Description
"My eyes were opened to text after text." Rico Tice 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. He was even called the friend of God.' (James 2.23) Abraham is the only character in the Bible to be described as 'the friend of God'. This comprehensive study by John Lennox explores why. Abraham is unquestionably one of the most outstanding and influential figures in world history. He had no political or military achievements, and he left no literary remains, yet today billions of people - more than half of the world's population - claim him as their spiritual father. Throughout the Bible, Abraham is seen as a pivotal figure in God's plan of salvation. In this richly detailed account of his life and times, John Lennox helps us to see through mists of the past to the real flesh-and-blood man, with all his strengths and weaknesses, to better appreciate all that Abraham stands for as a model of faith today.
This richly detailed account of the life and times of Abraham adds depth to our understanding of this pivotal figure in God's plan of salvation - both for us and for the whole world.
About the Author
John C. Lennox MA PhD DPhil DSc is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College. He has lectured on religion and science at many prestigious institutions around the world, and has publicly debated Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, among others. He is also the author of many books including Cosmic Chemistry, God and Stephen Hawking and Friend of God: The Inspiration of Abraham in an Age of Doubt.
Reviews
'I read everything John Lennox writes.' -- Rick Warren
'John C. Lennox is not only one of the best minds and voices promoting and defending the Christian worldview, he is also an excellent Bible teacher. Whether he's preaching on the Logos of John's Gospel, or writing about the lives of Daniel, Joseph, and now, Abraham, his spiritual insight and application for believers of all ages and backgrounds is incalculable. In a day when the deep study of Scripture is often neglected, I'm thankful that Dr Lennox has given us this new volume on Abraham, the Father of all who have faith, and the friend of God.' -- Brian Brodersen, Pastor, Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
'John Lennox - both an accomplished mathematician and a serious Christian - has blessed the world with many works showing why science and faith make good companions. Now he has blessed us with another, this time an exposition of the Abraham story in Genesis, which displays many virtues. He wants you to be sure that the stories are true, but also that they have a bearing on us today. In this well-written and thoughtful book, he keeps his eyes on the ancient settings of these tales, but also on the New Testament, traditional Jewish reflections, and modern application. In all of this he reminds me of another Oxford Cambridge academic, who likewise came from Northern Ireland, C.S. Lewis: an "amateur" in Biblical Studies, who has something to say, not only to us "professionals," but especially to the general public. I am pleased to commend this book to you.' -- C. John Collins, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary, St Louis, MO, USA
'I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Professor John Lennox's Friend of God, probably the greatest book ever written on the life of Abraham. A book with massive scholarship but with personal anecdotes, this will encourage the ordinary Christian. Friend of God is both an apologetic achievement and one that will increase the reader's own faith - and make him or her desire to be a friend of God like Abraham.' -- R. T. Kendall
'Friend of God is an insightful, profound and deeply relevant exploration of the person of Abraham. We learn what it means to be human and to have a relationship to God. Author, John Lennox, also carries these essential truths into the heart of our contemporary distress: like connecting the ancient story of the Tower of Babel to contemporary author Yuval Harari, who insists we are on the brink of creating a new kind of species who will become human gods who will live forever. I finished reading with tears of gratitude to God for how he pursues us in order to offer his indescribable gift.' -- Rebecca Manley Pippert, author, speaker, evangelist: founder of Becky Pippert Ministries
'Reformed faith has three components - evidence, meaning and action. To take each in turn, I had no idea there was so much evidence for Abraham. I think I just thought it was so long ago, one just had the precious chapters of Genesis, which were uncorroborated, but you will be staggered by the evidence for this patriarch. Again when it came to the meaning of Abraham's life, though I was familiar with the narrative and most of the 60 New Testament references, I discovered my understanding was so shallow as my eyes were opened to text after text. Lastly, of course, once the evidence and meaning have been grasped, then the difference it makes to one's living faith is quite thrilling. I shall never read Hebrews 11 verses 8 to 10 with the same mindset. We need to thank Professor Lennox for waking a sleeping giant of Scripture for us.' -- Rico Tice, All Souls and Christianity Explored
Book Information
ISBN 9780281089116
Author John C Lennox
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint SPCK Publishing
Publisher SPCK Publishing
This richly detailed account of the life and times of Abraham adds depth to our understanding of this pivotal figure in God's plan of salvation - both for us and for the whole world.
About the Author
John C. Lennox MA PhD DPhil DSc is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College. He has lectured on religion and science at many prestigious institutions around the world, and has publicly debated Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, among others. He is also the author of many books including Cosmic Chemistry, God and Stephen Hawking and Friend of God: The Inspiration of Abraham in an Age of Doubt.
Reviews
'I read everything John Lennox writes.' -- Rick Warren
'John C. Lennox is not only one of the best minds and voices promoting and defending the Christian worldview, he is also an excellent Bible teacher. Whether he's preaching on the Logos of John's Gospel, or writing about the lives of Daniel, Joseph, and now, Abraham, his spiritual insight and application for believers of all ages and backgrounds is incalculable. In a day when the deep study of Scripture is often neglected, I'm thankful that Dr Lennox has given us this new volume on Abraham, the Father of all who have faith, and the friend of God.' -- Brian Brodersen, Pastor, Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
'John Lennox - both an accomplished mathematician and a serious Christian - has blessed the world with many works showing why science and faith make good companions. Now he has blessed us with another, this time an exposition of the Abraham story in Genesis, which displays many virtues. He wants you to be sure that the stories are true, but also that they have a bearing on us today. In this well-written and thoughtful book, he keeps his eyes on the ancient settings of these tales, but also on the New Testament, traditional Jewish reflections, and modern application. In all of this he reminds me of another Oxford Cambridge academic, who likewise came from Northern Ireland, C.S. Lewis: an "amateur" in Biblical Studies, who has something to say, not only to us "professionals," but especially to the general public. I am pleased to commend this book to you.' -- C. John Collins, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary, St Louis, MO, USA
'I was not prepared for how much I would enjoy Professor John Lennox's Friend of God, probably the greatest book ever written on the life of Abraham. A book with massive scholarship but with personal anecdotes, this will encourage the ordinary Christian. Friend of God is both an apologetic achievement and one that will increase the reader's own faith - and make him or her desire to be a friend of God like Abraham.' -- R. T. Kendall
'Friend of God is an insightful, profound and deeply relevant exploration of the person of Abraham. We learn what it means to be human and to have a relationship to God. Author, John Lennox, also carries these essential truths into the heart of our contemporary distress: like connecting the ancient story of the Tower of Babel to contemporary author Yuval Harari, who insists we are on the brink of creating a new kind of species who will become human gods who will live forever. I finished reading with tears of gratitude to God for how he pursues us in order to offer his indescribable gift.' -- Rebecca Manley Pippert, author, speaker, evangelist: founder of Becky Pippert Ministries
'Reformed faith has three components - evidence, meaning and action. To take each in turn, I had no idea there was so much evidence for Abraham. I think I just thought it was so long ago, one just had the precious chapters of Genesis, which were uncorroborated, but you will be staggered by the evidence for this patriarch. Again when it came to the meaning of Abraham's life, though I was familiar with the narrative and most of the 60 New Testament references, I discovered my understanding was so shallow as my eyes were opened to text after text. Lastly, of course, once the evidence and meaning have been grasped, then the difference it makes to one's living faith is quite thrilling. I shall never read Hebrews 11 verses 8 to 10 with the same mindset. We need to thank Professor Lennox for waking a sleeping giant of Scripture for us.' -- Rico Tice, All Souls and Christianity Explored
Book Information
ISBN 9780281089116
Author John C Lennox
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint SPCK Publishing
Publisher SPCK Publishing
