John P. Hittinger

Untimely Christianity

Theology

“Echoes of Pascal and Claudel sound through this fresh and profound meditation on the meaning of the gospel. Edwards’s book challenges us to embark upon a more authentic search for the truth about our humanity and our plight in this world through a fresh encounter with the Bible. He takes us through the Bible as a disciple with a poet’s eye so as to discern and unpack its all-too-familiar passages through attentiveness to the poetry of its words, images, and sentence patterns. Not just the parables and psalms but most major teachings and stories show themselves to have a depth that demands a greater awareness of the art of the expression and the mystery contained therein. The chapter on the Our Father is a tour de force that shows the reader how a more careful look at the pattern and meaning of words opens up the teaching of Christ as a surprising and compelling account of human existence in relation to God. While many now speak of the ‘evangelization of culture,’ as if faith and culture were always at odds, Edwards shows that the Bible, the good news, is already an active source of human culture and a wellspring of poetry and art. Of course, numerous poets, artists, and composers have testified to this fact. Edwards’s Untimely Christianity is a reminder and a stimulus for a true cultural renewal of Christian inspiration in our day.”