Taking Leave of God (scm classics)
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"'Composed with a moving integrity and honesty, with a stress on disinterested spirituality and discipline.' John Robinson in the Times Literary Supplement 'There shines through this lucid book a passion, an integrity, an often agonising seriousness of concern, which is in refreshing contrast to the dilettantism, the sceptical frivolity, which disfigures some other popular writing on religious matters.' The Tablet"
Product Description
This is the book which first generated international celebrity and notoriety for its author, and which fire-started a debate about the supernatural claims of Christianity. Rejecting Christian doctrines and metaphysics in favour of the religious consciousness which characterises human identity, Cupitt 'takes leave' of God by abandoming objectice theism. Whatever one thinks of the author's views, and of the non-realist beliefs he has been seen to champion, Taking Leave of God remains an essential work, and one of the most controversial theological interventions of its age.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Impossible to do justice to this short book. A brilliant mind tackling a series of deep spiritual issues with penetrating insights. Challenging and disturbing but not an easy read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
In the Twilight of Your Faith.
28 July 2005
Format:Paperback
Have you come to a point in your life where you can no longer believe in God? Do you feel like you've wasted most of your life being a devout Christian, though you still believe in the Christian values of love, kindness, compassion and justice? If so, then this is the book for you.
Don Cupitt argues that one can be a spiritual Christian without buying into the supernatural claims of the Christian faith. In his brand of Christianity, "God" is a metaphor, a literary personification that embodies the very best of humanitarian ideals. To say "I believe in God" is to say, "I believe in love, compassion, justice and wisdom" - which have always been the attributes of the Christian God anyway.
Cupitt views these attributes of God as central to the Christian faith, rather than the actual existence of God himself. To be a devout Christian means to hold these values dear and to even attend church as a means of helping others.
"Taking Leave of God" is not a light read, but worth pondering!
Now for some objective criticism of "Taking Leave of God." Cupitt's book needs an index. It would be enjoyable, after reading the book as a whole, to be able to go back and find Cupitt's own fascinating spin on various subjects.
It also needs a glossary. For example, he repeatedly uses the phrase "religious requirement." The reader will be lost if he misses the vital passage where that term is defined.
Last, many will say that Cupitt fails to deal with a hallow victory. According to Cupitt, there is no God outside the human mind. Fine. God is the embodiment of human or humanitarian ideals. Fine. But what about the perennial human problem of existential angst? In other words, what about our fear of death? With no God "out there" to save us, how can we ever transcend the dread that accompanies our demise or of those we love?
For most Christians throughout history, the central message of their faith has been that of a God who can reward with salvation because he does in fact exist. "He that comes to God must first believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6).
I will still give this book a 5 star rating because it is a valiant effort to balance treasured religious ideals with the starkness of contemporary unbelief.
Don Cupitt argues that one can be a spiritual Christian without buying into the supernatural claims of the Christian faith. In his brand of Christianity, "God" is a metaphor, a literary personification that embodies the very best of humanitarian ideals. To say "I believe in God" is to say, "I believe in love, compassion, justice and wisdom" - which have always been the attributes of the Christian God anyway.
Cupitt views these attributes of God as central to the Christian faith, rather than the actual existence of God himself. To be a devout Christian means to hold these values dear and to even attend church as a means of helping others.
"Taking Leave of God" is not a light read, but worth pondering!
Now for some objective criticism of "Taking Leave of God." Cupitt's book needs an index. It would be enjoyable, after reading the book as a whole, to be able to go back and find Cupitt's own fascinating spin on various subjects.
It also needs a glossary. For example, he repeatedly uses the phrase "religious requirement." The reader will be lost if he misses the vital passage where that term is defined.
Last, many will say that Cupitt fails to deal with a hallow victory. According to Cupitt, there is no God outside the human mind. Fine. God is the embodiment of human or humanitarian ideals. Fine. But what about the perennial human problem of existential angst? In other words, what about our fear of death? With no God "out there" to save us, how can we ever transcend the dread that accompanies our demise or of those we love?
For most Christians throughout history, the central message of their faith has been that of a God who can reward with salvation because he does in fact exist. "He that comes to God must first believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6).
I will still give this book a 5 star rating because it is a valiant effort to balance treasured religious ideals with the starkness of contemporary unbelief.
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