Q & R: God acting badly

Here’s the Q:

Some friends and I (all middle age guys!) are using “We make the road by walking”. It’s proving helpful as we are seeking a new way to view scripture. One issue that keeps returning is the issue of God not being violent, but apparently acting that way in the Old Testament. The Exodus story of plagues and the ultimate infanticide of the Egyptian firstborn is a case in point. You compare Herod to pharaoh and liken their crimes. How can we view this Exodus story and is this too a mix of fact and fiction?
Thankyou for your courage and insight, it gives us confidence to pursue God and not be afraid to challenge the rhetoric we are sometimes fed from evangelical circles.

Here’s the R:
As you continue reading, you’ll find a lot of help in dealing with this question, especially in Chapter 11, but also 21 and 25. You’ll also love Peter Enns’ great new book, which just came out recently: The Bible Tells Me So.