The God i Don't Understand by Christopher J.H. Wright (Book Review)

Title: The God i Don't Understand
Author: Christopher J.H. Wright
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Religion/Biblical Studies
Available: Now

First sentence: In practical terms, everybody has a problem with evil and suffering.

From the book flap: Why does he allow some of his children to suffer greatly and others to have lives that seem virtually pain-free? How are we supposed to respond to the baffling and appalling scale of suffering in the world? Why did God say and do things in the Bible that have then been so misunderstood in later generations and caused so much conflict, violence, and injustice?

These are real questions. And as Christians we should not be embarrassed to admit that there are many things we do not understand about God. But our non-understanding can take different forms and produce different inner reactions. There are things we don't understand about God that leave us angry or grieved, morally disturbed. Others leave us puzzled, because he seems to shoot himself in the foot by doing and saying things that have then become a stumbling block for many. Yet, there are things we don't understand about God that can also fill us with gratitude, humility, and hope.

Why did God ever consider sending his Son to die on the cross? And how does the cross, the death of one man nearly two millennia ago, have such a profound affect on us today?

When you put together all that the Bible says about the end times, how does it all fit? What does God have in store for us as history reaches its end?

This honest, thoughtful book probes beyond superficial, pop-Christianity to acknowledge the realities of life and the questions they raise. It gives profound consideration to what the Bible reveals - and does not reveal - about the character and nature of God, and about our experience of him in this desperately broken world. The God I Don't Understand points us to a genuine faith that celebrates God's goodness, acknowledges our limitations, and rejoices in the certainty of the new creation that is to come.

My review:

This book is split up into four sections: 1) Evil and suffering, 2) Canaanites and the God of the Old Testament, 3) The Cross, and 4) End of the World.

I really liked the way that this book was written. It was not preachy but logical, with Biblical references to back it up.

For each of the sections, the author states what society or non-believers think or say, and in many cases, even with what believers struggle to understand. Then he points out what the Bible says - and lastly leads us to understand how we can reconcile both parts.

I hope that it will help me in the future when I am up against those people who don't understand the suffering in the world, or why Jesus died on the cross. This was a good book!