Who Needs God

Fillling a need for connetion, joy and community. Rabbi Kushner shares a path to faith that offers new sources of comfort and strength for all of us. Powerful, provocative and persuasive.

When Bad Things Happen to Good People and When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough have attracted scores of people to Kushner as a spiritual counsellor and his new book promises to be another bestseller. The lack of a question mark after the title signals the rabbi's conviction: he doesn't ask, he states that we all need God. Kushner's approach is pragmatic and ecumenical rather than didactic; he believes that God hears people even when they protest divine "mishandling" of their affairs, complain or argue as clearly as they pray. Readers will be intrigued by the author's refutation of the big bangper web. theory on the world's origin, among the elemental subjects he covers. This is an inspirational book for all, no matter whether religious or skeptic. Jewish Book Club selection; BOMC alternate.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Attaining and then maintaining religious sense or persuasion is often difficult today. Our culture of individualism, self-sufficiency, and competitiveness thwarts, even nullifies spiritual inclinations, with technology a prime contender for our reverence even though it is totally "witless and unimaginative" on its own. Yet many people are vaguely aware of something lacking in their lives. Rabbi Kushner (best known for When Bad Things Happen to Good People ) believes that "human life has meaning . . . but only in religious terms." According to this crucial realization, it is religion that connects us to God and community. In the end, Rabbi Kushner goes so far as to define religion as community rather than theology--a point of contention. What, then, would be the point of his title? But mainly, he attempts to transcend differences while conveying basic spiritual truths. Recommended for general audiences. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 7/89.
- Carol J. Lichtenberg, Washington State Univ. Lib., Pullman
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.