Is the ‘Old Testament God’ Evil?
J.P. Moreland
- Date: 3/24/2021
- Occasion: Vineyard Anaheim series on the book of Joshua and how we understand the story of God.
- Media Type: Streaming Video
- Audience: Beginner, Intermediate
- Kingdom Categories: Life of the Mind
Description:
We are all familiar with certain passages in the Old Testament, e.g., in Deuteronomy and Joshua, where God commands the armies of Israel to annihilate entire cities of men, women, children and animals. These passages (e.g., Joshua 6:21; Deuteronomy 2:22, 34) present believers with two problems:
- How could a loving God command such a horrible thing?
- Doesn't this provide evidence that the God of the Old and New Testament are different beings?
In this thirty-minute video, I tackle these issues and provide solutions towards them. I underscore the point that God did not hate nations of people; he hated idolatrous practices.
For more on this topic, see Paul Copan's book, Is God a Moral Monster?
Benefits:
- It unpacks controversial passages of scripture that suggest 'divine genocide'.
- It offers a biblical theological perspective on the meaning of God commanding the dispossessing of people from a place.
- It shows continuity between God revealed in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
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