The End of Divine Truthiness

In The End of Divine Truthiness, Paul Joseph Greene confronts stark realities of terrifying theologies that make a mockery out of divine love. With urgent resolve, Greene answers Martin Luther King, Jr.'s pointed challenge to overcome ""reckless and abusive . . . power without love,"" and ""sentimental and anemic . . . love without power."" Too many theologies cast God either as the tyrant whose loveless power lifts up the mighty or the victim whose powerless love sends the poor away empty. Wielding Stephen Colbert's word ""truthiness"" as a scalpel, Greene slices out one perilous theology after another to restore the wholesome truth that God is love. Supported by three world religions--Buddhism, Christianity, and Taoism--he discovers a remarkably harmonious and revolutionary divine power that is fully aligned with divine love. To reunify love and power here in the world, as King challenges, it is time to abandon ideologies of divine power that devastate divine love and promote atrocities. Greene's call for ""the end of divine truthiness"" heralds a new day for the God whose love is power and whose power is love. ""With insight, clarity, and passion, Paul Greene counters the 'truthiness' of ideas about God that sanction tyranny and oppression. Drawing on Christian, Buddhist, and Taoist sources, he seeks to resurrect a vision of the God whose powerful love empowers loving human agency. This is a timely book!"" --Lois Malcolm, Professor of Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary ""In one brilliant move--applying Stephen Colbert's concept of 'truthiness' to theology--Paul Joseph Greene jumpstarts a whole new approach to God-talk. Greene fearlessly takes on the 'bogus ""facts"" about God' that serve an imperial worldview and counters them with a concept of divine omnicaritas--the all-loving God of all. . . . Greene's book should be recommended reading for the classroom, the church, and yes, the newsroom. --Jeanyne B. Slettom, Publisher, Process Century Press ""This powerful book will speak to all people of good will who are spiritual seekers, but in a particularly pointed and poignant way to Christians who are looking to shake off the shackles of concepts and teachings that not only no longer work, but work directly against the vision of a God that literally is love."" --Trish Sullivan Vanni, Acquisitions Editor, Twenty-Third Publications Paul Joseph Greene delights in interreligious theologies, philosophy of organism, liberation ethics, social justice, Buddhism, Christianity, and monastic spiritualties. After many years teaching religion and theology on high school and college campuses across the Twin Cities, Paul is now assistant professor of theology at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He resides with the love of his life in Robbinsdale (""Birdtown""), Minnesota, where beautiful parks, lakes, friends, and family nourish his mind and heart.