Copan delivers a solid apologetic. This book serves the church well. This book fits within other works that Copan has written nicely. Well worth the time to read.

If you want a book in your library which will help you understand some of God's actions and commands in the Bible that seem to portray a vindictive, angry bully of a God, a God who is more off-putting than attractive then this is the book for you. It isn't light reading but then the subject matter requires a more academic yet still readable approach. It will repay reading and re-reading (with a Bible at hand) whether you agree with all the author's arguments or not. It would also be worth giving to a questioning or sceptical enquirer. This book will not satisfy everyone but it will, or should, give a broader knowledge base and inspire confidence in dealing with difficult theological questions. Recommended.

Surely the preferred audience of this scholarly work is those with a degree of learning in the very disciplines of tertiary study. Theology, philosophy, apologetics, ancient history and culture, use of language – and more besides, is enough to confuse the lay reader.. However there were chapters that I did understand, and there were moments where I was captivated with how the author dealt with the opposing arguments of his critics.

The final chapter concludes with some eminent scholars conceding that the worldview of Christianity harmonizes the pieces of reality like nothing else does.

Is God a Vindictive Bully? For the average believer, I venture to suggest it is not even a sensible question, but for those who want to plumb the depths of biblical orthodoxy and the attacks upon it, Paul Copan is an able guide. Surely I will buy the book and wrestle with the content of the questions brought to our faith, if I can be prepared to meet “those who doubt” with the kindness and wisdom of Truth, the revelation of Scripture rightly divided.

Paul Copan’s “Is God a Vindictive Bully?” is must-read book when it comes to understanding God’s violent and cruel authoritarian actions (or presupposed actions) found in the biblical text. While I do not agree with everything he writes, there are few who can match Paul’s wisdom and breadth of knowledge on this matter.