character of God, The
Book Description
In The Character of God, Thomas E. Jenkins presents a fascinating exploration of how American Protestant theology lost its vitality by transforming the divine into something predictable and one-dimensional. Jenkins reveals that nineteenth-century theologians gradually stripped away the rich emotional complexity found in biblical portrayals of God, replacing these dynamic depictions with simplified characterizations that reflected the literary conventions of their era.
Drawing from neoclassical and sentimental storytelling traditions, these theological reformulations emphasized emotional uniformity over the multifaceted divine personality revealed in scripture. Jenkins demonstrates how this theological shift toward bland characterization ultimately drained Protestant thought of its compelling power and spiritual resonance.
The author offers an intriguing solution through examining romanticism, the literary movement that celebrated emotional depth and complexity. Jenkins argues that romantic characterization techniques actually align more closely with biblical presentations of God's nature, capturing the divine mystery and emotional richness that earlier theological approaches had abandoned.
Through careful analysis of forgotten theological works from past centuries, Jenkins uncovers surprising and sometimes startling depictions of God that challenge contemporary assumptions. He advocates for rediscovering these overlooked perspectives and recognizing the profound connections between literary expression and theological understanding.
This scholarly yet accessible work invites readers to reconsider how we conceptualize the divine character and challenges us to embrace a more complex, biblically grounded understanding of God's nature.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)
📄 Length: 272 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore God (Christianity)
- ✓ Explore History of doctrines
- ✓ Explore History
- ✓ Explore Geschichte 1800-1990
- ✓ Explore God
- ✓ Explore Attributes
- ✓ Explore Christianity and literature
- ✓ Explore Eigenschaft
