The Love That Is God: An Invitation to Christian Faith

Deacon and theology professor Bauerschmidt (The Deacon’s Ministry of the Liturgy) aims to reignite the “revolutionary notion” that God is love in this pleasant devotional work, based on a sermon he preached in Baltimore (which he includes as an epilogue). Bauerschmidt starts by contrasting the image of self-centered pagan gods with the Christian God’s existence as “the activity of loving.” He focuses on how this love is manifested in the crucifixion, because it shows not a particularly brutal death, he argues, but rather a life driven by and organized around love. Christians are invited to be friends of God, which they can only do by selflessly giving to other humans. Considering the decline of Christianity among young people, Bauerschmidt articulates a vision of “more habit, more ritual” as a way to reconnect with religious communities. Bauerschmidt draws from various eras of Catholic thought, with readings from Thomas Aquinas, Geoffrey Chaucer, Dorothy Day, and Julian of Norwich as he builds his view for a resurgence of demanding, communal love that will appeal across denominations. Christians looking to rekindle their commitments will enjoy this genial call to action. (Aug.)