The Struggle to Define God

This book about religious struggle studies four texts from postexilic Judah and applies them first to Judah and then, importantly, to modern America. Two of these texts--the books of Jonah and Job--speak out in favor of the theology of grace and against the theology of retribution, as advocated by the Jerusalem hardliners. This struggle to define God continues even today. Despite the biblical evidence--especially the example of Jesus--many Americans still believe in the God of retribution. Two other texts--the book of Ruth and the story of Rahab--demonstrate that if people reject xenophobia/nativism and misogyny, the entire community is blessed. Since xenophobia/nativism and misogyny are rampant in modern America, this message is rather timely. The last chapter argues that it is the mission of both synagogues and churches to define God correctly and then to help people overcome their resentment and prejudices and become partners with God, but that many predominantly white churches have failed in their mission, as evidenced by the fact that so many of their members voted for Donald Trump.


""The Struggle to Define God is written by one deeply immersed in key stories from the post-exilic biblical period--Ruth, Jonah, Job, and Rahab. Dr. Butterfield views these stories as exemplifying God's gracious inclusiveness, in contrast to depictions of a punishing, retributive God who justifies 'hardliner' positions that lead to xenophobia and misogyny. This accessibly written book could not be more timely!""
--Karen L. Bloomquist, theologian-at-large and author of Seeing-Remmbering-Connecting: Subversive Practices of Being Church

The Rev. Robert A. Butterfield taught in Chicago-area colleges before becoming a parish pastor in the United Church of Christ and a Presbyterian Church (USA) mission co-worker in Brazil and Portugal. Since retiring from the mission field in 2015, he has been busy writing: Making Sense of the Hebrew Bible, Wipf and Stock, 2016. His interest in textual analysis dates from graduate studies in French literature at the University of Chicago in the 1960s.