Personhood of God: Biblical Theology, Human Faith and the Divine Image - Hardcover

Yochanan Muffs

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1580232655 ISBN 13: 9781580232654

Publisher: Jewish Lights, 2005

Synopsis

A fascinating exploration of the many faces of God and what they reveal about our own humanity.

He was a whole pantheon in Himself.... He constantly appeared in many and ever-changing roles lest He be frozen and converted into the dumb idols He Himself despised. God was a polyvalent personality who, by mirroring to man His many faces, provided the models that man so needed to survive and flourish. This is the true humanity of God.
―from the Introduction

In scholarly but accessible terms, with many startling and controversial insights, renowned Bible scholar Dr. Yochanan Muffs examines the anthropomorphic evolution of the Divine Image―from creator of the cosmos to God the father, God the husband, God the king, God the "chess-player," God the ultimate master―and how these different images of God have shaped our faith and world view. Muffs also examines how expressions of divine power, divine will and divine love throughout the Bible have helped develop the contemporary human condition and our enriching dialectic between faith and doubt.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

In scholarly but accessible terms, with many startling and controversial insights, renowned Bible scholar Dr. Yochanan Muffs examines the anthropomorphic evolution of the Divine Image--from creator of the cosmos to God the father, God the husband, God the king, God the "chess-player," God the ultimate master--and how these different images of God have shaped our faith and world view. Muffs also examines how expressions of divine power, divine will and divine love throughout the Bible have helped develop the contemporary human condition and our enriching dialectic between faith and doubt.

About the Author

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 at JTS and has made major contributions in biblical studies, Semitic languages, the history of the ancient Near East and Jewish religion and thought in general. Dr. Muffs's central work has been in the understanding of biblical text through comparative philological study. His two books, Studies in the Aramaic Legal Papyri from Elephantine and Love and Joy: Law, Language and Religion in Ancient Israel are unparalleled studies in this area.

A world-renowned philosopher and social activist, Dr. David Hartman (z"l) was the founder and president emeritus of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Named after his late father, the Institute is dedicated to developing a new understanding of classical Judaism that provides moral and spiritual direction for Judaism's confrontation with modernity.

Formerly professor emeritus at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, he received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University's theological seminary in New York City. He is the author of many award-winning books, including From Defender to Critic: The Search for a New Jewish Self; The God Who Hates Lies: Confronting and Rethinking Jewish Tradition; A Heart of Many Rooms: Celebrating the Many Voices within Judaism, finalist for the National Jewish Book Award and a Publishers Weekly "Best Book of the Year"; and Love and Terror in the God Encounter: The Theological Legacy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (all Jewish Lights). His classic works A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism (Jewish Lights) and Maimonides: Torah and Philosophic Quest both were winners of the National Jewish Book Award.

About this edition

• Publisher: Jewish Lights
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1580232655
• ISBN 13: 9781580232654
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240