God and Sex: What the Bible Really Says

Michael Coogan

Oct 2010 · Sold by Twelve

About this ebook

An examination of sex and the Bible by one of the leading biblical scholars in the United States.

For several decades, Michael Coogan's introductory course on the Old Testament has been a perennial favorite among students at Harvard University. In God and Sex, Coogan examines one of the most controversial aspects of the Hebrew Scripture: What the Old Testament really says about sex, and how contemporary understanding of those writings is frequently misunderstood or misrepresented. In the engaging and witty voice generations of students have appreciated, Coogan explores the language and social world of the Bible, showing how much innuendo and euphemism is at play, and illuminating the sexuality of biblical figures as well as God. By doing so, Coogan reveals the immense gap between popular use of Scripture and its original context. God and Sex is certain to provoke, entertain, and enlighten readers.

Ratings and reviews

First of all, before any person can attempt to interpret what the Bible "really says", they must have faith in its words. Being a so-called scholar is not enough. There are and have been hundreds of individuals who have studied the Bible through and through, but reject and doubt the very principles and truths presented. Usually, it's because of one simple fact: accepting God's word as authoritative, complete, concise, and final may mean we cannot live anyway we want to live or do any thing we want do.

About the author

Michael Coogan is Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum and Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. For several decades, he has taught an introductory course on the Hebrew Scriptures at Harvard University, as well as at Wellesley College, Boston College, and Stonehill College. One of the leading biblical scholars in the United States, he is the author of The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures and editor of the acclaimed third edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible.