The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament: Volume 1

Book Synopsis: The Old Testament is a fierce battleground for atheists and Christian apologists, with each side accusing the other of taking challenging and troubling passages out of context. In this handbook, Joshua Bowen not only provides the background to the Old Testament and the ancient Near East, but engages with hotly contested topics like slavery, failed prophecy, and the authorship of debated Old Testament books.

This book provides:

• Clear and straightforward explanations to complex topics.
• Direct engagement with hot-button Old Testament issues.
• Specific arguments to help you in a debate or discussion.

Whether you are looking to debate problematic Old Testament issues on social media or have a relaxed, meaningful discussion with a family member over coffee, The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament is an indispensable resource for you.

Praise for "The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume 1":

Exhibiting an enviable depth of knowledge across a wide range of texts and topics – and with more than a dollop of humor spread throughout – Bowen has written a useful and much-needed overview to some of the most significant topics in the study of the Hebrew Bible. You don’t bring a knife to a gunfight, and you shouldn’t go into a debate about the Bible without your copy of this book handy. Dr. Joel Baden, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Yale Divinity School.

This is more than a book about the Hebrew Bible. And it’s more than a book for atheists. It’s a masterclass in how to read and understand the Hebrew Bible on its own terms - and not those imposed by modern-day believers. An Atheist’s Handbook to the Old Testament digs down deep into those biblical texts so often used by fundamentalist Christians to render the Hebrew Bible a prophetic guidebook to their God - and turns their own arguments on their head. This book is essential reading for anyone who’d like the tools to excavate the Hebrew Bible for themselves with precision, skill, and intellectual integrity.

Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion, University of Exeter.

Bowen’s book reminds us that the Hebrew Bible is not precise, and the evidence is overwhelming that it wasn’t written by Moses. This assembled compilation of works from unknown authors, editors, and redactors promotes barbaric cruelty, and it contains failed prophecies and irreconcilable contradictions, such that a literal interpretation of all of it is untenable.

Aron Ra, Host of the Ra-Men Podcast, Board of Directors for American Atheists.