The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross

Brian Zahnd. IVP, $24 (208p) ISBN 978-15140-0562-0

Nothing is more central to Christian theology than “interpreting the meaning of God as revealed in the crucified Christ,” argues pastor Zahnd (When Everything’s on Fire) in this illuminating reappraisal of the central Christian symbol. But if “all we see... is the raw data of a Galilean Jew executed by the Roman Empire under Pontius Pilate, we have failed to understand it.” Zahnd views the cross as the “place where an old world died” and “an act of redemption... opened the door to a world made new”—a “liminal space of now and not yet” that offers hope for a better world. Drawing on interlocutors including John Coltrane, Søren Kierkegaard, and Jürgen Moltmann, Zahnd’s invitation to be “drawn into a contemplative orbit around” the cross is lucid, gracious, and suffused with erudition and humility (“the only redemptive role for the soldier at the foot of the cross is to confess, ‘Truly this man was God’s son”). It’s a worthy look at a familiar emblem of Christianity. (Feb.)

centering on Jesus’s brave sacrifice of his life,” posits theologian Plantinga (Under the Wings of God) in this astute response to the perennial question, “How can I seriously thank God when the world seems so awful?” Among other aspects, gratitude involves finding “the good in a bad situation” (those with debilitating illnesses can become “exquisitely sensitive to the offsetting blessings they enjoy despite it all,” Plantinga points out) and nurturing that for which one is thankful, including one’s faith (by “pray[ing] when we don’t feel like it... we meditate on God’s Word, hoping for a ray of light”). Noting that “gratitude triggered by the memory of goodness is a classic biblical pattern,” Plantinga cites the Bible’s many exhortations for Israelites to remember God’s “mighty hand and outstretched arm” in delivering them from Egypt. While the author’s short lists of how-tos borrow mostly from traditional self-help (writing a list of things one is grateful for; imitating others’ acts of gratitude), his observations about gratitude’s nuances and complexities resonate, as when he acknowledges that it coexists with sin and pain, something often ignored in “unrelievedly cheerful” evangelical services (“How do we thank God for forgiving our sin when we won’t talk about our sin?”). This valuable meditation on an essential state of being uplifts without sugarcoating. (Feb.)