Review date: March 2004
Reviewed in: Theological Book Review
This is another booklet in the Grove series and as such seeks to address in short space a significant issue in biblical studies. Bimson's task here is to address the question of Old Testament chronology. There are two discussion partners: David Rohl (A Test of Time, 1995) and Peter James, et al. (Centuries of Darkness, 1991). Both of the previous books suggest different chronologies for events of the pre-Christian era in the Near East and further afield (Rohl was particularly concerned with Egypt). Bimson has more confidence in the work of James et al, than Rohl. The conclusion is that the modern scepticism regarding the historicity of the events depicted in the Old Testament is unfounded. This is helpful, thinks Bimson, for while Christians ought not to become dependent for their faith upon the proven historical reliability of the biblical texts, where the Old Testament narrative does appear accurate this can be a help to the Christian who is 'fed up with being told that the Bible is a fairy tale' (p.6 where Bimson is quoting Rohl). There is little of real substance here, but as a brief guide to the debate (which is what it claims) it is useful.