God Outside the Box

Every generation needs its Christian apologists as the case against the Church and the Christian Faith changes subtly with the tides of history.

In 'God outside the Box', the Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, draws his readers into an elegantly structured presentation of the current positions of both Prosecution and Defence in the case against God. This is a brave book for a post 9/11 generation and Harries doesn't buck the hard questions, including what he calls 'the biggest of all: suffering and the God of love'.

Written for those hanging on by their fingertips in the church, it addresses people sympathetic to a spiritual view of life, who have strong values, a concern for self development but who find many of the beliefs and assumptions of the Christian faith unhelpful, even objectionable.

The writer's ability to pluck the juiciest of quotations and stories from a massive breadth of literature, ancient and modern, is truly impressive. The eloquent, sometimes ferocious,  theodical protests of the usual suspects - Louis de Bernières, A.N.Wilson, Richard Dawkins and David Starkey, to name but four - are registered. But alongside them we hear the refreshing voices of people as diverse as Nick Hornby, R. S.Thomas and Simone Weil, with Stevie Smith cited as 'someone exemplifying the theme of this book'.

'God out of the Box' is not long at 174 pages. The format is scholarly rather than popular as it skilfully contextualises scripture and the Gospel message. But if it promotes some robust apologetic thinking among Christians, causes those 'on the edge' to think again, and informs contemporary Christian preachers and communicators, it will have achieved something timely and significant.