>Augsburg Fortress Press has published a new book that has the potential of being a very challenging but also a very helpful book to read. The title alone has piqued my interest and for this reason, this book will ascend to the top of my reading list.

The book, Disturbing Divine Behavior: Troubling Old Testament Images of God (Minneapolis, 2009), was written by Eric A. Seibert and it deals with a difficult topic, that of divine behavior. In his book, Seibert deals with texts where God behaves badly.

This is how Fortress Press introduces the book:

How should we understand biblical texts where God is depicted as acting irrationally, violently, or destructively? If we distance ourselves from disturbing portrayals of God, how should we understand the authority of Scripture? How does the often wrathful God portrayed in the Old Testament relate to the God of love proclaimed in the New Testament? Is that contrast even accurate?

Disturbing Divine Behavior addresses these perennially vexing questions for the student of the Bible. Eric A. Seibert calls for an engaged and discerning reading of the Old Testament that distinguishes the particular literary and theological goals achieved through narrative characterizations of God from the rich understanding of the divine to which the Old Testament as a whole points. Providing illuminating reflections on theological reading as well, this book will be a welcome resource for any readers who puzzle over disturbing representations of God in the Bible.

Theodore Hiebert, Francis A. McGaw Professor of Old Testament at McCormick Theological Seminary wrote about this book:

“A courageous and wise study of the Bible’s most problematic passages: clear, tough-minded, respectful, accessible. The longer I teach the Bible, the more I am convinced that churches can no longer ignore the Bible’s difficult texts and problematic images of God. Eric Seibert proves to be a smart and practical guide for understanding and using these texts today.”

In order for readers to gain a better perspective of the book, I have decided to include the Table of Contents:

Introduction: Thinking Rightly about God and the Problem of the Old Testament

Part 1: Examining the Problem of Disturbing Divine Behavior

Chapter 1: Problematic Portrayals of God
Chapter 2: Problematic for Whom?
Chapter 3: Ancient Approaches to Disturbing Divine Behavior
Chapter 4: Defending God’s Behavior in the Old Testament

Part 2: Understanding the Nature of Old Testament Narratives

Chapter 5: Asking the Historical Question: Did It Really Happen?
Chapter 6: Concerns about Raising the Historical Question
Chapter 7: The Functions of Old Testament Narrative
Chapter 8: Israel’s Theological Worldview

Part 3: Developing Responsible Readings of Troublesome Texts

Chapter 9: Distinguishing between the Textual God and the Actual God: The Amalekites, Genocide, and God
Chapter 10: Evaluating Disturbing Divine Behavior by the God Jesus Reveals: Toward a Christocentric Hermeneutic
Chapter 11: Using Problematic Passages Responsibly: Becoming Discerning Readers
Chapter 12: Talking about Troubling Texts: Some Practical Suggestions

Afterword

Appendix A: Reexamining the Nonviolent God
Appendix B: Inspiration and the Authority of Scripture

Bibliography

The issue of theodicy in the Old Testament has always fascinated me. There are many difficult passages in the first section of the Bible that have caused intensive soul-searching among believers. A study of texts where divine behavior seems to be disturbing can be helpful and clarify problems of moral issues for believers and provide a better understanding of the God of the Old Testament.

After reading Seibert’s introduction to the book, I was hooked. This is one book I will read soon.

Fortress Press is making the Table of Contents, the Introduction, and the First Chapter available for free on PDF format. I encourage you to read both the Introduction and the First Chapter.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Eric Seibert, Theodicy

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