God at War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict

by Gregory A. Boyd

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, God at War will reward the careful attention of scholars, pastors, students and educated laypersons alike.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction, Faith

414 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

Gregory A. Boyd is the founder and senior pastor of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minn., and founder and president of ReKnew. He was a professor of theology at Bethel College (St. Paul, Minn.) for sixteen years where he continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor.

Greg is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (BA), Yale Divinity School (M.Div), and Princeton Theological Seminary (PhD). Greg is a national and international speaker at churches, colleges, conferences, and retreats, and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows. He has also authored and coauthored eighteen books prior to Present Perfect, including The Myth of a Christian Religion, The Myth of a Christian Nation, The Jesus Legend (with Paul Eddy), Seeing Is Believing, Repenting of Religion, and his international bestseller Letters from a Skeptic.

Reviews

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boyd, Greg. God at War: The Bible & Spiritual Conflict. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsityPress, 1997.

If I were an Arminian or a Molinist, how would I respond to Greg Boyd? I begin the review that way because Boyd, like some hyper-Calvinists, thinks in a fundamentalistic fashion: you are either 100% committed to his view, or you are 100% committed to what the opposite view necessarily entails. Missing is nuance. This is rather frustrating because much of the book is quite excellent and groundbreaking when it comes to spiritual warfare. On the other hand, Boyd’s extreme way of phrasing the arguments makes for fairly easy reading.

Boyd advocates a “Warfare Worldview” model, which sees much (or all? He isn’t really clear on this point) of the evil in the world as a result of demonic activities. At least on one level that’s hard to argue against. Entities in the spiritual world have free agency and hinder God’s purposes (or try to). A case in point is Daniel 10. The danger is that Boyd seems to pay a near fatal price: by framing God’s sovereignty as a puppetmaster, and rejecting it, we come very close to having a God who really can’t do all that much. That’s somewhat ironic for Boyd’s worldview, since if God can’t control the future, it’s not clear whether he will win the battle.

His first chapter examines various approaches to the “problem of evil.” He notes the Bible never really deals with it (God never answers any of Job’s questions). Boyd argues that to the degree we chalk up evil to some mysterious working of an abstract God’s inscrutable will, to that degree we cannot account for the actions of angels and demons on the world. Boyd asks: “Does this omnipotence necessarily entail that God is all-controlling” (Boyd 41)? It depends. What is meant by “all-controlling?” That’s the problem. Even Calvinist traditions affirms human choice of some sort and that God works through secondary causes.

Boyd’s argument is that we are more likely to find a “why” for the existence of evil in the free actions of human and demonic entities that simply chalking it up to Providence. I agree, but I think he comes close to negating Providence altogether. Notwithstanding, Boyd points out that a “warfare worldview” mentality didn’t make much sense in an Enlightenment world--whether conservative Enlightenment or French unbelief. Such a worldview believes in the reality of spirits and non-physical causes. Indeed, pace Kant, it posits the “world-in-between.” (Which, one suspects, is why Kantian thought doesn't have a place for angels. Are angels phenomenal or noumenal entities? They are neither).

If God is unmoved essence, then the warfare language of the Old Testament is rather odd, if not downright blasphemous. And such a Hellenistic mindset is at odds with modern understandings of the universe, where events are more fundamental than static essences (68).

Cosmic Naval Warfare

God’s main enemies in the early OT were Yamm, Rahab, and Leviathan. He was at war on the water. Boyd rehashes the standard cosmic creation/warfare motifs of the ANE. I’m going to skip all that in the review. Boyd, though he has since abandoned this view, held to a day-age/gap theory view where creation was created before Gen. 1:2, allowing him to see the tehom as analogous to Tiamat.

I’m not persuaded of that, but he does have a point that Genesis 1-2 can’t be exhaustive, for it says nothing of the fall of Satan and/or other angels/Watchers.

Psalm 74 depicts Yahweh’s battle with the Caananite god Yamm, whom Job noted had a guarding aspect (Job 7:12).

Lesser gods

The monotheism of the OT didn’t rule out sub-beings who were clearly not humans. Call them angels, if you want to (though that isn’t strictly accurate). We see this in the divine council (1 Kgs 22:20; Jeremiah 23:18). This view posits Yahweh as a personal agent who communicates and hears speech.

Some notes

Spirits in Prison

Most likely refers to the fallen Watchers theme (262). The NT usually refers to deceased humans (at least in an unqualified way) as psyche, not pneumata. Pneumata usually refers to nonhuman spiritual beings. Secondly, this is in the context of Noachian judgment. If it is merely deceased humans, then why limit it to the flood?

Engaging the Powers

Contra Walter Wink: Wink thinks these powers are “the inner aspect of material or tangible manifestations of power” (quoted in Boyd 273). There are some major problems with this, though. Paul almost certainly thinks of personal agents. Further, he sees these powers as engaged in personal activity (Eph 2:2).

Boyd says Satan is Abaddon or Apollyon of Revelation 9 (277). I don’t think so.

In terms of textual scholarship, the book is top notch. The endnotes are a feast. We cringe at the open theist aspects of the book and wish he hadn't written the first chapter.

[Carl Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are at war.

This is the foundation of Greg Boyd's book on spiritual warfare, 'God at War.' This book is a lot to chew on, and at the end of it all has left me sitting here just thinking about a lot of different things, and how this book will affect how I look at a number of things from now on.

Boyd's basis is that that the angelic beings that God created were given complete freewill, and a number of them rejected God, rebelled against the task they were given to by God, and now live in war with God as they continue to rebel against Him. This then is the origin of evil, and this is a major contributing factor to the evil that is in the world, that God is in war with these fallen angels and we are caught in a war zone.

Boyd makes a compelling argument for this from scripture, resulting in what might be the best response to the 'problem of evil' within the world. In Boyd's understanding, it isn't that "God has a plan" as we often say, and we should assume that all of this evil is some part of God's massive blueprint that we're just not able to figure out. Instead it is the result of a war going on, a war that even catches up humans on both sides of the battle, because as we were created to help fight these forces, we too have been given and have made use of the ability to rebel.

This entire book is captivating. Even if you don't agree with what Boyd writes you will have plenty to chew on and mediate upon. His book really shines in chapters 8 (Storming the Gates of Hell) and 9 (Christus Victor) in which Boyd explores deeply how the ministry of Jesus and the crucifixion of Jesus plays into God's plan to take back the world from Satan and his demonic angels. Chapter 9 especially has probably been one of the best treatments of the cross I've read lately, especially as Boyd shows how the Christus Victor atonement theory provides an umbrealla for all other atonement theories to fit under.

Chapter 10 (Engaging the Powers) seemed lacking to me. It's point was to discuss how we as God's people engage the demonic forces in war through prayer and service to God and others, and I felt like it could have been developed out more.

This book will challenge you though. It's challenged me to be much more active in life as a Christian. Rather than being motivated by just, "Well that's what good Christians do in being faithful to God!" these tasks become much more important because they become acts of war that we are able to participate in against the forces of evil.

This is not an easy read, but it is a captivating read, and a fun read. It will certainly challenge you, and I recommend it to all who struggle with understanding the evil in this world, and want to be better equipped to fight back against it.

[Dan Bouchelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book. This is a far more important issue that what most churches are obsessing and fighting about right now. Can’t recommend enough. The global church gets this, but the Western church has lost it’s grasp on the cosmic conflict that we are called to engage and has reduced God to a philosophical concept and sin to a theological problem. Boyd helps us refocus on the missing dimensions of our faith. Essential read!

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good scholarship here. But continuing the war metaphor, this book wins the battle (defending God's goodness) but losing the war (jettisoning God's attributes). A terrible disappointment. Read John Frame's *No Other God* (2001) or Millard Erickson or Bruce Ware (or C.S. Lewis years before the fact!) on the deep problems with Boyd's Open Theism.

[Heather Barta · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I’m going to give this 5 stars. Because I think that it’s great. For most of my ratings, 5 stars means that you should read it also. That may not be true in this case.

Source: MELcat (print)
This book landed with me at the right time. During my faith journey, there have been pieces that I have been unable to explain. Part of it comes from the constant dispelling of “This is God’s will.” No. It’s not God’s will that people suffer. It’s not God’s will that really awful things happen. This helped me dig deeper into the underlying pieces of what is happening in the world. And, it might make me sound crazy to you. But, this book (at least the parts that I read) is in line with my experience with the realms of God… the physical world that we can see and the spiritual world that is not accessed by all people.

This book says:
- God created all
- [bunches of Biblical theology to walk through, most of which I skipped, skimmed, or read the chapter conclusion]
- There are demonic forces working against God’s will – and they can impact our physical world
- Those working against God – both human and fallen angel / demonic / Satan – are not working into God’s will. They are working against God’s will. God doesn’t control them (spiritual world beings have free will like humans), as God doesn’t control us.
- In this free will state, there continues to be a battle between God / good and the evil.
- “Anticreation forces” (just liked that term) – page 163
- “NT makes even more explicit, there is also an incredibly vast, magnificent, complex and often times warring and hostile ‘world in between’ that we must factor in” (165)
- “Famine is the work of the devil” (210).
- Jesus came and conquered all. But it isn’t over yet… (this is one of the more confusing parts…but also why God will win – but God didn’t take away free will – so, we’re still in the “in between” part of this…
- Stop the questioning of “Why do bad things happen to good people” because then you have to start examining the other side – do you believe that God should make bad things happen to bad people?
- The conclusion of the last chapter puts everything into perspective:
o “Where do we start: with a view of God as being at war with evil or with a view of God as controlling evil? Do we start with a view of the world as a hostage to an evil cosmic for or with a view of the world as one in which God’s will in perfectly carried out?” (291)
o “When we work from the former, we are freed from ceaselessly inquiring into the supposed divine reasons behind the world’s nightmares”!!! (291)
o “God will strive to bring good [grace] out of the [evil acts]” – which is another thing that I always talk about. Not God’s will, but God will try to bring grace. If you can find grace from it, great! But the evil / bad thing didn’t come from God. It’s not a test. It’s not punishment. There isn’t a divine reason that it happened – or that God is testing / teaching you. (291-292)
o He also states at the end that the hope is eschatological (293).

What he doesn’t dig into is our responsibility here and now. I guess that he does talk throughout the book about the work that it leaves for the Christians – which is, of course, to bring God’s kingdom on earth. But the end just sort of leaves me without the “what are we supposed to do here and now?” Though – maybe it’s implicit? Do the good work and fight against the evil. Speak out against evil. Keep finding ways of making life better for others. Though – that could be my own sermon.

So much to dig into and reflect on for this book. And a whole lot of work with some colleagues around this. But it so speaks against some of the ways that evil has been talked about in the church… it will be scary to have the conversation.

[John Martindale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say, I feel the sense of accomplishment having tackled a 400 page book. But less I get stuck with lightening for being prideful, I'll won't saying anything more concerning that. So yeah, this book is really interesting, Boyd goes through the Old Testament and then the New, showing how the writers of the bible had a cosmic warfare world-view. This theme throughout scripture has been played down, due to reform theology that thinks God controls everything, that all that happens is part of his sovereign plan, that even the evil, he ordains for some higher purpose; his own good pleasure and glory and Satan is just God's bull dog that does God's dirty work for him. But Boyd shows that the writers of the bible saw there was an actual cosmic war going on, with powerful free spiritual beings doing horrible things. Boyd shows scriptures that point to how God gave these angelic beings rule and authority and some fell into sin and now actively fight against and oppose the will of God. Boyd is not trying to show a dualistic view, where the devil is just as strong and powerful as God, for the bible makes it clear that God in the end will utterly defeat Satan and his demons (who are just created beings). But rather he shows that somehow or other there is an actual struggle that is happening for a time, though God will win in the end. Its kind of like how many more battles had to be fought after the Allied troops were victorious on D-Day, though this victory made the outcome of the war certain. So yeah, Jesus' victory on the cross guarantees God's victory, but still we read "satan is the god of this world" and that our fight is against "Principalities and powers". It helps to not have to wonder "Why did God allow this or that" for if we have a warfare world-view, we can exact horrible things to happen, for war is hell. There will be causalities and horrible things will happen that God never intended or wanted. But still God can walk with us, He can bring good out of situations that Satan meant for evil. And God wants us to war with him against the kingdom of Darkness. Much of Jesus' and the apostles ministry had to do with opposing and defeating the enemy. so yeah, this book is loaded with thought provoking material. I definitely liked the last half on the New Testament more the the first half, but I see Boyd needed to lay a foundation, for a lot of scholars think the Old Testament is completely lacking in a outlook that included spiritual beings and a cosmic war, and that these things developed later in Jewish thought, by other influences.

[Jacob Chrapliwy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Core Argument of God at War:

Boyd challenges what he calls the “classical philosophical (sometimes Augustinian)” view of God, a perspective that has historically dominated Christian theology but is now, he argues, losing ground. He refers to this as the “Divine Blueprint Worldview,” which assumes that every event—including evil—is part of God’s predetermined plan. In this view, God has either “orchestrated” or “allowed” these evils for some higher purpose.

Boyd directly opposes this framework, advocating instead for what he calls the “Warfare Worldview.” This perspective suggests that evil results from the abuse of free will by both human and angelic beings. Many instances of suffering and tragedy occur not because they serve a higher divine purpose but because they are the consequences of free agency in a cosmic conflict.

“The highest mediating agent of Yahweh had gone bad, abused his incredible God-given authority, taken the entire world hostage, and therefore set himself up as the illegitimate god of the present age. This spelled disaster for the cosmos.”

Boyd traces this cosmic battle’s origins through both biblical and historical sources. He highlights how the Old Testament already contains a warfare theology, where sin is understood as the result of free decisions by both human and cosmic beings. He points to figures like Leviathan, Rahab, and Behemoth as representations of cosmic forces warring against God. This concept evolved further during the intertestamental period and became central in early Christian thought.
The New Testament also affirms the presence of evil spiritual beings, referring to them as “Powers,” “Principalities,”and “Rulers.” Though the cultural language shifts from the Old to the New Testament, the underlying theme remains the same: God is at war with evil.


Jesus and the Warfare Worldview:

Boyd argues that Jesus and the early church clearly embraced this Warfare Worldview. Jesus’ healings and exorcisms were not just acts of compassion but acts of war against Satan’s kingdom:

“For Jesus and his followers, healing the sick was centrally about having authority over demons (Acts 10:8). As such, it was about defeating the kingdom of Satan.”

This perspective reframes the problem of evil in a radically different way.

The Problem of Evil: A Warfare Perspective

One of Boyd’s strongest arguments is how his Warfare Worldview reshapes the problem of evil. Rather than seeing evil as something God directly wills or permits for a greater good, Boyd maintains that much of the world’s suffering results from agents—both human and supernatural—acting contrary to God’s will.

“If, in contrast to Jesus’ approach, one believes that a good and wise divine purpose ultimately lies behind sickness, disease, and all the atrocities that make the world a nightmarish place, then one subtly shifts the problem of evil from something one has to war against to something one has to think through.”

This contrast has major theological implications. If suffering is something to be fought against, then prayer, spiritual warfare, and active resistance against evil become central to Christian practice—rather than simply accepting suffering as part of a mysterious divine plan.

This is one of my favorite arguments for “solving” the problem of evil. Boyd, in his next book “Satan and the Problem of Evil” addresses the philosophical side of embracing this worldview. He fully fleshes out the implications of the Warfare Worldview. He is just laying that groundwork in “God at War”.

Boyd acknowledges that while God can discipline His children (Heb. 12:6-11)and bring good out of evil, (Rom. 8:28) this does not mean He ordains evil. Rather, in His sovereignty, God works within the consequences of free choices—both human and demonic—to bring about redemption. Evil remains a product of rebellion, but God’s wisdom ensures it never has the final word.

The Role of Prayer in Spiritual Warfare:

Boyd emphasizes that, within the Warfare Worldview, prayer is a crucial weapon against evil. Rather than being a passive resignation to God’s will, prayer actively moves God to intervene:

“Faith-filled prayer moves God to bless, and the lack of prayer moves God to curse (2 Chron 30:18-20; Lk 18:1-8). Prayer can cause God to change his mind, saving cities that he had previously prophesied would be destroyed (Jer 18:6-10; Jon 3:7-10) and adding years to a person he had previously said would soon die (Is 38:1-8).”

Boyd even argues that the Lord’s Prayer itself assumes that God’s will is not always done on earth, as Jesus prays, “Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This suggests that while God’s will is fully realized in heaven, it faces opposition on earth.

The Cosmic Victory of Christ:

Boyd contends that Christ’s death and resurrection were not just acts of atonement but decisive victories in a cosmic war against Satan. The cross was God’s means of outsmarting the forces of darkness:

“I am referring to the prevalent early church view that in the death and resurrection of Christ, God actually outsmarted Satan and his legions with the result that they ultimately brought about their own demise.”

This cosmic dimension of salvation is crucial. Boyd warns that when salvation is reduced to an individual affair, the broader battle between God and evil is lost:

“When we view redemption theocentrically rather than anthropocentrically, however, and when we therefore see human salvation as an aspect of a universal cosmic restoration, we see both God’s glory and humanity’s redemption in the most exalted terms imaginable.”

The Implications for Christian Living:

For Boyd, embracing the Warfare Worldview fundamentally changes how Christians approach their faith. The Christian life is not primarily about passive acceptance of suffering but about actively engaging in spiritual warfare:

“In the light of all this, it comes as no surprise that one of the most frequent ways the Christian life is portrayed throughout the New Testament is that it is the life of a soldier.”

This worldview affirms that suffering, disease, and evil are not part of God’s ultimate will. Because God is sovereign, believers can trust that one day, all evil will be eradicated:

“Because sickness, disease, war, death, sorrow, and tears are not God’s will, and because God is ultimately sovereign, we can have a confident assurance that someday, when his foes are ultimately vanquished, God will end all sorrow, and every evil which causes such sorrow, and will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev 20:4).”

Final Thoughts:

I think everyone should read this book at least once. Whether you agree, disagree, or fall somewhere in between, it offers valuable insights into Old Testament history, surrounding mythologies, and early church fathers' perspectives on cosmic warfare.

This book, along with his next work Satan and the Problem of Evil, provides some of the best explanations of the problem of evil within Christianity that I’ve encountered.
Although I wouldn’t go as far as endorsing Open Theism, as Boyd does, I lean in that general direction.

Overall, a fascinating and thought-provoking read!

[Willie Krischke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greg Boyd convincingly argues his thesis in "God at War": that evil acts are not part of some mysterious Divine plan; that God does not will and control the rape of little children or the slaughter of nations, but instead battles against spiritual forces that influence world events and cause, or help, these things to happen. And he does so with impressive academic rigor; this is a book for study, not for light reading, a book for seminar classes, more than easy perusal. Boyd knows his stuff and speaks from an academic viewpoint.

The problem is, rejecting a worldview in which God controls everything raises all sorts of questions about what else is out there. Who are these spiritual forces of evil? Where do they come from? What do they want? And most importantly, how do we fight them? Boyd takes his best shot at some of these questions, but leaves others completely untouched. After reading "God at War," I have more questions than when I started. I'm not sure all of them are answerable, at least not definitively; I get the sense that the Bible is impossibly vague about these things. So I applaud Greg for writing a great book addressing a grand misconception about the sovereignty of God -- and yet, I feel like the conversation --and equipping of the saints-- regarding spiritual warfare has only just begun.

[Matt Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the data on spiritual things was indispensable, and I am glad overall that I read the book. The undergirding of open theistic theodicy got pretty annoying rather quickly, though, and showed some surprisingly wide logical gaps. For me, the latter issue really seemed to detract from an otherwise valuable book.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A theological discovery/exploration in regards to the question of evil, God's sovereignty, and the existence and nature of the spiritual powers and principalities and spiritual warfare.

The author is upfront regarding the frame of reference: whether or not all evil can be truly attributed to God's mysterious will as would be demanded by what he deems the "classical-philosophical" view of God as manifest in Augustine. He then proposes the spiritual warfare prism, as if God is constantly at odds with forces of evil and darkness and they are the ones truly responsible for the evil which takes place. He then explores both Old and New Testament passages suggesting a spiritual warfare framework and the various possibilities for spiritual forces and the like. He concludes with an explanation of how Christians could envision themselves as part of that spiritual conflict in light of some New Testament passages.

The author is quite aware of the controversial nature of much of what he has to say. He communicates well in a "discovery/journey" type context, and is willing to offer suggestions and possibilities regarding which he himself is not convinced are true. He does well at discomfiting the modern Western post-Enlightenment reader and Bible student by taking very seriously a lot of passages and ideas which are often de-emphasized or "mythologized" in some way, such as an angel being hindered by the prince of the kingdom of Persia in Daniel 10, or the psalmic odes regarding YHWH's defeat of primordial beings as reflecting actual warfare.

The author has written elsewhere regarding his open theism views; perhaps he is willing to entirely dispense with the "classical-philosophical" view of God a la Augustine, but he might well be rejecting more than he ought. The question of Hellenistic influence on good theology is quite the knotty one, and neither extreme is likely accurate in its assessments. The author also gives great weight to the consistency of narratives throughout cultures around the world; while this kind of apologetic is often used in terms of, say, the Flood, and it might well be good evidence for his claims, we do need to keep in mind the Pauline denunciation of idolatry in Romans 1:18-32 and the possibility that these stories do not represent a valid substratum of divine conflict with primordial forces of chaos.

The premise that the creation is actually much older than the Genesis 1 account and featured all sorts of primordial contests between YHWH and various beings and forces as seen in various psalms, consummated in the final defeat of the forces of chaos, allowing YHWH to "re-create" all things as good in Genesis 1, suggested by the author yet without affirmation, is at least intriguing, even if on the merits it probably cannot be fully sustained based only on what has been revealed in Scripture.

Nevertheless, while there are many questionable statements and certain arguable propositions, it's hard to resist the author's general conclusion. We have de-emphasized the spiritual warfare element of things and do not see evil as existing in any kind of systematic way. Demonology and such things are often seen as the arena of quacks and holy rollers; our faith has been very much "rationalized" thanks to the Enlightenment, and we're all quite convinced that those matters of superstition of the past have no basis in reality, but that's certainly not the picture presented in Scripture, and perhaps our theology, our faith, and our ability to understand the creation and God's purposes within it have suffered accordingly.

A work worth reading and with which to grapple and contend, if nothing else.

[Matt Escott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I thought he made a lot of relevant and helpful points, particularly around the "warfare motif" of the Bible, and in particular the New Testament, and how Jesus' death and resurrection are primarily a defeat of Satan (and so salvation, for example, is a consequence of that victory). This work references an incredible amount of sources, including primary sources, which I appreciated. The book is helpful for me in my work with marginalized youth, to frame it within a coherent theological framework.

There were a couple of weaknesses, however, in this work. I think he glossed too quickly over universalist explanations of salvation when discussing eternal punishment. I realize that isn't his focus, and he does briefly address it in a footnote, but for an issue as critical as God's final victory over evil he doesn't really address what it means that Christ will be "all in all." I also found his comparison between the freedom to obey or rebel granted to spiritual beings, and the freedom granted to humans, to be unconvincing; humanity must contend with spiritual forces that are actively working towards its downfall, and Scripture is quite clear that at least some of the sin/rebellion committed by humanity is incited by Satan and/or his forces (ie: the account of the fall). Yet no such comparable "force" is mentioned to have been at work in the fall of the heavenly beings. This is important when considering the final judgment, and particularly when one combines the fate awaiting rebellious spiritual forces with rebellious humans (ie: they both face the same punishment for the same reasons), as Boyd argues.

But my biggest critique is simply that he doesn't address the main problem raised by the warfare motif (God and Satan are engaged in a real battle, and evil that occurs on earth is a result of humans or spiritual beings working against God's will): explaining why God "loses" so often on earth. Boyd takes pains to show that God defeated Satan through Christ's death and resurrection, and that he will ultimately fully and totally defeat evil, but doesn't provide (at least that I saw) a framework for understanding the many cases where God is not victorious. If God ultimately wins, and it takes God's strength and power to defeat evil, how are we to understand that there are many instances where evil seems to triumph? Boyd talks at length about freewill as an explanation for evil, but this seems to miss the main point: if evil is so powerful only God can defeat it, why doesn't he do so more often? How does God's ultimate victory address the almost unlimited "losses" of history (all of the examples of evil freely chosen)? But perhaps these are questions he addresses in his follow up book?

[Jenny Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is there war? Why are children kidnapped, trafficked, tortured, murdered? Are they all tests and trials in some mysterious lesson that we have to figure out? Is it really all part of God’s plan?

After reading Cross Vision, also by Boyd, I contemplated that if God really is so GOOD that Satan must be incredibly evil. And if Satan is that incredibly evil, could Satan be more responsible for the evil in the world than people give him credit.

Attending an Assemblies of God high school, I was introduced to the idea of demon possession, angelic intervention, and such. Even those ideas were considered extreme by some. In reading God at War, I realized that it is Western thought that finds these angel and demon ideas unusual. In the 1800’s “enlightened” thinkers began convincing people that if there wasn’t tangible, scientific, or mathematical proof then it wasn’t real. But the western world is the only culture to embrace it. Every other culture on earth recognizes the existence of an unseen realm. In being willing to learn from these other cultures and their history, the bad in this world makes more sense. In fact, if one views our physical world as being affected and impacted by a cosmic spiritual war, then the evil in this world can be expected.

God as War is not light reading. I had to chew on it a bite at a time. Boyd does a great job of showing scriptural, cultural, and historical proof for a warfare worldview. My only point of disagreement is his view of Nephilim.

If you have asked any of the questions that I opened this review with, read this book. (Also check out my review of Cross Vision also by Boyd). Because it deals with the atrocities of war, I recommend to upper high school and above.

I bought this book and this is my honest and unbiased review.

[Lars · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written 20 years ago, and Gregory Boyd might have changed his mind on a few things, but it seems he's stuck with the overall themes of this book. Coming to it from a Seventh-Day Adventist background, I found it very refreshing.

Boyd describes how the Bible has always depicted the world as an arena for spiritual war. The Creator is at war with evil spirits who have been abusing the freedom he granted them in the beginning. This is the "great controversy" theme that I grew up with, but it still feels "new" to me when I see how Boyd manages to draw out this worldview from Scripture itself. It's not a superficial matter of a serpent becoming the Devil, it's also the Hebrew notion of great powers hiding within creation, warring with his army of angels instead of doing what they were appointed to do.

Most significantly, this book shows the meaning of Jesus and what he came to do, in his ministry and on the cross. Rather than simply please God by bearing his wrath on behalf of us, Jesus actually came to deal a death blow to God's archenemy. I've read no book that illuminates this theme more clearly than this one. Probably one of my new favourites.

[Steve Irby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished "God at War," by Gregory A. Boyd.

There are sometimes topics that get covered [poorly] by the mainstream Christian writers and totally ignored by academia. You know the books on spiritual warfare you see in Lifeway under titles that sound like they were written by your crazy aunt Sandra, like "in the name of Satan." These books deliver the scholarship one would think they do.

Boyd changed that. Totally changed that. I know I'm 20 years late in giving him props, sorry.

First off I would say all believers should read chapter 9 (30 pages) at the very least. This chapter, Christus Victor, reframes the atonement in a very scriptural and comprehensive way. But it transcends just the atonement and ties many themes together.

Second, read the rest of the book since it is basically the groundwork for "Satan and the problem of evil," since you know you're going to read that one soon too, right?

[Russell Matherly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woof. This book is a doozy. Whatever you think about some of his conclusions, you can’t argue that Boyd is a brilliant thinker and a clear expositor. The fact that this book has over 100 pages of endnotes should give us pause before we critique. The worldview which he lays out (whether you swallow it whole or not) makes so much sense of our world, past and present.

The story of Zosia was a very helpful device to keep this book grounded. It’s one thing to speculate about evil, it’s another thing entirely to come face to face with it. To that end, parts of it felt a whole lot like David Bentley Hart’s Doors of the Sea (which is also brilliant). I think this book (along with DBH’s) has made me, a card carrying Calvinist, reconsider how I talk about evil in the world, and about how I proclaim the hope that we have.

Well done, Greg Boyd! Well done! And I echo your plea at the end of the book, maranatha!

[Marion Wiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boyd deals with the problem of evil, and makes excellent arguments for the idea that creation is at spiritual war, evil vs good. He pretty much debunks the theory that God is in complete control, and whatever happens is somehow God's will, regardless of how evil it might be. If you love academia and high theology, you'll have no trouble getting through this, but it took me some doing. A slightly easier version for those of us that didn't go to seminary would be great. I mean, he uses words like "exegesis"! But in spite of all the "seminary speak", his arguments just simply make sense, much more so than the prevailing thought that there's good in everything that happens. We are at war, and we were told to occupy til He returns.

[Milton Gonzalez (Books of A.I.M.) · Rating 4 out of 5]

God at War is an elaborative thesis concerned with the biblical concept of spiritual warfare. Its aim is to establish a biblical “warfare” worldview that can ultimately serve as the underlying framework from which Western Christianity is to decipher the logical problem of evil.

Though dated, this phenomenal work continues to be relevant and can serve as an introductory to the Cosmic Conflict motif and many other relevant themes and interpretations. There is an extensive bibliography with annotations that can be seen as a treasure trove of information. It can undoubtedly assist students and researches in building up their resources.

While much of Boyd’s thesis is spot on, there are in my estimation areas where several points and/or interpretations remain questionable, if not doubtful. Readers should engage this book with a critical yet open mind.

Overall, God at War is a great book and unequivocally insightful. It is definitely worth the read.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

It is a reminder to us where the real battle is and the importance of prayer. This isn’t just to relay the question of evil in the world, but it’s influential pull in everyone’s life. When I think of the failure of Peter by denying Jesus, Jesus prayed for him. Reminding me he did that a lot. A lost spiritual discipline to say the least. The importance of it cannot be overstated. Our battle is constant and we need to be showered in prayer for our protection and to see the power of change occur.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boyd provides an overview for his argument that one of the central themes of the Bible is that of spiritual warfare. In his view, the history of the cosmos is one of the almighty Creator God, YHWH, battling against a hierarchy of beings in the spiritual realm--Satan, demons, and other powers and principalities. As a result, evil sometimes happens, not as a result of God's will, but due to the choices of free moral agents, human and otherwise.

[Drmkk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous book. As others have said even if you disagree with Boyd his treatment of issues and interpretation of important scriptures stimulates much to think about. Sometimes all we need is a new perspective to be able to see the truth. I can’t help but think how much more accessible unbelievers might be to this warfare world view than one of a good God who is all powerful given what we see when we look around.

[Jamin Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible! I was introduced to a more robust supernatural Christian ministry about a decade ago, but wasn’t aware of any good theological studies on spiritual warfare until last year. I knew this book existed back then but I didn’t realize how deep it went! As soon as I found out, I went right for it. An incredibly important read for this generation.

[Roymond · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boyd rests his case on the long-discredited "gap theory" which treats Genesis not as a beginning but as a recovery from some devastating disaster. While raising awareness of spiritual warfare is useful, he sees conflict where there is none and thus takes the Christian's eye off our actual conflict and fills it instead with speculation.

[Hannah Henkel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason I have given this book 2 stars is because it was very intellectual and difficult to read. I am educated and have a degree but it took all of my attention and focus to follow along at time. The content of this book was good and I believe it has even changed or shaped my worldview.

[JD Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the most interesting and challenging books I’ve read in awhile. A fascinating look at the warfare worldview of scripture. I’m not sure where I line up with many of Boyd’s conclusions but I’m grateful for the way I’m challenged and pushed further into the scriptural narrative by it.

[Patrick Joslyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled with what to rate this book. There is a ton of good information here. This is a book that would be worth having in your library as a resource. I just don’t think I end up at the same places as the author.
So this gets four stars as a great resource.

[Sandro Miño · Rating 4 out of 5]

Puedo que sea antiguo. Pero su planteamiento me parece muy novedoso. Me gustó bastante por varias cosas. Entre ellas, y creo que fue el tema principal, la manera de presentar una respuesta más integra al problema del mal.

[Jimmy Winfrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is very important to realize that Boyd is advocating heresy in this book. Open theism and a virtual dualism detracts greatly from this book (as heresy often does).

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe a major portion of his premise, but I'm still waiting for the author's definition of God's Sovereignty. Maybe I need to read his next book.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Boyd outlines and defends what he terms a "warfare worldview," which can be summed up in the following points:

1. God created other spiritual beings besides us (i.e. angels, demons, and Satan are real).
2. God is not a divine puppetmaster. Rather, he gave all his created spiritual beings true free will, including the ability to choose to defy him and commit evil.
3. The existence of evil is not God's will/desire. It is the consequence of choices made by created beings.
4. God is at war against evil in all that He does. Our role as Christians is not to adopt a very Zen and pious resignation when evil happens, chalking it up to a blessing in disguise that somehow fits in with a mysterious plan of God in which Horrific Event X is secretly a good thing. Rather, we are to recognize that Horrific Event X IS evil and opposed by God and join in the fight against it and other acts of evil by spreading God's light.

Now of course, this does not give a total explanation of life, the universe, and everything. Indeed, it begs several follow-up questions. Why did God create beings that could choose evil? Why doesn't God smite evil beings immediately? In fact, why doesn't he pull a Noah and just push the cosmic reset button when he sees terrible evil like the Holocaust happening? Boyd promises to address those questions at least to some extent in the companion book Satan and the Problem of Evil. I am anxious to read that one as well, as I did enjoy this book. This book, though, mainly just establishes the idea that evil things do not all happen according to God's will. If you're looking for more, you won't find it here.

I did not agree with every little point Boyd used to support his thesis, but I did agree with the overall conclusion. The book is well-researched and spoke to things that I have long felt are misunderstood in many Christian circles.

Boyd sums up thus:

"It is, I think, undeniable that the warfare worldview on one level depicts a scarier world than the providential blueprint worldview, for the simple reason that opening one's eyes to the reality of war is indeed scary. At the same time, this prospect strikes some of us as less scary than...living in a cosmos that is being coercively run by a supreme being who secretly wills the torture of little girls--'for his glory.'
"...The hope that the New Testament offers is not the hope that God has a higher, all-encompassing plan that secretly governs every event, including the evil intentions of malicious angelic and human beings, and that somehow renders these evil wills 'good' at a higher level. To my way of thinking, at least, that supposition generates a truly hopeless position. For if God's will is already being done as Zosia's eye sockets are bleeding, what have we to look forward to?...If God is already vindicated because 'the big picture' justifies Zosia's torment 'for the good of the whole,' then we really have no reason to hope that things will fare better for Zosia or ourselves in the world to come.
"In direct contrast to all this, the ultimate hope that the New Testament offers is eschatological. As sure as the Lord came the first time to defeat his cosmic enemy and our oppressor in principle, just as certainly he shall return again to defeat him in fact. Because sickness, disease, war, death, sorrow, and tears are not God's will, and because God is ultimately sovereign, we can have a confident assurance that someday, when his foes are ultimately vanquished, God will end all sorrow, and every evil which causes such sorrow, and will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 20:4). Precisely because our present suffering is not God's will...we can have assurance that it shall not always be this way." --p. 292-293

[Cayla Pruett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boyd sets out in this book, the eldest sister of two he's written on this topic, to build a theodicy on the foundation of a warfare hermeneutic. The church has drifted a long way from our early post-apostolic church fathers in the way we read and understand the Scriptures, particularly as it pertains to spiritual warfare and the cosmic battle between YHWH (the only creator & eternal God) and his Kingdom and the kingdom of darkness (full of lesser created gods and angelic beings who have rebelled against their Creator). He builds a strong case for Creational Monotheism and the implications of this for believers. He dismembers Augustine's philosophies (and by extension, Calvin's and those after him) of meticulous providence arguing for a Libertarian free will. He drills home what C.S. Lewis first said, and probably said best:

"God created things which had free will... Free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having... Of course God knew what would happen if they used their freedom the wrong way: apparently, He thought it worth the risk. (...) If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for free will- that is, for making a real world in which creatures can do real good or harm and something of real importance can happen, instead of a toy world which only moves when He pulls the strings- then we may take it it is worth paying." (From 'The Case for Christianity')

It was evident from the outset that he argues from an Open Theist position, which is of little surprise if you're going to argue for a complete, Libertarian free-will. I don't have super strong opinions about this issue myself. You could say I'm "open minded" about the idea (see what I did there?) I've read books on Open Theism and find it brings more into harmony than discord, and I'm rather comfortable sitting in the tension. But I also recognize that many find it disconcerting. Those people probably will not love this book, though of course it's healthy to challenge our embedded beliefs every once in awhile.

In my opinion, while this book is scholarly, it is plenty accessible for those with some basic & fundamental Biblical/theological knowledge (or solid Googling skills for those who don't already have an arsenal of technical theological terminology). I loved it. It challenged me a good deal to really evaluate the way I read Scripture, both Old and New Testament. I was especially challenged by the implications of what's at stake if we really weigh what Boyd has to say. Most imminently, it makes me want to reevaluate my prayer life. Great book. You should probably definitely read it.