AWESOME

great follow up to the religion of the apostles . another classic of modern orthodox scholarship

2 people found this helpful

Necessary book to understand the bible.

This book was very helpful to understand some very confusing parts of the Bible. there is just no way I would understand the text without this book help.

2 people found this helpful

Required reading

Everyone in the west interested in a deeper and fuller understanding of scripture should read God is a Man of War.
To often has the Old Testament been misinterpreted, misquoted or down right twisted. Fr De Young brings those difficult passages to a clearer understanding and tie to the New Testament for those searching to be closer to God.

1 person found this helpful

Excellent follow up to Religion of the Apostles

This is another excellently narrated book with exquisite insight into the scriptures and Orthodox meditations on them. Very edifying and I’m grateful to have found Mr. De Young in my spiritual evolution.

Succinct; no fluff.

Everything in this book is relevant. No extra chapters punched in there for money’s sake. The best book on the topic.

Takes a deep look at the historical, cultural, and linguistic details of the OT to make sense of difficult passages.

Been listening to Father Stephen’s podcast for awhile and decided to check out his book. While a lot of the content will already be familiar to those who listen to the podcast, for anyone who wants a quick overview of the context of the Old Testament and its violence, this is a great one-stop reference. Not quite as engaging as hearing Father Stephen and Father Andrew going back and forth on the podcast, but Father Stephen knows his stuff! Recommend it for anyone struggling to understand.

Concise and packs a punch

Loved this little read. Fr. Stephen brings his broad knowledge of the historical context of the Old Testament and his knowledge of translations of the ancient languages of the time together to give us a picture of what we are reading with our modern eyes. Easy to read prose. Just excellent. Highly recommend if this issue is one you are struggling with.

Answered Questions

This book answered a lot of questions I've had since I was a child. Will be rereading.

The other side of the coin.

This book dealt with the problem of violence in scripture in a holistic and historical way. Concisely covering both the issues and the worldviews and assumptions we as modern readers bring to the table, without excusing the difficulty of what we find in the Bible. If we can pause for a moment and not carry all the luggage of our current cultural taboos and moral preening at this ancient text; we may find the heart behind it, and maybe new life in its darkest passages without arbitrarily throwing them away because our morality is so advanced. Highly recommend!

An important book for every person

As a listener of The Lord of Spirits podcast (of which Fr. Stephen DeYoung co-hosts with Fr. Andrew Damick), I knew to expect a very methodical and thorough explanation of violence in Scripture. We should not be ashamed and shy away from this topic, one which religious skeptics often hammer at to prove that the God of the Bible is not as loving and just as we claim. Well, Fr. DeYoung faces the problem head on, making this a book for every Christian and skeptic.