The Self-Shaming God Who Reconciles
A Pastoral Response to Abandonment Within the Christian Canon
- Theology
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2013
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
Trust is at the heart of healthy relationships. When trust is broken, the victim is made to feel as nothing. The Bible calls this experience of betrayal "to be shamed." When the victim names God as the betrayer, those who exercise pastoral care in the church are faced with a spiritual crisis. Pastors and those who exercise pastoral care are led through biblical study and theological reflection to insights that strengthen their role in the recovery of both the victims and the perpetrators of betrayal. Central to this recovery is the solidarity of the self-shaming God with both victim and perpetrator. At the cross, shame reaches its most intense expression as Jesus voices his abandonment by God. Centering this pivotal experience in a doctrine of the Trinity makes clear how shame defines the very core of the redemptive work of God as Father, Son, and Spirit. Through the resurrection of Jesus, God triumphs over shame, and this vindication of God's integrity is the basis for the evangelistic preaching of the early church. The Self-Shaming God Who Reconciles underscores how Scripture functions as a theological document when interpreted canonically.
Endorsements (2)
Foreword
“'Bailey fruitfully combines biblical exegesis, constructive theological reflection, and pastoral application, navigating all three disciplines with competence and ease. As a theologian, I am especially struck by his fresh insights into how shame is central to understanding the 'theodrama' of God's identification with the shamed in the crucifixion and resurrection. . . . But Bailey's focus on shame, grounded in his careful exploration of the biblical materials, gives his theological account of the crucifixion and resurrection its own distinctiveness and force, the 'theodrama' of 'the shamed God who lives beyond shame.''”
“'Drawing on his rich experience as a pastor and his expertise as a biblical scholar, Warner Bailey has written a remarkable book. The Self Shaming God Who Reconciles takes us deep into some of the most troubling dimensions of the human experience, allowing us to explore betrayal, abandonment, and shame through the lens of crucial biblical texts. . . . I know pastors, biblical scholars, theologians, and students will find this book deeply moving and richly rewarding.'”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem