God at War

<P>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 <I>God at War</I> will reward the careful attention of scholars pastors students and educated laypersons alike.</P>