If God Is Love: Rediscovering Grace in an Ungracious World

I disagree with the author's theology of universal salvation, but wow. His message is the most revolutionary one since that of Jesus himself: there would be fewer wars, less poverty and less inequality in the world if we switched from a fear-based, saved vs. unsaved emphasis to one that mirrors God's grace. I'd never thought about how the concepts of damned/the saved, God/Satan, heaven/hell can cause people, cultures and nations to form an "us vs. them" nature. Us vs. them is the basis of racism, xenophobia, sexism, elistism, greed and more. With this nature, the emphasis is conquer and defeat, I'm right and you're wrong, I'm good and you're bad. That dualistic nature clashes with loving others unconditionally, like Christians are supposed to. The author also does a good job of dispelling the notion that more grace and less judgment would cause the world to spin into a free-for-all sin frenzy. It would be quite the opposite. When people think of God in terms of "if I'm not saved, he will send me to to hell," then any relationship they have with him is fear-based and they may or may not really care about making the world a better place. But when people instead choose to follow because they are moved by Jesus' message of love, then an authentic conversion has taken place. Being moved by love causes peoples' lives to truly change, not being moved by fear. You can definitely disagree with the author's theology and still be touched by this message. You can't hate a guy who's trying to get everybody into heaven. But while Gulley makes humble, heartfelt arguments, the theology of universalism is simply full of holes. The big point is that he forces good Christians of all stripes to re-evaluate what is driving their faith -- fear or love? That's something that everyone could use.

If I could tell God the way I hope God would be, it would be much like the way the author's speak of God in this book. (Wanting to tell God what to does not put us in bad company, many, including Abraham and Jesus did the same.) Perhaps a more important question is not what God is like but what do we hope God to be. The authors very clearly express the hope that God is Love and that Grace is True. As they also point out, their view can be as easily proof -texted in the Bible as the view that that God is a vindictive judge. Using the Bible, we can make God out to be any way we choose. The question is, "which way would we hope God to be?" How would we tell God to run God's business if we could? Noticing what the authors have to say, as well as the attitude of some of the reviewers here, those who hope to see God as gracious tend to be more gracious themselves, while those who prefer to see God as judgemental tend to be more that way themselves. Perhaps our view of God says more about us than it says of God. Those whose hope is that God is love will value this book, those who wish for God to be a vindictive judge will not.

I have just finished reading this book and I must say it is one of the best books I've ever read. These authors capture the essence of the gospel and of God. What a marvelous thing it is to simply give in to the idea that God really is love. Those who feel the Bible is inerrant and infallible will have trouble with this because it is counter to their belief system. However, those who struggle with that in the Bible and about Jesus which point to the idea that God is love, both on this side and the other side of the grave, will find welcome relief here. I feel closer to God after reading this book than I have felt in a long time. How I will finally come down on some things discussed here, I don't know, but I have been given ample food upon which to reflect. I love the flavor of this book, because it matches the flavor I feel when I pray, and even read the Bible itself. Some of the reviews suggest the thesis of this book is not amply logical and thought out. I disagree. I think this is a thoughtful presentation of ideas which is extremely compelling. I may or may not come to complete agreement with the authors on everything, but the direction and flavor of this book is right on. God is indeed love. This is stated in the Bible. We have to choose that God of the Bible or the images of another kind of God, also in the Bible. The authors choose the former, as do I, because it most parallels the life, teaching, and ministry of Jesus. His message must be the interpretative principle of God and scripture. The Christianity presented here, that of inclusive love, is the kind that can could really reach people presently turned off, and it could affect the whole world as well. While some folks take delight in wanting people to be destroyed in hell, these authors take seriously the teachings of Jesus, His acts of ministry, and the cross itself. They deduce, "God is Love" (That's in I John). If God is the "same yesterday, today, and forever", what choice do we have but to reflect seriously on the possiblity of universal salvation.

I think the vehemence of the negative reviews indicates how on-the-money this book is. The truth seems to be very scary to some people. And I can understand where they're coming from because intolerance and rigidity come very easily to me. But just because the path of love and grace is more difficult than self-righteousness and condemnation, doesn't mean we should take the intellectually easy path. We've all heard the expression "God is love." But that always seemed like sappy Seventies sentimentality to me until I read this book and came to appreciate exactly what it means. Understanding the limitless Grace God shares with us has done more to rekindle my faith than all the "fire and brimstone" sermons ever preached. My wife became pregnant shortly after 9/11 and we decided we couldn't raise a child in the church close to our house we had been attending since we moved. The sermons had become increasingly militant, judgmental and angry. Though I still personally like that pastor, and could ignore what I didn't agree with, we didn't feel a child had the same capacity to filter out the unchristian elements. My wife ended up on bed rest but I began to search for a church that focused more on the example of Christ than the dogma of generations of theologians. I tried several churches but didn't find one that seemed exactly right until my wife's sister suggested a church she had heard good things about near her house. It was almost an hour away, but I gave it a try. The minister was amazing. His messages were filled with love and humor; and the light of Christ was so evident there. It was far enough away that I couldn't attend every Sunday, but I returned as often as I could. I didn't discover for several months that the pastor also wrote books :-)

Mr. Gulley has done it again!! His latest book defines what the Christian Faith should be!! A faith of love, acceptance, nonjudgemental and above all, a Christ centered belief. He articulates what many of us "real Christians" have known for many years that Christianity cannot be defined by the far-far Christian right!! Thank you, Mr. Gulley. You have given many faithful persons a wonderful weapon against bigotry, zealotry, and all the rest of the devices used by those who have decided to be God.