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Seriously Dangerous Religion: What the Old Testament Really Says and Why It Matters
The Old Testament is often maligned as an outmoded and even dangerous text. Best-selling authors like Richard Dawkins, Karen Armstrong, and Derrick Jensen are prime examples of those who find the Old Testament to be problematic to modern sensibilities. Iain Provan counters that such easy and popular readings misunderstand the Old Testament. He opposes modern misconceptions of the Old Testament by addressing ten fundamental questions that the biblical text should--and according to Provan does--answer: questions such as "Who is God?" and "Why do evil and suffering mark the world?" By focusing on Genesis and drawing on other Old Testament and extra-biblical sources, Seriously Dangerous Religion constructs a more plausible reading. As it turns out, Provan argues, the Old Testament is far more dangerous than modern critics even suppose. Its dangers are the bold claims it makes upon its readers.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
38 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Iain W. Provan
30 books23 followersMarshall Sheppard Professor of
Biblical Studies (OT) at Regent College (Vancouver) and formerly senior lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
Biblical Studies (OT) at Regent College (Vancouver) and formerly senior lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament Studies at the University of Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 24, 2020
Great reading! Provan's style is noticeably artistic and rich. Literarily, the reading is accessible and worth the time, either for a theologian, a regular Western citizen, or to someone with profound critiques towards the god presented in the Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures. The book explores these ancient texts in a thoughtful dialogue with its Ancient Near Eastern context, modern global biblical scholarship, contemporary literature, and Western Culture. Two factors were particularly attractive to me:
One, I was raised as a Christian and always bore questions with the apparent ethical contradictions in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. For those who already have some knowledge of the Bible, Provan is a valuable tome. Rather than avoiding the hard questions, he seeks them, and explore them in depth, with awareness of what's going on in global biblical scholarship, modern literature, and Western Culture. The dialogue is fair and balanced, the outcomes are most of the time impressive and hardly dull (I particularly disagreed with Iain Provan in some opinions about the Creation of man and woman).
Two, the title is very suitable for Provan's proposal. He convincingly argues that the Old Testament religion, seen through the lens of Christian faith is "seriously dangerous." Different from a book about history of religions, the author is engaged with the contemporary relevance of the discoveries made. The risky topics involve genders and sexuality, exclusion and violence, ethical foundations for a society, slavery, and relationship between different faiths in the public sphere.
Finally, this is the kind of book of which I have seen the value for different people, from biblical scholars, to young professionals, and non-Christian curious friends.
I only regret the price provided for the book by Baylor Univ. Press, for a 500pp. book (you WILL NOT find it for less than CAD 60. Even the kindle edition is for over CAD 50).
One, I was raised as a Christian and always bore questions with the apparent ethical contradictions in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. For those who already have some knowledge of the Bible, Provan is a valuable tome. Rather than avoiding the hard questions, he seeks them, and explore them in depth, with awareness of what's going on in global biblical scholarship, modern literature, and Western Culture. The dialogue is fair and balanced, the outcomes are most of the time impressive and hardly dull (I particularly disagreed with Iain Provan in some opinions about the Creation of man and woman).
Two, the title is very suitable for Provan's proposal. He convincingly argues that the Old Testament religion, seen through the lens of Christian faith is "seriously dangerous." Different from a book about history of religions, the author is engaged with the contemporary relevance of the discoveries made. The risky topics involve genders and sexuality, exclusion and violence, ethical foundations for a society, slavery, and relationship between different faiths in the public sphere.
Finally, this is the kind of book of which I have seen the value for different people, from biblical scholars, to young professionals, and non-Christian curious friends.
I only regret the price provided for the book by Baylor Univ. Press, for a 500pp. book (you WILL NOT find it for less than CAD 60. Even the kindle edition is for over CAD 50).
September 4, 2014
Seriously Dangerous Religion: What the Old Testament Really Says and Why It Matters
Iain Provan
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place 97363
Waco, TX 76798-7363
http://www.baylorpress.com/
ISBN: 9781481300230; $49.95; August 2014
5 Stars of 5 Stars
Hazarding Holy History
The Old Testament receives a lot of flak. It looks grisly, violent, vicious and unforgiving to many. Then adding to the bad press it already gets, the new Atheists and others have taken great pleasure in painting it with even darker and starker colors. On top of all this, Christians themselves either avoid the Old Testament at all costs, or shove it up the stairs into the attic where with the embarrassing family secrets it remains blanketed under dim light and chocking dust. Unsatisfied with this treatment, Iain Provan, the Marshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College in Vancouver, has put forward a new 512 page hardback titled, “Seriously Dangerous Religion: What the Old Testament Really Says and Why It Matters.” In the book Provan dusts off this portion of the Bible and brings it back down the stairs for the family to face, and shows there’s really nothing to be embarrassed about. He also takes on not only the new Atheists, but several others who think that biblical Christianity is dangerous and deadly.
Provan begins “Seriously Dangerous Religion” by describing four modern stories that seek to capture the West’s center stage, three of which are attempting “to displace, above all other stories, this dominant Old Story of Western culture” (9). The story of the “Axial Age” seeks to take us back to some ancient moment where there was a supposed “wellspring from which all faith once emerged, behind and beneath all specific religious and philosophical worldviews and their secularized political forms” (6). Then there is the story of the “Dark Green Age,” a primordial time when humankind allegedly lived in harmony with all nature, where “people in ancient hunter-gatherer societies lived much happier lives than we modern people do” and where “they did a much better job of looking after the environment” (7). Next is the story of the “Scientific New Age” that looks to the present and out ahead. They rehearse a story that claims that if we could simply throw off the childish, fearful ways of religion and embrace “modern, empirical science as the only (or at least the best) basis for true knowledge of the world” (8) we could have “greater human fulfillment and happiness” (Ibid.). The final story is the biblical story, which Provan pours himself into.
In “Seriously Dangerous Religion” Provan spends most of his time in Genesis, from which he branches off into other bits of the Old Testament to make his case. The author answers a number of questions, each of which is a chapter in and of itself: “Who is God?” “What is the world?” “Who is God” “Who are man and woman?” “Why do evil and suffering mark the world?” “What am I to do about evil and suffering?” “How am I to relate to God?” “How am I to relate to the rest of creation?” “Which society should I be helping to build?” and “What am I to hope for?” In answering these inquiries, the author keeps an eye on the modern worldviews mentioned above as well as the storied answers from Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, along with the responses from the religions of the Ancient Near East (ANE). This is the brilliant aspect of the book. By juxtaposing the biblical answer to these questions with the other metanarratives, it becomes clearer and clearer that the Old Testament is unique and sui generis (in a class by itself). Though there may be overlapping similarities on the surface, nevertheless, at the end of the day, the Old Testament rises to the top.
Throughout the work the author is willing to take on issues that many blush at, and work them out in challenging, thought-provoking ways. A case in point is that as Provan unloads the biblical concept of God’s jealousy, he rightly points out, “God’s jealousy is good news for his human creatures, for it is this jealousy that leads God to campaign against the false gods who can only do harm to those who devote themselves to them. “Worthless idols” cannot bless, or love, or rescue. In the biblical perspective, God is, thankfully, jealous” (70). Later in the same chapter he draws attention to how God’s jealousy, being a jealousy for the good of his people, is the polar opposite of ANE spirituality, for there “was certainly no concept in this ancient Near Eastern way of thinking that the gods were committed in some way to the good of worshippers. The world was, after all, not set up in the first place with the good of nongods in mind” (73).
Provan lays out a well-lit, nicely built motorway in “Seriously Dangerous Religion.” There are, unfortunately, potholes that once hit may well mess up a reader’s alignment and wear some tires down to the bare radial wire. Here are three examples. First, his acceptance of macro evolution appears to bring him to see the first three chapters of Genesis in a more metaphorical light, for instance, “the metaphor of the garden that is used for (the world) in Genesis 2” (33). Unable to accept a real, set-apart garden where humankind and God enjoyed communion, he sees it as simply being the earth dressed up in pretty language. With this in mind, it seems clear that he understands the story of Adam and Eve as metaphorical, as well as the episode of the fall.
Then, because of his unquestioning assumption of evolution, he perceives a greater continuity between the pre-fall world and the post-fall world. In other words, the conditions that exist now and the way things function presently are nearly identical to the way it all worked before the fall, “it is perfectly obvious that some suffering in the world arises simply from the fact that the world is the way it is, and not otherwise. It is perfectly obvious that the world already had this nature long before human beings lived here” (369). Provan’s opinion seems to fly in the face of Paul’s point in Romans 8.19-23 where the Apostle posits a close relationship between humankind and creation post-fall. That since the fall we and creation groan, longing for the final day of redemption, but until then creation is in “bondage to corruption” (phthora). Something significantly changed creation and brought it into bondage to decaying decline. The world doesn’t work the same way as it once did, there is a serious, substantial discontinuity from the way it was made, and creation longs to be restored and transformed, obtaining “the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Nevertheless, Provan is absolutely correct in emphasizing the creational consequences of redemption (338). Since things have gone horribly wrong with both humankind and creation, with neither of us functioning as we once used to and as we were meant, then Christ’s redemptive work breaks in and inaugurates the restoration and transformation of both (humankind and cosmos), to complete this work at his return; something I also noted in my book, “Gnostic Trends in the Local Church.”
Lastly, and in a different vein, the author slowly and almost imperceptibly builds a case for thorough egalitarianism among humankind. After developing this thought through several chapters he finally works it into ecclesiastical leadership, claiming that in the early church women “held positions of authority ( . . . ) Phoebe is noted as a deacon of the church ( . . . ) and Junia as an apostle” (320). Both of these assertions are heavily contested by New Testament scholars, which certainly Provan knows but doesn’t footnote, nor does he acknowledge that he is in the minority on this. But what makes this even more problematic is that further up and further in, he reinforces his claim under the theme of “Accommodation” where he acknowledges that there are places in Paul’s writings where the Apostle states that women are not to hold ecclesiastical office but this is all a passing part of “the accommodation of the biblical moral vision to the realities of the world as the early Christians found it” (339). His entire subject of accommodation, which begins with great insight and promise, leaves the reader wondering what else might fall under accommodation; for “it is understandable that often in the New Testament Christians are exhorted to live within the cultural norms of their time and place and are not encouraged to exercise what New Testament faith overall implies to be the full extent of their Christian liberty” (340).
There are a few other potholes to watch out for while driving down the thoroughfare mapped out by Provan. For instance, his presentation of suffering intrinsic to creation, that is before the fall; and suffering that is extrinsic to creation, or a result of the fall. Also there is his way of handling Genesis 3.15 that strips it from being the protoevangelium, the first reference to the Gospel. The reader will simply need to be watchful.
These concerns I have raised might attract some to pick up the book because it resonates with their way of thinking. Well, so be it. Others may be repulsed and tempted to look for another resource. And many will likely conclude that I see little value in this work. On the contrary! I say race out and get it, devour it, ponder Provan’s premises and propositions! “Seriously Dangerous Religion” is a thought provoking read that will be profitable to whoever sincerely imbibes in it. This ought to be the first book an Old Testament seminary professor assigns and the primary or sole textbook for an undergrad “Introduction to the Old Testament” class. Pastors and priests should scoop it up and pour over it with pen in hand, pausing after every chapter to muse over the points the author makes, and the ways the biblical faith stand out against other traditions and metanarratives. Plus University and Seminary librarians need to obtain copies for their libraries. Even with my declared concerns, I strongly recommend the book.
I’m grateful to Baylor University Press for the free copy of “Seriously Dangerous Religion” provided for this review.
Iain Provan
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place 97363
Waco, TX 76798-7363
http://www.baylorpress.com/
ISBN: 9781481300230; $49.95; August 2014
5 Stars of 5 Stars
Hazarding Holy History
The Old Testament receives a lot of flak. It looks grisly, violent, vicious and unforgiving to many. Then adding to the bad press it already gets, the new Atheists and others have taken great pleasure in painting it with even darker and starker colors. On top of all this, Christians themselves either avoid the Old Testament at all costs, or shove it up the stairs into the attic where with the embarrassing family secrets it remains blanketed under dim light and chocking dust. Unsatisfied with this treatment, Iain Provan, the Marshall Sheppard Professor of Biblical Studies at Regent College in Vancouver, has put forward a new 512 page hardback titled, “Seriously Dangerous Religion: What the Old Testament Really Says and Why It Matters.” In the book Provan dusts off this portion of the Bible and brings it back down the stairs for the family to face, and shows there’s really nothing to be embarrassed about. He also takes on not only the new Atheists, but several others who think that biblical Christianity is dangerous and deadly.
Provan begins “Seriously Dangerous Religion” by describing four modern stories that seek to capture the West’s center stage, three of which are attempting “to displace, above all other stories, this dominant Old Story of Western culture” (9). The story of the “Axial Age” seeks to take us back to some ancient moment where there was a supposed “wellspring from which all faith once emerged, behind and beneath all specific religious and philosophical worldviews and their secularized political forms” (6). Then there is the story of the “Dark Green Age,” a primordial time when humankind allegedly lived in harmony with all nature, where “people in ancient hunter-gatherer societies lived much happier lives than we modern people do” and where “they did a much better job of looking after the environment” (7). Next is the story of the “Scientific New Age” that looks to the present and out ahead. They rehearse a story that claims that if we could simply throw off the childish, fearful ways of religion and embrace “modern, empirical science as the only (or at least the best) basis for true knowledge of the world” (8) we could have “greater human fulfillment and happiness” (Ibid.). The final story is the biblical story, which Provan pours himself into.
In “Seriously Dangerous Religion” Provan spends most of his time in Genesis, from which he branches off into other bits of the Old Testament to make his case. The author answers a number of questions, each of which is a chapter in and of itself: “Who is God?” “What is the world?” “Who is God” “Who are man and woman?” “Why do evil and suffering mark the world?” “What am I to do about evil and suffering?” “How am I to relate to God?” “How am I to relate to the rest of creation?” “Which society should I be helping to build?” and “What am I to hope for?” In answering these inquiries, the author keeps an eye on the modern worldviews mentioned above as well as the storied answers from Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, along with the responses from the religions of the Ancient Near East (ANE). This is the brilliant aspect of the book. By juxtaposing the biblical answer to these questions with the other metanarratives, it becomes clearer and clearer that the Old Testament is unique and sui generis (in a class by itself). Though there may be overlapping similarities on the surface, nevertheless, at the end of the day, the Old Testament rises to the top.
Throughout the work the author is willing to take on issues that many blush at, and work them out in challenging, thought-provoking ways. A case in point is that as Provan unloads the biblical concept of God’s jealousy, he rightly points out, “God’s jealousy is good news for his human creatures, for it is this jealousy that leads God to campaign against the false gods who can only do harm to those who devote themselves to them. “Worthless idols” cannot bless, or love, or rescue. In the biblical perspective, God is, thankfully, jealous” (70). Later in the same chapter he draws attention to how God’s jealousy, being a jealousy for the good of his people, is the polar opposite of ANE spirituality, for there “was certainly no concept in this ancient Near Eastern way of thinking that the gods were committed in some way to the good of worshippers. The world was, after all, not set up in the first place with the good of nongods in mind” (73).
Provan lays out a well-lit, nicely built motorway in “Seriously Dangerous Religion.” There are, unfortunately, potholes that once hit may well mess up a reader’s alignment and wear some tires down to the bare radial wire. Here are three examples. First, his acceptance of macro evolution appears to bring him to see the first three chapters of Genesis in a more metaphorical light, for instance, “the metaphor of the garden that is used for (the world) in Genesis 2” (33). Unable to accept a real, set-apart garden where humankind and God enjoyed communion, he sees it as simply being the earth dressed up in pretty language. With this in mind, it seems clear that he understands the story of Adam and Eve as metaphorical, as well as the episode of the fall.
Then, because of his unquestioning assumption of evolution, he perceives a greater continuity between the pre-fall world and the post-fall world. In other words, the conditions that exist now and the way things function presently are nearly identical to the way it all worked before the fall, “it is perfectly obvious that some suffering in the world arises simply from the fact that the world is the way it is, and not otherwise. It is perfectly obvious that the world already had this nature long before human beings lived here” (369). Provan’s opinion seems to fly in the face of Paul’s point in Romans 8.19-23 where the Apostle posits a close relationship between humankind and creation post-fall. That since the fall we and creation groan, longing for the final day of redemption, but until then creation is in “bondage to corruption” (phthora). Something significantly changed creation and brought it into bondage to decaying decline. The world doesn’t work the same way as it once did, there is a serious, substantial discontinuity from the way it was made, and creation longs to be restored and transformed, obtaining “the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Nevertheless, Provan is absolutely correct in emphasizing the creational consequences of redemption (338). Since things have gone horribly wrong with both humankind and creation, with neither of us functioning as we once used to and as we were meant, then Christ’s redemptive work breaks in and inaugurates the restoration and transformation of both (humankind and cosmos), to complete this work at his return; something I also noted in my book, “Gnostic Trends in the Local Church.”
Lastly, and in a different vein, the author slowly and almost imperceptibly builds a case for thorough egalitarianism among humankind. After developing this thought through several chapters he finally works it into ecclesiastical leadership, claiming that in the early church women “held positions of authority ( . . . ) Phoebe is noted as a deacon of the church ( . . . ) and Junia as an apostle” (320). Both of these assertions are heavily contested by New Testament scholars, which certainly Provan knows but doesn’t footnote, nor does he acknowledge that he is in the minority on this. But what makes this even more problematic is that further up and further in, he reinforces his claim under the theme of “Accommodation” where he acknowledges that there are places in Paul’s writings where the Apostle states that women are not to hold ecclesiastical office but this is all a passing part of “the accommodation of the biblical moral vision to the realities of the world as the early Christians found it” (339). His entire subject of accommodation, which begins with great insight and promise, leaves the reader wondering what else might fall under accommodation; for “it is understandable that often in the New Testament Christians are exhorted to live within the cultural norms of their time and place and are not encouraged to exercise what New Testament faith overall implies to be the full extent of their Christian liberty” (340).
There are a few other potholes to watch out for while driving down the thoroughfare mapped out by Provan. For instance, his presentation of suffering intrinsic to creation, that is before the fall; and suffering that is extrinsic to creation, or a result of the fall. Also there is his way of handling Genesis 3.15 that strips it from being the protoevangelium, the first reference to the Gospel. The reader will simply need to be watchful.
These concerns I have raised might attract some to pick up the book because it resonates with their way of thinking. Well, so be it. Others may be repulsed and tempted to look for another resource. And many will likely conclude that I see little value in this work. On the contrary! I say race out and get it, devour it, ponder Provan’s premises and propositions! “Seriously Dangerous Religion” is a thought provoking read that will be profitable to whoever sincerely imbibes in it. This ought to be the first book an Old Testament seminary professor assigns and the primary or sole textbook for an undergrad “Introduction to the Old Testament” class. Pastors and priests should scoop it up and pour over it with pen in hand, pausing after every chapter to muse over the points the author makes, and the ways the biblical faith stand out against other traditions and metanarratives. Plus University and Seminary librarians need to obtain copies for their libraries. Even with my declared concerns, I strongly recommend the book.
I’m grateful to Baylor University Press for the free copy of “Seriously Dangerous Religion” provided for this review.
May 9, 2014
This is an excellent read that demonstrates both depth and breath of knowledge in clear compelling prose. Whether discussing Mesopotamian texts, Qur'an, and other literature, Provan asks questions that matter in life and reveals what is at stake in taking the biblically rooted vision of reality seriously. It is a book that practically answers questions that have challenged critics of Old Testament and provide fresh perspectives to enlighten believers of the biblical story.
February 3, 2022
Tight logic and strong arguments for its thesis. Teased out key theological messages of the Old Testament with its context, and its relevancy to modern-day readers, including comparison with other religions.
March 14, 2023
I read this book in a book club for work last year, lost steam in the last two chapters, and didn't finish it. As I recall, I listened to the last zoom session with my camera off, lying on my bed. It wasn't my finest time of life. I then did many other things and have come to the conclusion that I will probably not finish it now, and that is okay.
It was a good book and a good COVID book club! Some really thorough analysis of the Old Testament and its cultural context, some elucidation of difficult passages, and some clear through lines about the radical, beautiful, surprising God portrayed and the call to God's people to be like God in all things. I am glad that I read most of this book and I would recommend if you have at least a medium tolerance for academic writing and would like to up your Old Testament game in a balanced, thoughtful, contextualized way.
It was a good book and a good COVID book club! Some really thorough analysis of the Old Testament and its cultural context, some elucidation of difficult passages, and some clear through lines about the radical, beautiful, surprising God portrayed and the call to God's people to be like God in all things. I am glad that I read most of this book and I would recommend if you have at least a medium tolerance for academic writing and would like to up your Old Testament game in a balanced, thoughtful, contextualized way.
July 23, 2025
My favorite OT textbook from FIT. Provan will stretch you far and wide in your understanding of the OT narrative and what it is inviting you to consider. Extremely well read, impecably formulated, and articulate in his approach to the OT themes, Provan shows a sensitivity to the modern trajectory of the tradition that only the wisest sages of our day can claim. Not for the faint of heart, but if you want to take some dangerous religion seriously, then "Seriously Dangerous Religion" might just be the next book you need to read. Just.. buckle up and get comfy cause you're about to go 0 to 60 in like half a chapter.
December 11, 2014
In this excellent tome, Iain Provan addresses the challenges posed by critics of Christianity, particularly the Old Testament text. Provan effectively demonstrates that, contrary to the New Atheists and dark green religionist antagonists of Biblical faith, Christianity offers the most coherent and hopeful worldview both for humankind and for the world. Particularly helpful is Provan's discussion and critique of competing worldviews, particularly Eastern religion and Ancient Greek thought.
January 21, 2024
You will want to read this book if you find the Old Testament problematic.
Iain Proven, though an OT scholar, has written a very readable overview with questions and answers.
I recommend the book's unconventional and insightful look at the OT and the world it addresses.
Iain Proven, though an OT scholar, has written a very readable overview with questions and answers.
I recommend the book's unconventional and insightful look at the OT and the world it addresses.
October 23, 2023
Overall this is an excellent book. Provan states at the beginning that it's not necessarily for Christians who've read the Bible and other books for years, but there are still plenty of insights that open up ways of thinking about what he calls The Old Story. In the book this is mostly focused on the early chapters of Genesis, and later, on the Gospels. The rest of Old Story between these is mostly left aside, perhaps in order to avoid a much larger book...
Provan does a good job of comparing the beliefs of different religions, and seeing how they stack up against Christianity. He's also very good at defending Christianity (and Judaism, at least in regard to the Old Testament). He quotes a number of writers who have given up on the 'Old Story' but not necessarily because they're right in what they say.
It's a book I'd like to get my own copy of - a friend lent me the copy I read - but it's ridiculously overpriced even in the Kindle version, and doesn't show any sign of coming down in price. Which is a great pity as it keeps the book out of the hands of many who would read it.
Apart from a few short sections that I skimmed, I found Provan's arguments compelling. My only carp about the book is the alternating use of 'he' and 'she' when what in the past would always be discussed under the general 'he'. I understand what he's attempting to do, and it's creditable, but it doesn't work. When the 'she' suddenly comes out of nowhere, the reader tends to sit back and say, 'Wait, who's this woman he's taking about?' Far better, I think, to use the general plural, 'their', 'they' etc. It saves the reader having to do additional brain-hopping and it's a much more usual practice that goes back some centuries.
Provan does a good job of comparing the beliefs of different religions, and seeing how they stack up against Christianity. He's also very good at defending Christianity (and Judaism, at least in regard to the Old Testament). He quotes a number of writers who have given up on the 'Old Story' but not necessarily because they're right in what they say.
It's a book I'd like to get my own copy of - a friend lent me the copy I read - but it's ridiculously overpriced even in the Kindle version, and doesn't show any sign of coming down in price. Which is a great pity as it keeps the book out of the hands of many who would read it.
Apart from a few short sections that I skimmed, I found Provan's arguments compelling. My only carp about the book is the alternating use of 'he' and 'she' when what in the past would always be discussed under the general 'he'. I understand what he's attempting to do, and it's creditable, but it doesn't work. When the 'she' suddenly comes out of nowhere, the reader tends to sit back and say, 'Wait, who's this woman he's taking about?' Far better, I think, to use the general plural, 'their', 'they' etc. It saves the reader having to do additional brain-hopping and it's a much more usual practice that goes back some centuries.
July 16, 2020
I read this for an Old Testament class at Regent College.
From the tagline to the chapter titles, Seriously Dangerous Religion has an undoubtable apologetic flavor. However as I started reading, I was most drawn to his biblical-theological account of the Old Testament narrative.
The main arguments of the book depend on the author's exposition and application of the book of Genesis. It is clear that the bad reputation of the Old Testament comes from a shoddy understanding of Genesis.
Many of his insights from Genesis were entirely new to me. (The possibility of natural suffering before the fall, the creation account as temple dedication ceremony, etc.)
Provan's application points are sweeping in scope. As a result, many of his conclusions get a cursory treatment at best. I found myself questioning specific conclusions, but many of those questions went unanswered as he painted the bigger picture.
I'm actually very impressed with the discipline exercised in limiting himself to the Old Testament until the final chapters of the work.
Whether you agree with his theological conclusions or not, his presentation of the biblical narrative is compelling and coherent. It has provided me with a lot of food for thought and a fuller picture of Old Testament literature.
From the tagline to the chapter titles, Seriously Dangerous Religion has an undoubtable apologetic flavor. However as I started reading, I was most drawn to his biblical-theological account of the Old Testament narrative.
The main arguments of the book depend on the author's exposition and application of the book of Genesis. It is clear that the bad reputation of the Old Testament comes from a shoddy understanding of Genesis.
Many of his insights from Genesis were entirely new to me. (The possibility of natural suffering before the fall, the creation account as temple dedication ceremony, etc.)
Provan's application points are sweeping in scope. As a result, many of his conclusions get a cursory treatment at best. I found myself questioning specific conclusions, but many of those questions went unanswered as he painted the bigger picture.
I'm actually very impressed with the discipline exercised in limiting himself to the Old Testament until the final chapters of the work.
Whether you agree with his theological conclusions or not, his presentation of the biblical narrative is compelling and coherent. It has provided me with a lot of food for thought and a fuller picture of Old Testament literature.
September 21, 2020
I actually stopped reading this book four years ago; I skipped the last two summary chapters. But I picked it up and finished it off the last week and thoroughly enjoyed rethinking through the ideas. What is it that makes the Christian worldview so challenging? In essence, it’s that it says everyone else is wrong. But it should do so, argued Provan, in a pluralistic way, inviting others to share and be willing to be challenged, just as our worldview should be. The approaches which exclude diverse views (he gives the illustration of a Christian B&B owner being forced to host homosexual couples whilst Christians are banned from wearing a cross to work) are truly dangerous and harmful to societies.
So a great book, challenging and thought-provoking. Wonderful to read a book on Christian ethics and the Christian worldview from an OT starting point.
So a great book, challenging and thought-provoking. Wonderful to read a book on Christian ethics and the Christian worldview from an OT starting point.
March 20, 2021
An masterful book explaining why the story of the world, and our place in it, as presented mainly in the OT is plausible. Provan argues that the OT presents the true story of the world and its future. He compares and contrasts the OT with other philosophical and religious positions. He basis most of his ideas in Genesis but ranges all over the OT. Chapter 13 is essentially an overview of the whole book so reading the introduction and then chapter 13 would be a good start for those wanting to get a feel for the content. I would recommend this book to those thinking non-Christians who would like to know more about the OT and how it makes sense of the world. It would also be a great read for those Christians who regularly find themselves speaking to others about the world and our place in it.
December 4, 2018
Seriously Necessary Book
I don’t think “enjoy” is the right word to describe how I felt about this book. I appreciated it and I feel much of what Provan has said is necessary in moving ahead in faith as individuals and as a community.
I appreciated the contrasts and comparisons with other faith systems. Those are valuable for building consensus and understanding.
I read this book in the context of a masters level class on Genesis. I appreciated our discussions, but as with many things academic, much of it was simply theory. I would appreciate the opportunity to approach this material on a more practical basis.
I don’t think “enjoy” is the right word to describe how I felt about this book. I appreciated it and I feel much of what Provan has said is necessary in moving ahead in faith as individuals and as a community.
I appreciated the contrasts and comparisons with other faith systems. Those are valuable for building consensus and understanding.
I read this book in the context of a masters level class on Genesis. I appreciated our discussions, but as with many things academic, much of it was simply theory. I would appreciate the opportunity to approach this material on a more practical basis.
August 3, 2023
Someone get this man an editor. While parts of this book were subversive and excellent, he relies far too much on italicization in his prose and the book is swollen by far too many comparisons to other religions and contemporary culture. Just teach us the Old Testament and let us do the rest of the work.
December 2, 2024
Seriously committed study…
Thank you brother Provan for your comprehensive and conclusive effort in giving us a thorough textbook on the pillars of the Old Testament. Comparing traditional Christian perspectives with other dominant religious thought is well done and becomes revealing. This book is for you if you desire a deep dive into critical theological concepts.
Thank you brother Provan for your comprehensive and conclusive effort in giving us a thorough textbook on the pillars of the Old Testament. Comparing traditional Christian perspectives with other dominant religious thought is well done and becomes revealing. This book is for you if you desire a deep dive into critical theological concepts.
March 17, 2021
Disappointing. It’s not that there aren’t good insights. It’s just considering the cost and endorsements, I was hoping for more.
Read
February 5, 2022Undecided
May 6, 2024
A must read for the inquisitive Christian and for the one who refutes the God of the Old Testament.
March 31, 2014
This new work expands on the ideas contained in Dr. Iain Provan’s earlier and much shorter work, Convenient Myths: The Axial Age, Dark Green Religion and the World That Never Was, also published by Baylor Press last year.
In this work, Iain reminds the reader that we are all caught up in some kind of story that shapes how we participate in life and from which we make sense of fundamental issues of being human and our place within the ongoing experience of life. His core contention is that the Biblical story, as maligned as it is currently, continues to offer a better answer to a core set of foundation questions when read carefully and when contrasted with alternative responses to these core questions. Ten questions form the outline of the chapters that follow including: What is the world? Who is God? Who are Man and Woman? Why do evil and suffering mark the world? What am I to about evil and suffering? How am I to relate to God? How am I to relate to my neighbour? How am I to relate to the rest of creation? Which society should I be helping to build? What am I to hope for?
Iain uses the early chapters of Genesis to provide insightful and compelling answers to these questions in a way that may cause many to say, is that what it says? I need to read that again. He builds on these perspectives through the use of additional examples, primarily from the Old Testament, to buttress his case. For each question raised Iain then offers responses to these questions from a variety of world religions in which he points out differences and, in some cases similarities, to his reading of the Biblical account.
The book is both profound and readable and profoundly readable. Any bright college student can follow the argument and examples. Philosophers and theologians will find enough in here to engage their mind for a very long time. For each chapter much more could have been written but the argument and examples provide just enough food for thought without overwhelming the reader. There is an additional lifetime of reading in the footnotes and suggestions for further reading on each of the questions raised.
In this work, Iain reminds the reader that we are all caught up in some kind of story that shapes how we participate in life and from which we make sense of fundamental issues of being human and our place within the ongoing experience of life. His core contention is that the Biblical story, as maligned as it is currently, continues to offer a better answer to a core set of foundation questions when read carefully and when contrasted with alternative responses to these core questions. Ten questions form the outline of the chapters that follow including: What is the world? Who is God? Who are Man and Woman? Why do evil and suffering mark the world? What am I to about evil and suffering? How am I to relate to God? How am I to relate to my neighbour? How am I to relate to the rest of creation? Which society should I be helping to build? What am I to hope for?
Iain uses the early chapters of Genesis to provide insightful and compelling answers to these questions in a way that may cause many to say, is that what it says? I need to read that again. He builds on these perspectives through the use of additional examples, primarily from the Old Testament, to buttress his case. For each question raised Iain then offers responses to these questions from a variety of world religions in which he points out differences and, in some cases similarities, to his reading of the Biblical account.
The book is both profound and readable and profoundly readable. Any bright college student can follow the argument and examples. Philosophers and theologians will find enough in here to engage their mind for a very long time. For each chapter much more could have been written but the argument and examples provide just enough food for thought without overwhelming the reader. There is an additional lifetime of reading in the footnotes and suggestions for further reading on each of the questions raised.
November 21, 2014
Iain Provan wrote this book to clarify that the purpose of the Bible is to answer religious and philosophical questions rather than historical and scientific questions. He emphasizes the Old Testament in his discussion because of “the unfortunate tendency to read the Old Testament only through the lens of the New Testament, rather than for its own sake.” (p. 13)
He proceeds to make his case by demonstrating how the Old Testament answers ten important questions in Chapters 2-11 and by comparing the Old Testament’s answers with those of the Ancient Near Eastern myths, ancient Greco-Roman philosophies, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism and/or “modern” religions. During the course of this, he clearly demonstrates, among other things, that all religions are not basically the same.
Chapter 12 gives a fuller answer to each of the ten questions that takes into account the New Testament. I would have liked the book even more if his taking account of the New Testament material on each question had come immediately after the discussion of the OT material.
Chapters 13 and 14 review and summarize the entire book. The book includes a 20-page bibliography, a 14-page scripture index, and eight pages of author and subject indices.
The book is occasionally a bit of a slog, but for the most part it is very readable and frequently insightful. Each chapter ends with a brief, well-written summary. It could be a readable alternative to reading a systematic theology (if anybody actually does that).
He proceeds to make his case by demonstrating how the Old Testament answers ten important questions in Chapters 2-11 and by comparing the Old Testament’s answers with those of the Ancient Near Eastern myths, ancient Greco-Roman philosophies, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism and/or “modern” religions. During the course of this, he clearly demonstrates, among other things, that all religions are not basically the same.
Chapter 12 gives a fuller answer to each of the ten questions that takes into account the New Testament. I would have liked the book even more if his taking account of the New Testament material on each question had come immediately after the discussion of the OT material.
Chapters 13 and 14 review and summarize the entire book. The book includes a 20-page bibliography, a 14-page scripture index, and eight pages of author and subject indices.
The book is occasionally a bit of a slog, but for the most part it is very readable and frequently insightful. Each chapter ends with a brief, well-written summary. It could be a readable alternative to reading a systematic theology (if anybody actually does that).
March 20, 2015
The author is conscious of the competing narratives in our world that seek to account for reality and that in the minds of many, the Old Testament presents a particularly dated and even dangerous narrative. This book is a response to that and the author does so by testing the Old Testament, not on the basis of small details but against the big questions on which all narratives should be tested. Questions like: What is the world? Why do suffering and evil mark the world? What am I to do about suffering and evil? How am I to relate to my neighbour? What society should I be helping to build? There is lots of helpful interaction with the views of other religions. One could argue that he made his task easier by skipping some of the problem texts or one could argue that he judiciously stuck to the big ideas that matter most.
There is no attempt to prove a case here but he does urge everyone to answer the truth questions that ought to be asked of any story presenting itself as a true story: Is it coherent? Is it true to the facts, and does it make sense of them? Is it truer to the facts, and does it make better sense of them, than competing stories? I think his book has provided strong support for the conclusion that there is no more plausible story pointing to a better future than that of the Old Testament.
There is no attempt to prove a case here but he does urge everyone to answer the truth questions that ought to be asked of any story presenting itself as a true story: Is it coherent? Is it true to the facts, and does it make sense of them? Is it truer to the facts, and does it make better sense of them, than competing stories? I think his book has provided strong support for the conclusion that there is no more plausible story pointing to a better future than that of the Old Testament.
June 11, 2014
Certainly in the top theology reads for me this year. An integral biblical story stemming from the inherent goodness of God providing the ultimate reason and hope for healing of all broken relationships in humanity, society and the rest of creation. Provan presents a coherent biblical story and makes it relevant for contemporary issues such as the ecological crises, the cheapness of human life and a casual attitude to human rights as well as political organisation to name a few. It is a story that clearly "…hold[s] together love of neighbour and love of creation" (p 395). A wonderful bonus is the book's easily accessible style.
May 22, 2014
This is an excellent read that demonstrates both depth and breath of knowledge in clear compelling prose. Whether discussing Mesopotamian texts, Qur'an, and other literature, Provan asks questions that matter in life and reveals what is at stake in taking the biblically rooted vision of reality seriously. It is a book that practically answers questions that have challenged critics of Old Testament and provide fresh perspectives to enlighten believers of the biblical story
June 2, 2023
An excellent presentation of the overarching message of the Old Testament. I read this for my first year of seminary and it served to deepen my love for and understanding of Scripture. I especially valued the chapter on "earth keeping" as a major theme in the Hebrew Bible, as well as Provan's egalitarian take on the story of the creation of Adam and Eve.
December 13, 2015
He asks a number if questions about life and about belief. He uses the old story of the Old Testament to dig deep into these core questions, quite thought provoking. He definitely presents alternate views to conventional thought.
June 16, 2016
Fantastic Book on the OT and Christian Worldview in comparison with others. Based on solid exegesis, and implications for personal life, society, and politics. I highly recommend it.
July 9, 2015
I learned a lot in reading this one. It's a commitment-type read for sure, but worth every minute. Highly recommend.
April 26, 2015
Много читава книга. Съчетава лесен за четене стил и на места дори красив език със сериозност, задълбоченост и изненадващо смела и оригинална егзегетика.
January 20, 2017
This book was very good and I hope to review it sometime...when I have some time.
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