I was honestly surprised that I rated this book so poorly. I have loved every other InterVarsity book I have read and though the title of this book is a bit shocking, it seemed like it would be right up my alley.

I have been walking through a process of letting go of the doctrines of men, deconstructing my religious tradition, and rebuilding a more authentic faith based on truth, and I have had some questions about the topics this book claims to tackle. Having gone to church since I was born, worked in multiple churches, served in various kinds of ministries, and attended Bible college, I was familiar with all of the ways Christians explain away some of the hard questions related to these topics before I picked up the book. I had come to a place in my journey where I was no longer satisfied with those explanations and I picked up this book hoping that it would offer a bit more.

Unfortunately, it ended up being a catalog of many of (what were to me) the same old narratives that try to explain away the hard passages without actually addressing or diving beneath the surface with them. I found the ideas posited therein uncompelling and insufficient as someone who is genuinely questioning some things and openly searching for alternative interpretations.

It does look like there is a newer edition of this book in circulation now (I read the 2011 version and there is a 2022 version available online now), so it is possible that I will pick up a copy of that one at some point in the future, but for now, this book was just not for me. My husband and I read it together and neither of us were satisfied with where the author went in his exploration of the different topics he chose to address. It felt trite and shallow, and that just wasn’t what we were looking for when we decided to read it. ( )

This book is really hard for me to rate, as I appreciate anyone endeavoring to explain the "difficult" passages of Scripture, however, I think the end result should be considered as well and this particular book came across as unfocused and basic. I had hoped for an in-depth look at the passages many people use these days to attack God, but most of the book is generalized information I have heard or read before. I would say this book is a decent read if you are just getting started at looking at Scripture in its proper historical context, but it would hopefully only be a jumping off point. There are several dissections of Scripture that I just did not agree with or have heard a better explanation. I also had a hard time with what seemed like an irreverent tone toward God throughout the book. I know the author was using sarcasm and humor, and I enjoyed quite a bit of it, but some of the phrasing and off-hand remarks were bothersome. Overall, I think the book will serve a purpose for many people, but others should consider reading something else if they are looking for stronger explanations to those passages. ( )

This is a good, popular level book which wrestles with the ways the God of the Hebrew bible is maligned in both popular Christianity and by its critics. Lamb produces a compelling vision of the God of love, who is not rigid, angry or sexist. He does this by wrestling with difficult texts (i.e. gang rapes and genocide). Sometimes he offers alternative readings of texts, more often he places these texts with in a wider and more generous view of the God of the Old Testament, offering a hermenuetic for reading difficult passages in the context of the whole.

Much of the information in this book is stuff that I wrestled with in several classes in seminary, but I can't always recommend my seminary texts to 'normal people' because they wouldn't read it or know what it says. This is an accessible and engaging volume which tackles many of the issues and helps ordinary readers regard the Old Testament as scripture. ( )

An excellent book for Christians and non-believers alike. Dr. Lamb's arguments are sound, his research superb, and his writing engaging and often funny. I came away with an entirely new way of thinking not only about the Old Testament God, but about Jesus as well. I am going to recommend this to my friend the minister. ( )

NCLA Review: How can we reconcile the loving God of the Old Testament with the harsh God of the New Testament? Hasn’t David Lamb in GOD BEHAVING BADLY switched the roles? If we have been taught badly, even listened badly, we could believe that God behaves badly. Lamb’s purpose is to reconcile the contradictory roles of Old Testament Yahweh with New Testament Jesus. He does this with spiritual and historical insight as he tackles those harsh stories we prefer to ignore. His style is informative, insightful, at times humorous, definitely not a dry theological thesis. It is important to discover God’s nature for this will determine how we relate to God. Chapter headings indicate how God may be considered. Is God angry or loving, sexist, racist, legalistic or gracious, distant or near? Remember the full name of God, Exodus 34:5-6, is his name in both Testaments. Lamb sees God as fascinating, never boring. You will agree as you move through the familiar stories with him. Don’t miss this book! Rating: 4 —CP ( )