God the What

Carolyn Jane Bohler was the Emma Sanborn Toussant Professor of Pastoral Theology and Counseling at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, for twenty-one years. She has served three different United Methodist churches in Southern California—in San Diego, Tustin and Redlands. She was also campus chaplain at Simpson College in Iowa and hospital chaplain intern in downtown Los Angeles and San Francisco. She is the author of six books, includingOpening to God: Guided Imagery Meditation on Scripture(published under the name Stahl) and a children's book, God Is Like a Mother Hen and Much, Much More. She is now enjoying retirement back in Dayton, where she is embracing a new role as grandmother.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. God the What?A Lively, Multidimensional FaithWhat Makes a Good Metaphor?Bringing New Meaning to Old MetaphorsMetaphor WonderingImagining New Metaphors2 God Can Do What? God's Power A Shaky Search to Understand God’s PowerAn Attitude of InquiryA Hundred Ways of WonderingPowerful OptionsTransforming Power3 God Wants What? God’s WillGod the Designer of All Events: Is What Is, Meant to Be?God the Proposer: Dare We Say No to a Proposal?God the Improviser: How Do We Creatively Respond to God’s Nod?God the Graffiti Artist: How Do We Get Clues to What God Wants?4 God Interacts How? Our Relationship with GodTwin Spiritual NeedsImplications for Human RelationshipsA Closer Look at One MetaphorConclusion: Metaphors MatterEpilogue: Personal Metaphor WonderingReflective QuestionsDiscussion Guide for GroupsNotesCreditsHebrew, Christian, and Islamic Scriptures IndexMetaphor Index

"No book can be more helpful than this one in guiding pastors and lay people to come to greater clarity about what they really believe about God. Guides us in critical reflection in a way in which all can participate. At once genuinely popular and genuinely theological."—John B. Cobb, Jr., professor emeritus, Claremont School of Theology"Titillating ... an adventure in 'metaphor wondering' and in multidimensional faith."—Rev. Dr. Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner, professor of pastoral care, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University“A treasure house of word pictures, some conventional and some outrageously original. A testimony to the inveterate need, on the part of humanity, to connect with God.”—Rabbi Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish thought, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America“Lays out the implications of our choices of metaphors for the Divine and expands our minds with practiced and practical suggestions. A must for all who wish to leave parochial worlds!”—Nancy Corcoran, CSJ, Catholic chaplain at Wellesley College; author, Secrets of Prayer: A Multifaith Guide to Creating Personal Prayer in Your Life“Scholarly and accessible … will help seminarians and seekers, professors and pastors explore new ways to talk about the Divine. Deftly compels the reader to continually nuance the mystery and complexity of our God—no matter what our faith tradition. A book we've been waiting for!”—Marsha Foster Boyd, president, Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit