John C. Purdy is a retired minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), which he served for 26 years as an editor of curriculum resource. He is also the author of Parables at Work (Westminster) and God with a Human Face (Westminster/Knox).
God with a Human Face was published by Westminster/John Knox in l993 and is used by permission of the author, who also prepared the text for Religion Online.
SUMMARY
(ENTIRE BOOK) Presents the life and work of Jesus, from birth to resurrection. Employing passages chosen from all four of the Gospels, it explores the idea that the human face of God is turned to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
Chapters
- Chapter 1: God is a Grown-up (Matt. 1:1-25; Luke 2:40)
God knows at first-hand the mysteries of childhood, youth, and adulthood.
- Chapter 2: God Can Take the Heat(Mark 1:9 – 11; Luke 4:1-13)
God does not turn away in the face of evil.
- Chapter 3: God is a Visionary (Luke 4:16-21)
God has a vision of a better world for all of humanity.
- Chapter 4: God Freely Forgives (Mark 2:1-12)
God freely forgives sins, which are not to be regarded as cause for illness.
- Chapter 5: God Feeds the Hungry (Mark 8:1-9)
God feeds the hungry; it would be inhuman of God to do less.
- Chapter 6: God Cares About Money (Matt 5:1-2; 6:19- 21; 24-33)
If we care about the things God cares about, God will take care of the money.
- Chapter 7: God Is a Peacemaker (Mark 4:35-41)
God works in mysterious ways to bring peace on earth.
- Chapter 8: God Allows All Prayers (Mark 11:15-18)
There are no prayers that God will not allow.
- Chapter 9: God Loves Beyond Betrayal (John 13:1-11)
God’s love runs the risk of betrayal.
- Chapter 10: God Is an Ex-Convict? (John 18-19, selected verses)
It would seem that God knows first hand what it is to be in prison.
- Chapter ll: God Undertook Death (John 19:1 6b-1 9, 31-53, 41-42)
In the crucifixion, God took death upon God’s self.
- Chapter 12: God Goes Ahead of Us (Matt.28:1-8)
God is up ahead of us, waiting for us to catch up with what God is doing.