« Some thoughts on Dating and Marriage | Main | Evangelical Celebrity Death Match »

May 23, 2011

Comments

ReedCarlson

Unfortunately, many Christians echo Dawkins' sentiments—though probably with less provocative language. They simply qualify this by adding something at the end about Jesus 'fixing' the Old Testament God.

This is a regrettable attitude, since it goes against the more overwhelming portrait of God in the Old Testament as a dynamic, passible, creator who feels pain, mourning, regret(!) and patience. God is consistently torn between showing limitless mercy for all or providing justice for those who need it most—and God seems self-destructively bent to err towards mercy.

Another helpful resource on this topic (though a bit older and somewhat academic) is The Suffering of God by Terence Fretheim:

http://www.amazon.com/Suffering-God-Testament-Perspective-Overtures/dp/0800615387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306169356&sr=8-1

David Lamb

Paul: Thanks for the positive review. I just ran across it now.
Reed: I like most things Fretheim has written. Don't alway agree, but usually do.

The comments to this entry are closed.