The God Who Loves and Is Loved: The Vicarious Humanity of Christ and the Response of Love

by Christian D. Kettler

Overview

Can there be a greater folly than writing a book about love? But how can we avoid that most basic of all desires and commands? Yet we are very poor lovers, as our history demonstrates. If God is love, though, can we find help in considering the love of Jesus Christ, and the love of Jesus thought of in terms of what T. F. Torrance called "the vicarious humanity of Christ"? This would mean that we realize our inability and the Son of God's ability to love on our behalf and in our place. Such a love mirrors the love of the Son for the Father in the Spirit, a love that reflects his eternal triune love. Therefore, could we have new perspectives on our relationships, the love of ourselves, of God, and the neighbor? How essential is love to being human, and what kind of love? What does it mean to "love your enemies"? What is the relationship between justice and love? And what are the fruits of love, the evidence of genuine love? Christian D. Kettler explores these issues in the context of the living reality of the vicarious humanity of Christ.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498289054
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	11/12/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	905 KB

About the Author

Christian D. Kettler is Professor of Theology and Religion at Friends University. His PhD was under Ray S. Anderson and Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Kettler preaches at the Church of the Savior and is a past president of the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship. He is the author of Reading Ray S. Anderson: Theology as Ministry, Ministry as Theology (2010) and The Breadth and Depth of the Atonement: The Vicarious Humanity of Christ in the Church, the World, and the Self (2017).


Christian D. Kettler is Professor of Theology and Religion at Friends University. He is the author of The Vicarious Humanity of Christ and the Reality of Salvation (1996) (reprint, Wipf and Stock, 2001), The God Who Believes: Faith, Doubt, and the Vicarious Humanity of Christ (2005), The God Who Rejoices: Joy, Despair, and the Vicarious Humanity of Christ (2010), and Reading Ray S. Anderson (2010.)

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Drawing upon years of research, reflection, and teaching, Chris Kettler offers us an erudite, hopeful, and timely theological reflection in a world today where we are often more aware of hate than we are of love. Scholars, pastors, and thoughtful Christians will find a rich theological feast in this new work on love.”


—Elmer Colyer, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary





“Chris Kettler has made yet another significant stride in developing the implications of the vicarious humanity of Christ, anchoring human love in the love of the Son for the Father. . . . This work is rich with ministry implications, without simplistic answers.”


—Don J. Payne, Denver Seminary





“Kettler’s signal contribution is to show how the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ’s vicarious love for God and for humanity can enrich and deepen some of the most profound reflections on the greatest mystery of life—love.”


—Gary W. Deddo, Grace Communion Seminary





“Kettler wrestles in this book with the conundrums of love from a Christological perspective. How does love relate to choice? Can self-love be true love? How are love of God and love of neighbor alike and yet unalike? What about the love of those most intimate to us? Is love essential to being human? What are the fruits of love? This is a book to be savored.”


—Thomas A. Noble, Nazarene Theological Seminary

Editorial Reviews

Drawing upon years of research, reflection, and teaching, Chris Kettler offers us an erudite, hopeful, and timely theological reflection in a world today where we are often more aware of hate than we are of love. Scholars, pastors, and thoughtful Christians will find a rich theological feast in this new work on love.”


—Elmer Colyer, University of Dubuque Theological Seminary





“Chris Kettler has made yet another significant stride in developing the implications of the vicarious humanity of Christ, anchoring human love in the love of the Son for the Father. . . . This work is rich with ministry implications, without simplistic answers.”


—Don J. Payne, Denver Seminary





“Kettler’s signal contribution is to show how the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ’s vicarious love for God and for humanity can enrich and deepen some of the most profound reflections on the greatest mystery of life—love.”


—Gary W. Deddo, Grace Communion Seminary





“Kettler wrestles in this book with the conundrums of love from a Christological perspective. How does love relate to choice? Can self-love be true love? How are love of God and love of neighbor alike and yet unalike? What about the love of those most intimate to us? Is love essential to being human? What are the fruits of love? This is a book to be savored.”


—Thomas A. Noble, Nazarene Theological Seminary

From the Publisher