to kill his own child.