Identify Books Supposing Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

ISBN:	0801072751 (ISBN13: 9780801072758)
Edition Language:	English

Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God Paperback | Pages: 252 pages

Describe Containing Books Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

Title	:	Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God
Author	:	Paul Copan
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Special Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 252 pages
Published	:	December 2010 by Baker Books
Categories	:	Religion. Theology. Christian. Christianity. Nonfiction. Old Testament. Philosophy

Rendition As Books Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

A recent string of popular-level books written by the New Atheists have leveled the accusation that the God of the Old Testament is nothing but a bully, a murderer, and a cosmic child abuser. This viewpoint is even making inroads into the church. How are Christians to respond to such accusations? And how are we to reconcile the seemingly disconnected natures of God portrayed in the two testaments?

In this timely and readable book, apologist Paul Copan takes on some of the most vexing accusations of our time, including:


God is arrogant and jealous
God punishes people too harshly
God is guilty of ethnic cleansing
God oppresses women
God endorses slavery
Christianity causes violence
and more


Copan not only answers God's critics, he also shows how to read both the Old and New Testaments faithfully, seeing an unchanging, righteous, and loving God in both.

Rating Containing Books Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

Ratings: 4.03 From 1748 Users | 196 Reviews

Judgment Containing Books Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

Copan tackles one of the most difficult issues for any Christian: what is a Christian to do with the many passages in the Old Testament that make God appear a cosmic tyrant (or a "moral monster" as per the title of the book)? He does an admiral job. Perhaps the best thing about this book is that any Christian who wants answers to such questions could pick it up, read it and understand. It is not for teachers/pastors/theologians only. On the other hand, this book's greatest strength may also be

Generally well done. Copan is philosophically sharp, historically knowledgeable, and exegetically skilled. I find his general approach quite helpful, especially w/respect to the conquest. To be fair, his use of the New Atheists as foils is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel since such folk are usually beyond incompetent theologically and biblically, but those are the arguments and perspectives that are out there. Copan is at least good about making sure he is always responding to real

His argument is that God, in giving the Old Testament, was seeking to incrementally move humanity in a better direction. He argues that what is found in the Old Testament is much better than the surrounding contemporary societies and that it was intended to be temporary, as one stage of development leading to a greater good. I think Copan convincingly argues the "annihilation" commands in the Bible were actually intentionally hyperbolic in their expressions (this is seen in ANE literature and

Overall I liked this book. Recently I had some questions put to me about the massacres, slavery, and polygamy in the Old Testament. And while I had some answers I thought I should read up on it a bit to get some more clarity. This book covered a large number of topics including the ones I was looking for.Here are some of the interesting points I took from this book...Massacres:- Instances where God gave instructions to the Israelites to "kill everything that breathed" including (sometimes

This is a necessary read for every Christian. To adequately defend the attacks from the atheists, or those of other religions against the seemingly harsh nature of God and his laws in the OT, this book will help you to put together a solid defense. Its a bit slow going at times because the author defends subject matter from various angles so we can get a grasp of the likely explanations for all of the supposed child abuse, weird food restrictions and clothing restrictions, wars, massacres,

Is God a Moral Monster? is one of the best theological books I have read. Paul Copan takes on Neo-Atheists' claims of a petty, malicious Old Testament God. Copan takes the time to explain many of the Old Testament's seemingly inexplicable and tedious laws. He delves into God requesting the sacrifice of Isaac, and all of the dietary laws that perplex us modern-day readers.Copan doesn't shy away from any topic. He counters claims of barbarism, misogyny, slavery, and divinely prescribed genocide.

Check out the extensive work of Greg Boyd in "Crucifixion of the Warrior God" if you haven't already. He brilliantly lays out a hermeneutic approach