The Biblical Cosmos: A Pilgrim's Guide to the Weird and Wonderful World of the Bible

by Robin Allinson Parry, Hannah Parry (Illustrations)

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of the Bible. When we read Scripture we often imagine that the world inhabited by the Bible's characters was much the same as our own. We would be wrong. The biblical world is an ancient world with a flat earth that stands at the center of the cosmos, and with a vast ocean in the sky, chaos dragons, mystical mountains, demonic deserts, an underground zone for the dead, stars that are sentient beings, and, if you travel upwards and through the doors in the solid dome of the sky, God's heaven--the heart of the universe. This book takes readers on a guided tour of the biblical cosmos with the goal of opening up the Bible in its ancient world. It then goes further and seeks to show how this very ancient biblical way of seeing the world is still revelatory and can speak God's word afresh into our own modern worlds. "A masterful exposition of the sacramental worldview of the Old Testament. . . . If you figure the Old Testament is simply incompatible with the Christian Platonism of the Christian tradition, you just may be startled by the insights of this book." --Hans Boersma, J. I. Packer Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC, Canada "Delightful. Robin Parry takes the reader on a fascinating tour of biblical cosmology and theology. If you want to enter the minds of the biblical writers, this book will guide you with wit and sound learning." --Gordon Wenham, Professor emeritus of Old Testament, University of Gloucestershire, Trinity College Bristol, Bristol, UK "Parry expertly guides us through the strange biblical world . . . and invites us to accept it as is, and to inhabit it, rather than conforming it to ours. In doing so, Parry opens up fresh ways of envisioning not only the biblical world, but Jesus, and our own Christian faith." --Peter Enns, Professor of Biblical Studies, Eastern University, St. Davids, PA "This book is a must-read for anyone serious about reading and making sense of the Bible today." --Paula Gooder, Theologian in Residence, Bible Society, UK "A fascinating survey of the cosmos as seen in holy Scripture and a helpful guide to how Christians can best understand that biblical cosmology today. Thorough, lively, and thought-provoking, I warmly recommend it." --Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia "Roaaaaarrrr!!!!" --Leviathan, mythical chaos monster "This book is simply stellar! What a fabulously helpful way to introduce the significance of the OT cosmology for today!" --Pleiades, open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus Robin A. Parry is an editor at Wipf and Stock Publishers. Hannah Parry is an archaeology student.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Religion, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction, Old Testament, Spirituality

242 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 2014

Reviews

[Josh Maddox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a GREAT introduction to the Biblical worldview. The three-tiered universe, with the grave below, humans on a flat earth, and gods above in the sky is clearly what's described in the Bible, but this is too often hidden by reading the Bible through modern eyes. Several other Christians have pointed this out (Michael Heiser and the Bible Project both come to mind), but I would recommend this book as a starting place for understanding how he people of the Ancient Near East (ANE) understood the world.

I'm not giving it five stars because I think the book veers off the rails around chapter ten. That's where the author attempts his personal reconciliation of the Biblical cosmology to reality as understood today, and there are significant issues both with the facts as he presents them (he's convinced that the ascension is critical to the entirety of the NT, I'm not), and with the arguments he makes assuming those facts (would it really have been that hard for God to explain to people in the past how the universe actually worked instead of allowing them to copy an ANE cosmology with minor alterations? If he can appear to Abraham and convince him to cut off part of his penis and kill his son, it doesn't seem like it would have been that hard to convince him that gods don't live in the sky).

Still, everything up to that point is very well done, and I would recommend this to anyone interested in the Bible, as history, literature, or especially, Holy Scripture.

[Michael Hinnen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone interested in understanding and inhabiting the biblical world.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical cosmology + Christian Platonism + reenchantment. Wonderful.

[Jamin Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In My Top 10 Books of All Time

I grabbed this book during a sale sometime ago and then didn’t crack it open for awhile. I regret that now! I’ve known enough about ancient cosmology for a bit, so the humorous cover to this book made me think that it would be a witty, low-key journey through the Biblical cosmos. Therefore, I thought I’d enjoy it for the humor and not learn too many new things.

I was wrong! This is one of those super rare books that is both witty and immensely scholarly. Parry brings deep Biblical and historical research to the table to make the Bible’s perspective of the cosmos pop in ways that nearly no one understands today.

Within 4 chapters I knew this book was going somewhere in my list of my favorite books of all time. I think it’s worth a read for everyone and it will make the Bible make so much more sense to those wanting to understand it better today.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Scripture and in the Ancient Near East (ANE), there are various motifs presented, in particular when it comes to the cosmos. The understanding of the heavens, earth, stars, the underworld (death), and even the temple are greatly important for understanding many of the patterns and principles presented in Scripture to include how best to interpret and apply the passages that speak of such things. Robin Parry’s helpful and fascinating book The Biblical Cosmos: A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Weird and Wonderful World of the Bible, walks the reader through several important concepts they might never have considered in their journey through Scripture.

Parry rightly notes a basic truth of hermeneutics, namely that of understanding the text from the point of the original author and the original audience and then looking at how to apply that understanding to our lives today. As he journeys through the world of the biblical cosmos and the Israelite and ANE understanding of such issues, Parry keeps that important foundation in mind. He presents a four part approach to looking at the biblical cosmos with part one providing an overall tour of the biblical earth, part two engaging the biblical idea of the heavens, part three looking at the temple motif, and part four discussing the question of whether we can inhabit the biblical cosmos today.

Many of the elements of the biblical cosmos that Parry discusses I submit will be quite familiar to anyone who has spent even a short amount of time reading Scripture. For instance, we are familiar with the fact that the sun, moon, and stars were created to give light and to define in part the times and seasons. We have an understanding to some degree of the importance of the temple. But beyond those basic elements of comprehension can be found a much deeper engagement of what God is presenting throughout Scripture, especially when it relates to God’s sovereignty and how these issues interact with the ANE grasp of the cosmos. The in-depth exploration of such information is where I think this book shines brightest.

For instance, the motif of the sea as being a place of great chaos is found throughout Scripture, but perhaps many have not understood what this symbolism speaks to in part. As Parry saliently notes, in the ANE understanding of creation, the gods did battle and out of that battle the universe came into being. Of course we find a much different perspective in the Genesis account of creation. It was not the gods that did battle in the chaotic sea, but rather God who created out of chaos a perfect world. We also see this motif/symbolism in Mark 6:47-53. There is an aspect of this passage that perhaps many have overlooked and that is the fact that Jesus is not described as walking on the water, but rather he is specifically noted as walking on the sea. This is a clear depiction of the deity of Jesus, especially given the fact that “Job 9:8 says that God walks about on the sea as on the ground.” Parry aptly notes “Mark uses the same word for Jesus walking about (peripateo) on the sea. Jesus is acting out the role of God in Job 9!” Thus we have Jesus demonstrating his deity by walking on the sea, a beautiful picture that can be understood by grasping what this issue of the sea is all about as it is presented throughout Scripture.

Another interesting issue Parry discusses is the Promised Land, most notably the various borders noted in Scripture for this land. Parry notes two specific accounts in Scripture that note the extent of the land God gave His people with both sets of border descriptions emphasizing a body of water as a boundary marker. At first glance this may seem as nothing more than a coincidence or a point of convenience. After all, why not just use a river or body of water as a natural border for the land. Parry notes something more significant is taking place in the use of the Jordan River and the Euphrates River respectively as borders of the land. He states “The meeting place of expanses of water and land serves as a symbolic boundary between order and the threat of chaos. The link we have already noticed between the Promised Land and creation suggests that the Land was conceived of by some as a microcosm of creation. As such water boundaries make a lot of sense and serve to reinforce that association.” Thus we have God creating a land for His people in the midst of the wilderness. This can also be observed in God bringing the people from the wilderness across a body of water into the Promised Land. Either way, as Parry so interestingly notes, the sea and/or water motif provides some beautiful symbolism in Scripture.

This was a fascinating book from which I learned much. Parry engages the biblical and ANE texts with great insight, noting to the reader some valuable truths that will serve to shed some light on a number of often overlooked aspects of Scripture. Ultimately, Parry notes the sovereignty of God in relation to the gods of the ANE word, showing how Scripture time and again reveals that everything is under God’s control to include the seas, the stars, and all created things. While the ANE cosmos presents a world of chaos, the biblical cosmos is one overseen by God to the finest detail. I highly recommend this book as it provides a valuable insight into the issue of biblical cosmology, what it meant for the original hearers and readers of Scripture and how it all continues to apply to us today.

I received this book for free from WIPF and Stock Publishers for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Steven Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This remarkable book captures much of a project I have envisioned for some time under the Images of Eden. Really does a fantastic job in the first eight chapters of owning the weirdness of the biblical cosmology. For this alone I would consider it highly recommended reading. He visits sea, land, Sheol, stars, and heaven painting the symbolism and cosmic geography of these regions.

The last part of the book got considerably more abstract and metaphysical. For me, reading C.S. Lewis’s essay on Transposition gets to the same place more succinctly. I suppose something of this nature had to be said to address the difficulty of reconciling ancient and modern cosmologies. I’ve had the advantage of meditating on this subject over several years so perhaps it would be more helpful to one newly adjusting to this view.

On the whole, I’d highly recommend.

[Douglas Fyfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant little book outlining the cosmos as understood by the first writers and readers of the Bible. It's a perfect first book for someone wanting an overview and trying to get their head around the imagery like the sea, the sky, the underworld and so on. The bibliography is arranged thematically, should one want to go deeper into, for example, sheol (pun intended).

The one thing I was wondering was whether more could be said about the development of some of these thoughts - did an ancient Israelite believe the same things about the cosmos as John of Patmos? Their views were certainly closer to one another than they are to ours, but how they were different to each other would have been interesting to flesh out a little.

Would highly recommend this wonderful and easy-to-read book.

[Ben Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great read! This book summarized the key points of a lot of what I have read this year in other books in a really concise way. I would recommend this book to just about anyone. This is such a great primer on the worldview I am developing. In fact, here is a list of books that either speak on the subjects in this book or expand on them:
1. Confessions by Augustine (Platonic worldview, and a great story!)
2. The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser
3. Who Shall Ascend the Mountain of the Lord by Michael Morales
4. The Temple and the Church's Mission by GK Beale (I haven't finished this one, but this book talks about the priests and temple being images of the cosmos)
5. For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmeman

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book for getting into the Bible’s own world. The author takes us through an unusual perspective that combines observational realities (from an earth centred perspective : sun rise/set) and symbolic understandings- (Eg the waters above the heavens are not literally beyond the stars (Gen 1:8)). All of this shows that a straight “literal” reading is rarely the right one- Scripture is more complicated . What unfolds is a much richer vision of reality that transcends the boundaries of modern scientific understanding.
Perry, I think takes too much of a lead from ANE similarities, at points, but the overall thrust is stimulating to further study.

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of information, mostly as small details. I retained very little. That's probably my fault, because it's not like the book didn't provide a big picture into which to fit all the details.

It also took me a very long time to finish this because, even though you'd think it would be quite interesting, I kind of got bored. I don't really know why. It was just something of a weird reading experience. I can't even claim that "none of this is even slightly relevant to me" because the author goes out of his way to connect all the aspects of ancient worldview he discusses to modernity. All in all, an enigma.

(Wed 20 Apr 2022 06:36:51 PM CDT)

[Dan Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ex excellent primer on ancient view points!

A great read! I have read similar books about the thought and beliefs of the ancient near east; this book was not only scholarly but entertaining as well. Read with an open mind as there is a great opportunity to change paradigms and obtain a new and fresh view of the bible.

[Jacob O'connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is better than it had any right to be. I was prepared to take my medicine to get the information, but Parry has written a fun book. In some ways it was very helpful. In other ways it was very challenging. This is not Sunday school literature, and I recommend The Biblical Cosmos to more seasoned Christians.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

at first I was a little annoyed that this book didn't give modern day explanations of things but that's not the point the author is making. roll with it and it's a good time. absolute gems in the footnotes.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful book that every Christian should read.

[Michael Light]

Eye-opening and cohesive. Brilliant explanation of often over-lookes theology for laymen.

[Claudia2013 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was not only educational but also written well and easy to digest. I highly recommend this for all those curious minds out there.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful information giving great insight on the audience of the Old Testament.

[Filip Sekkelsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Highly recommended for anyone wanting to understand the Bible and how it relates to us today. The three-tiered world of the Bible is inescapable, but how do we understand it today?

[Daniel Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. Thought it was such a helpful introduction into how the biblical authors would have conceptualized their world.

[Alan Fuller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Accurate data?

From pages 20-21 of the ebook.
"In our cosmology the sun lies at the center of the solar system and the earth orbits it. But of course, such an idea was undreamt of before Nicolaus Copernicus (1453-1543)."

* Aristarchus of Samos (c. 310 – c. 230 BC) was an ancient Greek astronomer and mathematician who presented the first known model that placed the Sun at the center of the known universe with the Earth revolving around it (see Solar system). He was influenced by Philolaus of Croton, but he identified the "central fire" with the Sun, and put the other planets in their correct order of distance around the Sun.
Aristarchus suspected the stars were other suns that are very far away, and that in consequence there was no observable parallax, that is, a movement of the stars relative to each other as the Earth moves around the Sun. The stars are much farther away than was generally assumed in ancient times; and since stellar parallax is only detectable with telescopes, his speculation although accurate was unprovable at the time.

The authors presume that the world before Copernicus held a geo-centric and usually flat earth view of the universe. In fact, the idea of geocentrism, where the center of the Earth is the exact center of the universe, did not yet exist until established by the Greek philosopher Aristotle's (384-322 BC) "On the Heavens." Though the earliest evidence of a spherical Earth comes from ancient Greek sources, there is no account of how the sphericity of the Earth was discovered.

In the ancient world the Greeks were known as borrowers rather than originators. The history of the Greek alphabet started when the Greeks borrowed the Phoenician alphabet and adapted it to their own language. The Greek alphabet originated about 800 BC.

The history of astronomy in Mesopotamia, and the world, begins with the Sumerians who developed the earliest writing system—known as cuneiform—around 3500–3200 BC. There was over 2000 years of literature before the Greeks had an alphabet of their own. The modern practice of dividing a circle into 360 degrees, of 60 minutes each hour, began with the Sumerians. The Sumerians developed a form of astronomy that had an important influence on the sophisticated astronomy of the Babylonians.

The authors look at ancient mythologies and decide that this was their literal view of the cosmos. Then they look at the Bible in the same way. Ancient religions were more philosophical and not so literal. The Bible is very similar. The Bible acknowledges how ancient wise men wrote (Prov 1:5-6).

The later chapters are largely metaphysical musings. The readers can judge for themselves.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid dome sky!

[Luke Kimery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book's look at other ancient cultures in comparison to ancient Hebraic world views. However, I found the book frustrating in that it seemed to fly through topics and not spend enough time on them.

By the end of the book, I had more questions than answers. I wouldn't necessarily consider this a bad thing, but I feel like the author could have spent more time reflecting on the content presented in the book than they chose to do.

[Casey Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fascinating. Parry does a great job at contextualizing biblical writings by comparing them to other writings and worldviews if the ancient mediterranean. He presents some interesting insights into the symbolic meanings behind the Jonah story, the revelation and other prophetic visions, and even the story of the birth of Jesus by looking at the language used reflects the ancient cosmology. There are so many layers of meaning in these texts that are lost when the stories are taken literally and without context, as if they were written today. This book helped to make sense of a lot of passages that to the modern reader seem strange, absurd, or ridiculous, but when placed in context make so much sense. Definitely a recommended read!

[Geoff Glenister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic contribution to Biblical scholarship. Here, Robin Parry carefully and meticulously examines the Biblical data to help his readers understand the mythical world of the ancients - a world where the earth is a flat circle, held up by pillars that are suspended over nothing, resting in between a sea of chaos beneath and another sea of chaos suspended above over a dome of crystal. This sea of chaos below is populated by seven headed dragons, and is the place the dead go, regardless of who they are or how they've lived. Understanding this mythical world and how different it is from ours is the first step to being intellectually honest, and to discovering what these stories symbolize.

[Steve Wiggins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book, primarily intended for non-specialists, describing the world as understood by the writers of the Bible. Full of useful information and whimsical illustrations, Parry's work will dispel the idea that the Bible can be taken literally in a world where science reveals the universe to be not quite what it seems. I enjoyed reading the book but it does get a bit theological for my tastes. For anyone who wants to look at the world the way that the ancients did, however, this is a very useful guide indeed. I wrote more about it here: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reminder of how alien the cosmology of the Bible is to us but also that understanding it can transform our experience of not only the writings themselves but also of our "modern" world.

[D. Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and I learned a lot...