God at War: The Bible and Spiritual Conflict

by Gregory A. Boyd

Publisher:

IVP

, 2014

In this bold and compelling work, Gregory Boyd undertakes to reframe the central issues of Christian theodicy. By Boyd's estimate, theologians still draw too heavily on Augustine's response to the problem of evil, attributing pain and suffering to the mysterious "good" purposes of God. Accordingly, modern Christians are inclined not to expect evil and so are baffled but resigned when it occurs. New Testament writers, on the other hand, were inclined to expect evil and fight against it. Modern Christians attempt to intellectually understand evil, whereas New Testament writers grappled with overcoming evil. Through a close and sophisticated reading of both Old and New Testaments, Boyd argues that Satan has been in an age-long (but not eternal) battle against God, and that this conflict "is a major dimension of the ultimate canvas against which everything within the biblical narrative, from creation to the eschaton, is to be painted and therefore understood." No less edifying than it is provocative, God at War will reward the careful attention of scholars, pastors, students and educated laypersons alike.

Contents

Introduction: The Normativity of Evil Within a Warfare Worldview

Part I: The Warfare Worldview of the Old Testament
1. Hearing Zosia: The Problem with the Problem of Evil
2. Locking Up the Raging Sea: The Hostile Environment of the Earth
3. Slaying Leviathan: Cosmic Warfare and the Preservation and Restoration of Creation
4. Judging "the Gods": Yahweh's Conflict with Angelic Beings in the Old Testament
5 Rebuking the Adversary: The Activity and Origin of Satan in the Old Testament

Part II: The Warfare Worldview of the New Testament
6. Tying up the Strong Man: The Kingdom of God as a Warfare Concept
7. War of the Worlds: The Warfare Theme of Jesus' Exorcisms and Miracles
8. Storming the Gates of Hell: Kingdom Conflict in the Teachings of Jesus
9. Christus Victor: The Warfare Significance of Christ's Death and Resurrection
10. Engaging the Powers: The Christian Life as Spiritual Warfare

Notes

Index

Bibliography

Product Details

• Title : God at War: The Bible Spiritual Conflict
• Author: Boyd, Gregory A.
• Publisher: IVP Books
• Publication Date: 2014
• ISBN: 9780830898305

About Gregory A. Boyd

Gregory A. Boyd (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary) is a pastor at Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Previously, he was a professor of theology at Bethel University, also in St. Paul. His books include Recovering the Real Jesus in an Age of Revisionist Replies, Letters from a Skeptic, God of the Possible, Repenting of Religion, Seeing is Believing, Escaping the Matrix, The Jesus Legend, Myth of a Christian Nation, Is God to Blame, God at War and Satan and the Problem of Evil.