In "The Trial of Abraham and Abraham's Choice," A. Eric Rosen explores the biblical story in Genesis dealing with Abraham's casting off of his son Ishmael and his offered sacrifice of Isaac.  The author portrays the pain of children who lose a parent to war, and he links such deaths to Abraham's willingness to kill his only son by blind obedience to divine command.  The author imagines a trial where Abraham is convicted of attempted murder, child abandonment, and obeying an unlawful order given by God.  God appears at the end but never answers why he issued such a command.