Gerald R. McDermott (PhD, University of Iowa) is Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. Before joining Beeson, he was the Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion at Roanoke College. He is also associate pastor at Christ the King Anglican Church and Distinguished Senior Fellow in the History of Christianity at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss two of Dr. McDermott’s books: God’s Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions? and Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land.
God’s Rivals raises the question of why there are other religions—why would God permit that? The content of the book takes note of the Deuteronomy 32 worldview discussed so often on the Naked Bible Podcast – that, for biblical writers, the gods were real and allotted to the nations (and vice versa) in judgment at the Babel event (Deut 4:19-20; 17:1-3; 29:23-26; 32:8-9 [per the Dead Sea Scrolls “sons of God” reading]; 32:17). Dr. McDermott surveys early church thinkers reflections on this situation and what it meant in God’s plan of salvation.
Israel Matters discusses the diversity of opinion (positive and negative) in the believing Church toward the people, land, and state of Israel.
Books referenced:
- God’s Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions? Insights from the Bible and the Early Church
- Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently about the People and the Land
- The New Christian Zionism: Fresh Perspectives on Israel and the Land
In Episode 163 of the Naked Bible Podcast, Dr. Michael Heiser welcomes theologian Dr. Gerald McDermott for a thought-provoking conversation exploring the relationship between biblical theology, the supernatural worldview of Scripture, and world religions. Drawing from McDermott’s book God’s Rivals, the discussion centers on the Deuteronomy 32 worldview—where the gods of the nations are real spiritual entities allotted by God at Babel—and how early church fathers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen interpreted that theology in light of religious pluralism.
McDermott and Heiser discuss how these church fathers affirmed the existence of genuine spiritual knowledge outside of Israel while maintaining the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ. They highlight Paul’s theology of principalities and powers, examples like Naaman the Syrian, and Paul's use of pagan poets in Acts 17 as evidence of divine engagement beyond Israel. A related conversation emerges around Israel Matters, McDermott’s second book, where he critiques supersessionism and argues for Israel’s ongoing theological relevance in God's plan.
This episode is a rich synthesis of divine council worldview, historical theology, and nuanced soteriology—making it essential listening for anyone interested in the intersection of Scripture, other religions, and supernatural thinking in early Christian thought.
This was wonderful to listen to…. everyone could learn from the way adults act when they disagree: they hear each other out, they clarify their own position, and the clarify the other person’s position, and then they let the points of disagreement be what they are. A lost art, thanks Mike!