Paradox Lost

Rediscovering the Mystery of God

by Richard P. Hansen

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org

*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Pub Date May 03 2016 | Archive Date Aug 22 2017

Zondervan Academic | Zondervan

Description

Too often the tensions and unanswerable questions of Scripture and the Christian life are seen as barriers to faith. In Paradox Lost, pastor and author Richard Hansen shows that they are exactly the opposite—indeed, God's mysteries are one of the places where we may encounter him most closely.

In exchange for Enlightenment-based rationalism that can stunt spiritual imagination, Hansen invites readers to:

Discern that there is a hiddenness to God that can be inviting rather than threatening
Appreciate that God is far greater than we sometimes assume, and to adjust our mental maps to make more space for awe
Realize that faith and reason are not enemies but rather dance partners that complement one another

Hansen examines three kinds, or “orders,” of biblical paradox, each at a deeper level than the last, demonstrating for readers that paradox is both endemic to modern life and also a natural part of the landscape of Christian faith. Paradox Lost doesn't seek to solve or justify paradox; instead, it looks through paradox toward what it reveals—namely a holy, mysterious, and awesome God.

Available Editions

EDITION	Paperback
ISBN	9780310518389
PRICE	$16.99 (USD)

Additional Information

Average rating from 5 members

Featured Reviews

Joan N, Reviewer

In this culture permeated with rational thought, we Christians might think we must understand everything, including God. I have read many books in the last few years where young pastors and theologians try to explain God to our satisfaction. What a refreshing book this one is, reminding us that God is a mystery. God is beyond our mental grasp even though He is with us. It is in the tension of paradox that Christians must live and it is a truth that has been lost.

Hansen wants us to explore biblical paradox and how it invites us to rediscover the mystery of God. How God's sovereignty and man's free will coexist is a mystery. We might refuse to think about it. We might concentrate on one truth or the other. Wrestling with this paradox ( and others) helps us gain a greater respect for the “otherness” of God, that His thoughts are so much higher than ours. He explores the paradox of the Trinity, that Jesus is fully divine and fully human, the Kingdom of God being present and not yet, God being transcendent and immanent, and many more.

“When we do not keep the high and low in constant tension, we risk accepting a caricature of God; we miss the pure note of truth heard only when the transcendent and immanent vibrate together in unison.” Living in this tension is a part of the Christian experience. It is a mystery and we are to respond in awe and wonder.

I really appreciate this book. So many preach a problem solving God, a God that can be understood. Hansen wants us to embrace the mysterious God of the Bible. He quotes St. Augustine: “If you can comprehend it, it is not God.”

Some might find that this book requires deep thinking. The questions for reflection at the end of each chapter are not light. But Jesus used paradox to capture His audience and challenge their thinking. That's what Hansen has done in this book. Reading it will help you rediscover the mysterious God of the Bible.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Richard P. Hansen has been a pastor and professor at Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He has had articles published in a number of periodicals.

Zondervan, 224 pages

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.