Show Them No Mercy: A Response to Cowles

In my previous post, I introduced C. S. Cowles and his article, “The Case for Radical Discontinuity,” published in the book Show Them No Mercy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003). In his article (p. 14), Cowles asked the following question: “How do we harmonize the warrior God of Israel with the God of love incarnate in Jesus? How can we reconcile God’s instructions to ‘utterly destroy’ the Canaanites in the Old Testament with Jesus’ command to ‘love your enemies’ in the New Testament?”

In that post I introduced Cowles’ argument and promised to answer his question on “how to harmonize the warrior God of Israel with the God of love incarnate in Jesus.” I my post today I provide an answer to Cowles’ question. Visit my blog today and read my response to Cowles.

Here is the link: Show Them No Mercy: A Response to Cowles


My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Topics: C. S. Cowles, Genocide, Canaanites, Amalekites, Holy War, Herem, Theodicy, Joshua, Conquest

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Technorati Tags: C. S. Cowles, Genocide, Canaanites, Amalekites, Holy War, Herem, Theodicy, Joshua, Conquest

Show Them No Mercy

"When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are about to enter and occupy, and he clears away many nations before you . . . and when the LORD your God gives them over to you and you defeat them, then you must utterly destroy them . . . and show them no mercy"
(Deuteronomy 7:1-2).

In general, when people read this passage in Deuteronomy, they ask the following question: "How do we harmonize the warrior God of Israel with the God of love incarnate in Jesus? How can we reconcile God's instructions to `utterly destroy' the Canaanites in the Old Testament with Jesus' command to `love your enemies' in the New Testament?"

My post today deals with this difficult question.

Here is the link: Show Them No Mercy

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Topics: War, Violence, Holy War, Genocide, Canaanites, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Conquest


Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary



Technorati Tags: War, Violence, Holy War, Genocide, Canaanites, Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Conquest,

God’s Covenant with Abraham

When God called Abraham and told him to go to the land of Canaan, both Abraham and Sarah were old, and Sarah was barren. Abraham went because he believed God’s promise that he would become a great nation. As Abraham grew older and the promise still remained unfulfilled, Abraham began to doubt whether the promise would ever be realized and whether he would become the father of a son.

To read the rest of the article, visit my blog today.

Here is the link: God’s Covenant with Abraham

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Topics: Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Abraham, Covenant, Genesis 15, God’s Promise

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary


Technorati Tags: Hebrew Bible, Old Testament, Abraham, Covenant, Genesis 15, God’s Promise

The Biblical Doctrine of Hell

The Biblical doctrine of hell can be summarized in a few words. The Bible teaches that hell is the place of final judgment for unbelievers. The judgment of the wicked is described in the book of Revelation as a second death in a lake that burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).

Read my post on this controversial topic.

Here is the link: The Biblical Doctrine of Hell

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Topics: Hell, Sheol, Gehenna, Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes, Universalism, Annihilationism, Conditional Annihilationism

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Technorati Tags: Hell, Sheol, Gehenna, Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes, Universalism, Annihilationism, Conditional Annihilationism

Adam’s Sin: Listening To His Wife

Thomas White, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas said that Adam sinned against God because he abandoned his male leadership responsibility.

Read my post today. Here is the link: Adam’s Sin

My blog has moved to WordPress. Visit the new site of my blog, read my post today, then subscribe to my blog and receive all my posts as they are published. My new site is Dr. Mariottini.

Topics: Genesis, Adam, Eve, Thomas White, Complementarianism, Egalitarianism

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Technorati Tags: Genesis, Adam, Eve, Thomas White, Complementarianism, Egalitarianism