Overview
The anthropomorphic nature of God in the Bible has been a delight to midrashists and mystics on the one hand and an outrage to philosophers and theologians on the other. Though philosophers often find the biblical image of God immoral and the attribution of human qualities offensive, the depiction of God as a real personality involved in the human situation persists in our human consciousness and theology. With scholarly passion and imaginative insight, Dr. Yochanan Muffs illuminates the ever-changing face of God and reveals our own mechanisms for preserving our faith, nourishing our souls, and ensuring that we flourish. In this compelling work, Dr. Muffs calls for a remythologising (not a demythologising) of our theology-one that allows us to delight in the personhood and mythic character of God as poetically formulated models of our own humanity.
Full Product Details
Author: Yochanan Muffs
Publisher: Jewish Lights Publishing
Imprint: Jewish Lights Publishing
Dimensions:
Width: 15.30cm
, Height: 1.50cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.340kg
ISBN: 9781580233385
ISBN 10: 1580233384
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 16 April 2009
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
Muffs's fascinating thesis--that the genius of the Jewish religion is the idea of God's 'personhood'--is skillfully executed and given its scholarly due. Readers of all faiths will find this book insightful and thought-provoking. --Elyse Goldstein, author of ReVisions: Seeing Torah through a Feminist Lens and editor of The Women's Torah Commentary and The Women's Haftarah Commentary Embraces unashamedly the ways the Bible pictures God as a person with all the traits of human psychology and even anatomy. Shows convincingly how it enriches both faith and theology, not least by liberating the readers from the stultifying literal readings of the sacred texts. --Bishop Krister Stendahl, Harvard Divinity School A priceless opportunity.... Vitality, excitement and theological imagination leap from every page. For those readers who never knew Muffs the teacher, this volume is a gift. --Dr. Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, author of The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought Biblical scholar, Jewish theologian, master teacher--all three of these personae make their appearance on every page. His vast but understated erudition is completely fused with his own passionate religiosity to make for stimulating and challenging reading. The reader will be well rewarded. --Rabbi Arthur Green, dean of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College, author of Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow Behind the academic and the philosopher is the one who loves God as Person with a burning intensity. How does he work this out so it makes sense to him and to others? Those of us who have heard 'Yochie Muffs' teach and those who, alas, have not can read The Personhood of God. The book is a blessing. --Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of First Steps to a New Jewish Spirit: Reb Zalman's Guide to Recapuring the Intimacy & Ecstasy in Your Relationship with God
Muffs's fascinating thesis that the genius of the Jewish religion is the idea of God's 'personhood is skillfully executed and given its scholarly due. Readers of all faiths will find this book insightful and thought-provoking. Elyse Goldstein, author of ReVisions: Seeing Torah through a Feminist Lens and editor of The Women s Torah Commentary and The Women s Haftarah Commentary Embraces unashamedly the ways the Bible pictures God as a person with all the traits of human psychology and even anatomy. Shows convincingly how it enriches both faith and theology, not least by liberating the readers from the stultifying literal readings of the sacred texts. Bishop Krister Stendahl, Harvard Divinity School A priceless opportunity.... Vitality, excitement and theological imagination leap from every page. For those readers who never knew Muffs the teacher, this volume is a gift. Dr. Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, author of The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought Biblical scholar, Jewish theologian, master teacher all three of these personae make their appearance on every page. His vast but understated erudition is completely fused with his own passionate religiosity to make for stimulating and challenging reading. The reader will be well rewarded. Rabbi Arthur Green, dean of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College, author of Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow Behind the academic and the philosopher is the one who loves God as Person with a burning intensity. How does he work this out so it makes sense to him and to others? Those of us who have heard 'Yochie Muffs teach and those who, alas, have not can read The Personhood of God. The book is a blessing. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of First Steps to a New Jewish Spirit: Reb Zalman s Guide to Recapuring the Intimacy & Ecstasy in Your Relationship with God
Muffs's fascinating thesis that the genius of the Jewish religion is the idea of God's 'personhood is skillfully executed and given its scholarly due. Readers of all faiths will find this book insightful and thought-provoking. Elyse Goldstein, author of ReVisions: Seeing Torah through a Feminist Lens and editor of The Women s Torah Commentary and The Women s Haftarah Commentary Embraces unashamedly the ways the Bible pictures God as a person with all the traits of human psychology and even anatomy. Shows convincingly how it enriches both faith and theology, not least by liberating the readers from the stultifying literal readings of the sacred texts. Bishop Krister Stendahl, Harvard Divinity School A priceless opportunity.... Vitality, excitement and theological imagination leap from every page. For those readers who never knew Muffs the teacher, this volume is a gift. Dr. Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, author of The Death of Death: Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought Biblical scholar, Jewish theologian, master teacher all three of these personae make their appearance on every page. His vast but understated erudition is completely fused with his own passionate religiosity to make for stimulating and challenging reading. The reader will be well rewarded. Rabbi Arthur Green, dean of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College, author of Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow Behind the academic and the philosopher is the one who loves God as Person with a burning intensity. How does he work this out so it makes sense to him and to others? Those of us who have heard 'Yochie Muffs teach and those who, alas, have not can read The Personhood of God. The book is a blessing. Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, author of First Steps to a New Jewish Spirit: Reb Zalman s Guide to Recapuring the Intimacy & Ecstasy in Your Relationship with God
Author Information
Dr. Yochanan Muffs, for more than four decades a beloved teacher at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS), holds the Distinguished Service Professorship in Bible and Religion
