God Can'T: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy Abuse and Other Evils

Hurting people ask heart-felt questions about God and suffering. Some answers they receive appeal to mystery: Gods ways are not our ways. Some answers say God allows evil for a greater purpose. Some say evil is Gods punishment.The usual answers fail. They dont support the truth God loves everyone all the time. God Cant gives a believable answer to why a good and powerful God doesnt prevent evil.Author Thomas Jay Oord says Gods love is inherently uncontrolling. God loves everyone and everything so God cant control anyone or anything. This means God cannot prevent evil singlehandedly. God cant stop evildoers whether human animal organism or inanimate objects and forces.In God Cant Oord gives a plausible reason why some are healed but many others are not. God always works to heal everyone but sometimes our bodies organisms or other creatures do not cooperate with Gods healing work. Or the conditions of creation are not right for the healing God wants to do.Some people think God causes or allows suffering to teach us lessons or build our character. God Cant disagrees. Oord says God squeezes good from the evil God didnt want in the first place. God uses pain and suffering without willing or even allowing it.Most people think God can overcome evil singlehandedly. In God Cant Oord says God needs cooperation for love to reign now and later. This leads to a better view of the afterlife he calls relentless love. It rejects traditional ideas of heaven hell and annihilation. Relentless love holds to the possibility all creatures and all creation will respond to Gods love.God Cant is written in understandable language. Thomas Jay Oords status as a world-renown theologian brings credibility to the books radical ideas. He explains these ideas through true stories illustrations and scripture. God Cant is for those who want answers to tragedy abuse and other evils that make sense!What Theyre Saying...If conventional notions of God make less and less sense to you youll find Thomas Jay Oords new book a breath of fresh air. Simply put God Cant presents an understanding of God that thoughtful ethical people can believe in. -- Brian D. McLaren author of The Great Spiritual MigrationVictims of trauma sometimes hear theological responses that imply their suffering is somehow Gods will. A more careful theological reflection on the nature of the power of a God who is love can help. Oord gives us a clear and compelling alternative in this profoundly insightful and admirably concrete and accessible book.-- Dr. Anna Case-Winters Professor of Theology at McCormick Theological SeminaryI know of no book that speaks to suffering with the depth of theological sophistication and psychological sensitivity as God Cant. This book is a rare combination of depth and accessibility truly written for the wounded. I recommend it to my students parishioners and therapy clients. -- Dr. Brad D. Strawn Professor of the Integration of Psychology and Theology Fuller Theological SeminaryTo see more endorsements and reviews go to GodCant.com