Confronting Old Testament Controversies: Pressing Questions about Evolution, Sexuality, History, and Violence

by Tremper Longman III

Publisher:

Baker

, 2019

Overview

The Old Testament is rife with controversial passages and events that raise questions about its continued significance for today. Often our solutions have tended toward the extremes—ignore problem passages and pretend they don’t matter or obsess over them and treat them as though they are the only thing that matters. Now Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman confronts pressing questions of concern to modern audiences, particularly young people in the church:

• the creation/evolution debate
• human sexuality
• the historicity of people, places, and events
• God-ordained violence

Pastors, leaders in the church, and thoughtful and troubled Christians in the pews will find here a well-reasoned and faithful approach to dealing with the Old Testament passages so many find challenging or disconcerting.

Key Features

• Helps Christians appreciate the continuing relevance of the Old Testament in the light of current controversies over its teaching
• Examines nontraditional interpretations of the text
• Addresses issues of creation, sexuality, and violence

Contents

• Creation and Evolution: Are the Bible and Science in Conflict?
• History: Did the Exodus and Conquest Happen, and Does It Matter?
• Divine Violence: Does God Kill?
• Sexuality: Is Homosexual Practice Affirmed?

Top Highlights

“However, we have a choice when we can’t have all our questions answered: reject God or at least try to remake him in the image of our own preferences, or bow before the mystery of God’s ways.” (Page 204)

“But my unease does not lead me to disown the Old Testament and its pervasive and consistent testimony of God’s judgments. Nor does it lead me to disown the picture in the book of Revelation of God’s future judgment. In the final analysis, like Job in the face of his own suffering, we have to bow in silence before the wisdom and power of the Creator, who gives life and takes it away. Job never learns why he suffered, and if he did, the answer probably would not have comforted him. God’s response to Job’s questions and his accusation that God was unjust was not to answer him but to assert his wisdom and power.” (Pages 203–204)

“What is Jesus saying to John? His later actions indicate that he is in essence saying, ‘John, I am the divine warrior. But I have heightened and intensified the war so that it is now directed not toward flesh and blood but toward the spiritual powers and authorities. This enemy will be defeated not by killing but by dying.’” (Page 191)

“The biblical picture is coherent as we move from Genesis to Revelation and follow God’s fight against evil, human and spiritual, that starts at the beginning of Genesis and ends only with Jesus’s second coming.” (Page 161)

“ I wanted to help provide the resources that would benefit people like me who wanted to learn more about the Bible” (Page xiv)

Praise for the Print Edition

In this book Tremper Longman III is courageous, clear, charitable, and confessional. He is courageous in tackling subjects that arouse intense controversy as well as baffled distress. Any time I teach the Old Testament, someone will raise one or another of these issues. He writes with pleasurable clarity, making his deep scholarship available with lightness and warmth. His disagreements with other scholars, including evangelical friends, are expressed with respect and without vitriol. Above all he writes out of clear evangelical conviction on the inspiration, trustworthiness, and moral authority of the canon of Scripture. This book will be a blessing and resource for those wrestling with these contentious issues in honesty and faith.

—Christopher J. H. Wright, Langham Partnership; author of Old Testament Ethics for the People of God and The God I Don’t Understand

With courage and candor, Tremper Longman III confronts controversial issues challenging the contemporary church. In an irenic spirit he documents opposing viewpoints regarding evolution, the credibility of biblical history, God as warrior, and homosexuality. Holding to a high view of inspiration and to the plain sense of Scripture—albeit with other orthodox theologians he regards the earlier chapters of Genesis as intentionally figurative—he defends convincingly the church’s traditional stance regarding these issues; for example, homosexuality is as sinful as greed. Here is a book that orthodox clergy and an intelligent laity have been looking for.

—Bruce Waltke, Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies, Regent College; Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Knox Theological Seminary

Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread, but Tremper Longman is no fool. This book covers ground on which people can make fools of themselves, but he has been thinking for decades about the questions he discusses here. He has stayed abreast of changing views among evangelicals and knows how to keep reflecting on issues without giving up ground when he knows one needs to stand firm. If you want not-too-conservative and not-too-liberal answers to the questions he raises, you will find them here.

—John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Confronting Old Testament Controversies: Pressing Questions about Evolution, Sexuality, History, and Violence
• Author: Tremper Longman III
• Publisher: Baker
• Print Publication Date: 2019
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 294
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. O.T. › Socio-rhetorical criticism
• ISBNs: 9781493416301, 9780801019111, 1493416308, 0801019117
• Resource ID: LLS:CNFRTGOTCNTVRS
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-12-15T21:24:14Z

About Tremper Longman III

Tremper Longman III serves as Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. He has written over 35 books, including commentaries on Genesis, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Daniel, Nahum, and Revelation. His books have been translated into 18 different languages. In addition, as a Hebrew scholar, he is one of the main translators of the popular New Living Translation, and has served as a consultant on other popular Bible translations, including The Message, the New Century Version, the Christian Standard Bible, and the Common Bible. He has also edited and contributed to a number of study Bibles and Bible dictionaries, most recently The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

He earned his BA from Ohio Wesleyan University, his MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary, and both his MPhil and PhD from Yale University. Dr. Longman and his wife, Alice, have three sons and eight grandchildren.