Back cover: What did biblical scholars, theologians, orientalists, philologists, and ancient historians of the 19th century consider "religion" and "history" to be? How did they understand these conceptual categories, and why did they study them in the manner they did? Analyzing the figures of Julius Wellhausen and Hermann Gunkel, Paul Michael Kurtz examines the historiography of ancient Israel in the German Empire through the prism of religion, as a structuring framework not only for writings on the past but also for the writers of that past themselves.
Did God condone genocide in the Old Testament? How do Christians harmonize the warrior God of Israel with the God of love incarnate in Jesus? Christians are often shocked to read that Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, commanded the total destruction--all men, women, and children--of the ethnic group known as the Canaanites. This seems to contradict Jesus' command in the New Testament to love your enemies and do good to all people. How can Yahweh be the same God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? What does genocide in the Bible have to do with the politics of the 21st century? Show Them No Mercy explores the Old Testament command of God to exterminate the Canaanite population and what that implies about continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The four views presented are: Strong Discontinuity – emphasizes the strong tension, regarding violence, between the two main texts of the Bible (C.S. Cowles) Moderate Discontinuity – provides a justification of God’s actions in the Old Testament with strong emphasis on exegesis (Eugene H. Merrill) Eschatological Continuity – a reading of the warfare narratives that ties them contextually to the book of Revelation and the Second Coming (Daniel L. Gard) Spiritual Continuity – incorporates the genocidal account into the full picture of the Old and New Testaments (Tremper Longman III) The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.
A new era has dawned on mankind. One of increased faith and spirituality, one that affects the physical world in which we live - a world in which believers have a significant role.No longer can we relegate our divine responsibility to mere "church going." It is time to take what we have been learning from the Word of God and translate it into practical, working principles. Our actions, our thoughts, and our words are all tools that either add to, or decrease the quality of our lives. Using these tools effectively seems to be a challenge for many; we have mastered the art of functioning in the "church world;" it is now time to adopt the rudiments for living effectively in the secular world.Dr. Edna Barnett, a native of Jamaica, W.I, convinced that believers are to be positive influence in the world, commits to being an ambassador for Christ - a living representative of Him in the earth. Through her strong pursuit for God's wholesomeness in her life, she is immersed with a passion to consistently dispense the liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is Founder and President of Ambassador for Christ Ministry and Possibility Seminars - a ministry where the goal is to challenge believers to "demonstrate their faith by their works." In her Professional and Spiritual Development Seminars, Dr. Barnett combines spiritual and business principles into practical applications to illustrate the importance of applying FAITH to day-to-day living.A diverse speaker and defender of The Faith, Dr. Barnett ministers at churches, conferences, conventions, seminars and women's retreats. Edna and her husband Godfrey have been married for over 40 years, and reside in Westchester County, New York. Together they have four children; Michael, Gregory, Paul and Camille, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and two delightful grandsons."
Practical, scriptural discussions of tough topics such as polygamy, genocide, and the role of women in the Old Testament The God of the Old Testament can seem very foreign to Christians. His actions appear to starkly contrast with the God of grace in the New Testament and with modern notions of justice and propriety. In this short volume, Old Testament scholar Walter Kaiser devotes each chapter to a different difficult subject, including creation, the wrath of God, the genocide of the Canaanites, God's knowledge of the future, polygamy, Satan, the view of women, and application of the Old Testament law. He addresses each topic in a practical, accessible tone, with pastoral insight and humor, consistently focusing on the Scriptures. The reader will find that there are not two different gods in the Bible and that the Old Testament is not an antique artifact that should now be jettisoned from Christianity. The Old Testament and the God it depicts is One with the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. His actions, when properly understood, are not at variance with the New Testament; rather, a view of the beautiful unity in the Bible as a whole will strengthen the church's faith and aid in Christian witness and apologetics.
A trusted Bible teacher explores 18 key teaching passages that address relevant ethical questions of our day, helping preachers and teachers train congregants to think biblically and ethically.
Perhaps no biblical episode is more troubling than the conquest of Canaan. But do the so-called holy war texts of the Old Testament portray a divinely inspired genocide? John Walton and J. Harvey Walton take us on an archaeological dig, reframing our questions and excavating the layers of translation and interpretation that cloud our perception of these difficult texts.
Exploring the difficulty in determining the true nature, method, scope, and motivation for Old Testament theology, this book proposes the promise of God as the center of Old Testament theology and applies the solution to each of its eras.
