God at War: The Bible and Spiritual Conflict

Gregory A. Boyd

InterVarsity Press, Sep 12, 1997 - Religion - 414 pages

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.

What people are saying

NOW I get it!

User Review  - WillPower - Christianbook.com

Wow! After having been 'raised' on Calvinism my entire Christian life last summer I read 'Troubling Questions for Calvinists' and realized the errors of that system. I had always heard God ...

Excellent book

User Review  - Maui777 - Christianbook.com

Without being long winded, I feel the value of this book is to give insight into why evil is so rampant in a world where our Creator is all powerful. Boyd has given myself, and others that I have ...

Contents

• The Problem with the Problem of Evil: 31
• The Hostile Environment: 73
• Cosmic Warfare and the Preservation: 93
• Yahwehs Conflict with Angelic Beings: 114
• The Activity and Origin of Satan: 143
• The Warfare Worldview of the New Testament: 169
• The Warfare Theme of Jesus Exorcisms: 192
• Kingdom Conflict in: 215
• The Warfare Significance of Christs Death: 238
• The Christian Life as Spiritual Warfare: 269
• Notes: 294
• Selected Bibliography: 396
• AuthorSubject Index: 403
• Scripture Index: 409

About the author

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.

Bibliographic information

• Title: God at War: The Bible and Spiritual Conflict
• Author: Gregory A. Boyd
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press, 1997
• ISBN: 0830818855, 9780830818853
• Length: 414 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Theology / General