Synopsis "Behold Our God: Contemplative Theology for the Soul"
This book offers reflections on a number of theological themes, going beyond abstraction to ask what is involved in coming to know God--through all the praying, struggling, and rejoicing that entails. For speaking accurately about God cannot be done apart from beholding him. We are all too prone to forget the innocence of life's immediacy as we become weathered by the passage of time. Wonder is a fragile thing that struggles for breath amidst our everyday habits, environment, and slothfulness of vision. We require guidance to see the world's wonder, but we are given to a time that is less than hospitable to transcendental ends. This book's purpose is to inspire perpetual reconsideration of the wonder of things. Behold Our God does not relate personal experience or dogmatic confession for the sake of a certain end, but rather seeks to excite the rhapsody of God and reveal the profundity of life, anticipating the day when it shall be said, ""Behold, this is our God"" (Isa 25:9). ""Resourcing biblical, historical, and contemporary theological voices, Roberts provides a personal, engaging, and thoughtful reflection on classical topics in Christian theology for the purpose of Christian formation. The topics treated and style and voice of the prose lend to its use as a spiritual formation guide in introductory theology courses."" --Steven M. Studebaker, Associate Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton, ON, Canada ""A mini-theology that breathes life! Justin Roberts's Behold Our God is contemplative spiritual theology at its best. It achieves his aim to bridge the intersection of the 'scandalous particularity' of the revelation of God in Christ, and 'the attestation of the glories of God' which flow through creation in a way that succeeds in making them 'harmonious dancing partners.' And it is written beautifully, evoking wonder and doxology. Your spiritual formation will be deepened by this read!"" --Ross Hastings, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, BC, Canada Justin Mandela Roberts is a graduate of Regent College, Vancouver (MA), and a PhD student in Systematic Theology at McMaster Divinity College.
