A More Christlike God: A More Beautiful Gospel
What is God like? A punishing judge? A doting grandfather? A deadbeat dad? A vengeful warrior?
‘Believers’ and atheists alike typically carry and finally reject the toxic images of God in their own hearts and minds. Even the Christian gospel has repeatedly lapsed into a vision of God where the wrathful King must be appeased by his victim Son. How do such ‘good cop/bad cop’ distortions of the divine arise and come to dominate churches and cultures? Whether our notions of ‘god’ are personal projections or inherited traditions, author and theologian Brad Jersak proposes a radical reassessment, arguing for A More Christlike God: a More Beautiful Gospel. If Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the radiance of God’s glory and exact representation of God’s likeness,” what if we conceived of God as completely Christlike—the perfect Incarnation of self-giving, radically forgiving, co-suffering love? What if God has always been and forever will be ‘cruciform’ (cross-shaped) in his character and actions? A More Christlike God suggests that such a God would be very good news indeed—a God who Jesus “unwrathed” from dead religion, a Love that is always toward us, and a Grace that pours into this suffering world through willing, human partners.
A Gold Medal winner of the 2016 Illumination Book Awards
Bradley Jersak
is married to Eden Jersak and father to Stephen, Justice and Dominic. They currently live in Abbotsford, BC Canada. After serving twenty years as an ordained pastor (Bethel Mennonite Church, Aldergrove) and church planter (Fresh Wind, Abbotsford), Brad was chrismated into the Orthodox Church (OCA) and ordained, ‘Reader Irenaeus.’ After leaving the pastorate, he completed a PhD in theology at Bangor University (Wales) and some post-doc research (in kenotic theology) at the University of Nottingham. Today, Brad serves as the senior editor of Plain Truth Ministries (Pasadena) and writes for CWRm (Christianity Without the Religion Magazine). He manages the CWRblog (www.christianity-without-the-religion.blogspot.ca) and www.clarion-journal.com as well. Brad is also on the faculty of Westminster Theological Centre (Cheltenham, UK), where he teaches New Testament and Patristics. He is adjunct faculty at St. Stephen’s University (St. Stephen, New Brunswick). A More Christlike God is Brad’s tenth book (author, co-author or editor). He is also available for seminars on this topic. You can contact the author via www.ptm.org or www.bradjersak.com. Or you can email him at bradjersak@gmail.com.
By Brad Jersak
Written by editor in chief Brad Jersak. Brad is a wise and patient guide, walking us toward the beautiful gospel while never shirking the hard questions. With the keen mind of a theologian and the tender heart of a pastor, Brad knows the way beyond the ugly parodies of Christianity into the beautiful gospel of a more Christlike God. Purchase from Plain Truth Ministries for $18, which includes shipping to addresses within the United States. For Canada, please call to add postage costs. $18 in US—includes shipping (B275) Order by calling toll free 1-800-309-4466
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