A fight is brewing: How (Not) to Speak of God vs. Insurrection

As I prepare for the launch of my new book a good friend has been pushing me to do a series of podcasts. He is suggesting that the first few concentrate on How (Not) to Speak of God while the subsequent episodes offer a chapter-by-chapter discussion of the latest one. The idea appeals to me, so I have started re-reading How (Not) to Speak of God in preparation.

But in doing so I have discovered something very disturbing. I have uncovered the reality that these two siblings are squaring up for a fight; a fight over the nature of faith and the future of Church.

Interestingly both jump off from the same location and both attempt to land in the same field. But between these two points a large conflict between them exists.

In many respects this means that the best critical companion to Insurrection is Now (Not) to Speak of God and visa versa.

Part one of How (Not) to Speak of God begins with the line,

"Christian faith, it could be said, is born in the aftermath of God"

Upon hearing this Insurrection would no doubt shout out with a wholehearted "Amen" (as well as secretly wishing he had started with that line). Yet they both go on to interpret what "aftermath of God" actually means in radically divergent ways. Indeed the kernel of the two books can be seen as offering an interpretation of that phrase and its importance.

The more I listen to these rivals the more I think that it might be interesting to give some talks where they are placed side by side and allowed to slug it out.