Charlie Trimm

Charlie Trimm loves to inspire students to recognize the beauty of the Old Testament and its relevance for the life of the church today. Having served for several years in pastoral ministry, he strives to encourage the spiritual growth of students in all his classes. He received his Ph.D. from Wheaton College in 2012, writing his dissertation on God acting as a divine warrior in the exodus. His research interests include warfare in the ancient Near East, difficult topics relating to the ethics of God in the Old Testament, Exodus, and J.R.R. Tolkien. He is also a director of Every Voice: A Center for Kingdom Diversity in Christian Theological Education.

Affiliation Faculty
Position Associate Professor
Position Chair of Old Testament

Author's books

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“YHWH Fights for Them!” The Divine Warrior in the Exodus Narrative – Hardcover

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The divine warrior is an important motif in the Old Testament, leading many to study profitably the motif in its most prominent manifestations in poetic texts. This study builds on that foundation by examining the divine warrior in detail in the exodus narrative to construct a broader picture of the motif in the Old Testament. The heart of the work focuses on the exodus narrative. Many aspects of YHWH’s actions in the narrative, such as the terminology, his nature weapons, his psychological attacks, the presence of supernatural envoys and disease, and his harmonious relationship with his people identify YHWH’s role as that of a divine warrior.

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A Cultural History of Genocide in the Ancient World

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The preamble to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide recognizes “that at all periods of history genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity”. Studies of the phenomenon of genocide have, however, tended to concentrate on the modern world. The original contributions in this volume turn the focus to the question of genocide and mass violence in the ancient world, with a particular emphasis on the worlds of Greece, Rome and the Near East. This volume presents a range of views on the challenges of applying the modern concept of “genocide” to an ancient context. It also considers the causes, motivations, and justifications of ancient mass violence, as well as contemporary responses to, and critiques of, such violence, along with how mass violence was represented and remembered in ancient literature and iconography. In addition, chapters analyse what drove the perpetrators of mass violence, and the processes of victimization, as well as the consequences of mass violence and ravaging warfare, including in particular mass enslavement and sexual violence.

Biola University Contributor:
Charlie Trimm – “Causes of Genocide”

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Fighting for the King and the Gods: A Survey of Warfare in the Ancient Near East

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Fighting for the King and the Gods provides an introduction to the topic of war and the variety of texts concerning many aspects of warfare in the ancient Near East. These texts illustrate various viewpoints of war and show how warfare was an integral part of life. Trimm examines not only the victors and the famous battles, but also the hardship that war brought to many. While several of these texts treated here are well known (i.e., Ramses II’s battle against the Hittites at Qadesh), others are known only to specialists. This work will allow a broader audience to access and appreciate these important texts as they relate to the history and ideology of warfare.

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for-us-but-not-to-us
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For Us, but Not to Us: Essays on Creation, Covenant, and Context in Honor of John H. Walton

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John H. Walton is a significant voice in Old Testament studies, who has influenced many scholars in this field as well as others. This volume is an acknowledgment from his students of Walton’s role as a teacher, scholar, and mentor. Each essay is offered by scholars (and former students) working in a range of fields—from Old and New Testament studies to archaeology and theology. They are offered as a testimony and tribute to Walton’s prolific career.”

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Righteous Indignation: Christian Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Anger

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Righteous Indignation: Christian Philosophical and Theological Perspectives on Anger explores the philosophy of Christian anger—what anger is, what it means for God to be angry, and when anger is morally appropriate. The book explores specific biblical questions, such as how God communicates his anger in the Old Testament and whether anger at one’s enemies in the imprecatory psalms is praiseworthy. In addition, some chapters focus on the practical application of anger to topics such as racial justice, criminal law, and civil discourse, and on the ideas of historical figures such as Thomas Aquinas and Jonathan Edwards. The purpose of the book is to provide multiple perspectives, examining anger from different angles, but most of all it is hoped that readers will come away with a better understanding of God’s nature and how followers of Jesus ought to relate to those who wrong them.

Biola University Contributor:
Charlie Trimm – “Praying Against Enemies: Biblical Precedents, Ethical Reflections, and Suggested Guidelines”

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The Ancient Israelite World

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This volume presents a collection of studies by international experts on various aspects of ancient Israel’s society, economy, religion, language, culture, and history, synthesizing archaeological remains and integrating them with discussions of ancient Near Eastern and biblical texts. Driven by theoretically and methodologically informed discussions of the archaeology of the Iron Age Levant, the 47 chapters in The Ancient Israelite World provide foundational, accessible, and detailed studies in their respective topics. The volume considers the history of interpretation of ancient Israel, studies on various aspects of ancient Israel’s society and history, and avenues for present and future approaches to the ancient Israelite world. Accompanied by over 150 maps and figures, it allows the reader to gain an understanding of key issues that archaeologists, historians, and biblical scholars have faced and are currently facing as they attempt to better understand ancient Israelite society. The Ancient Israelite World is an essential reference work for students and scholars of ancient Israel and its history, culture, and society, whether they are historians, archaeologists, or biblical scholars.

Biola University Contributor:
Charlie Trimm – “Warfare and Intelligence Gathering in Ancient Israel”

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The Destruction of the Canaanites: God, Genocide, and Biblical Interpretation

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When Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, he was told to destroy the Canaanites as well as their culture. Yet, how can a good God command genocide, and how are we to make sense of one of the Bible’s most difficult ethical problems? In The Destruction of the Canaanites, Charlie Trimm evaluates this topic from every conceivable angle: Who were the Canaanites, and what do we know about them? How should one understand the nature of warfare in the ancient world? When is an event considered genocide? He then provides four possible approaches to reconciling biblical violence.

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Theology and Tolkien: Constructive Theology

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The Lord of the Rings and other works of J.R.R. Tolkien have had a far-reaching impact on culture in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In print and on film, Tolkien’s works seem to be incredible epics, but religious aspects are less obvious. Yet Tolkien himself stated in his letters that the chief conflicts of his epic works were “about God, and His sole right to divine Honour,” and whether Sauron can wrest and destroy all that is good in Middle-earth. It is from this that readers awaken to the theological truths that imbue Tolkien’s works. In Theology and Tolkien: Constructive Theology, an international group of scholars consider how Tolkien’s works (and Jackson’s interpretations) can help us build better theologies for use in our world today. From essays on the music of creation in the Ainulindalë, to angels, demons, and Balrogs, to Tolkien’s theology of God, providence, evil, and love, to the eschatology of the Final Chord of the Great Music, this book invites the reader to journey through Middle-earth as the contributors engage the theology of Tolkien’s works and its impact on the world.

Biola University Contributor:
Charlie Trimm – “Gandalf, Sauron, Melian, and the Balrogs as Angels? A Study of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Maiar in the Context of Biblical Angelology”

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Understanding Old Testament Theology: Mapping the Terrain of Recent Approaches

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In Understanding Old Testament Theology, professors Brittany Kim and Charlie Trimm provide an overview of the contemporary approaches to Old Testament theology. In three main sections, they examine approaches that ground Old Testament theology in history, survey approaches that foreground Old Testament theme(s), and consider approaches that highlight different contexts for doing Old Testament theology. Each main chapter describes both common features of the approach and points of tension and then offers a test case illuminating how it has been applied to the book of Exodus. Through reading this book, you’ll hopefully come to see the Old Testament in a fresh light—as something that’s alive and active, continually drawing us into deeper encounters with the living God.

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What Can You Do with Your Bible Training?

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Employment in the field of biblical studies has changed significantly in recent years, and the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated the resulting challenges. The purpose of this anthology is to inform and inspire evangelical students and graduates of biblical studies programs about the wide variety of training-related vocational paths they can pursue, both conventional and unconventional. The book does this by listing and categorizing twenty-five relevant pathways, sharing the stories and insights of insiders within each pathway, and calling for further creativity in putting one’s biblical training to work. Each contributor shares (1) how they settled into their represented occupation, (2) the ways in which they have used their biblical training in that occupation, (3) the “joys” and “trials” of their work, and (4) advice for those who would like to follow in their footsteps. The volume stands in the tradition of several nuts-and-bolts-like resources within the guild (e.g., Nijay Gupta’s Prepare, Succeed, Advance and Ben Witherington’s Is There a Doctor in the House?), and it seeks to develop that tradition considerably.

Biola University Contributors:
Joanne J. Jung – “Administration”
Charlie Trimm – “Afterward: Reimagining Theological Education and Careers in Biblical Studies”

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