God First Loved Us: The Challenge of Accepting Unconditional Love

by Antony F. Campbell

Freed by love We "know" that God loves us, but if we were to be at all times consciously aware of this unconditional love, to accept it, and to act upon it, says the author, we would find our lives utterly transformed. An entire shift in attitude would be demanded. Accepting God's unconditional love eliminates fear of judgment and hell, as well as eliminates emotional distance from God. This in turn demands a new motivation for "being good," motivation that comes purely from within. At once challenging and liberating, God First Loved Us leads to an inevitable change in our faith. The book revises our understanding of such matters as original sin, the kingdom of God, and Jesus' incarnation, death, and resurrection. It sheds new light on human fear, limitation, and suffering. The book also shows how God's unconditional love leads naturally to the search for social justice. The final chapter is a meditation on Christ's passion from the varying points of view of the people present. Beautifully written and deeply moving, this book is inspirational reading for all times of the year but has extra meaning during Lent. It's a perfect choice for anyone wounded by life or in some way alienated from the church. It's a provocative title for adult ed classes, and a prayerful title for seasonal or ongoing small faith groups. In addition, it's a powerful resource and personal treasure for clergy and religious, preachers, spiritual directors, retreat directors, chaplains, and religious educators. †

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Antony F. Campbell, S.J. is a Jesuit priest and Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Jesuit Theological College within the United Faculty of Theology in Parkville, Australia.

Reviews

[Clara Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book encouraged and comforted me. I loved how the author said, "Anything we can do, God can do better" - that surely if we can be kind and forgiving and find something lovable another person, God can too, even better than we can do! The example that helped me is that if I as a mother can love and forgive my child without demanding a payment or punishment first, surely God as our Father can do better! A 'demanding and punitive God' is frightening to me difficult for me to trust, because I don't find that to be fully loving. But an unconditionally loving, forgiving, kind and non-angry God is easy to be around, easy to feel safe with and easy to trust, because His Love goes ALL the way and puts my heart at rest. This book helped me to see the love of God more clearly and completely. I'm very thankful!

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Campbell really pushes his agenda, and I like the way that he does, although it is still a challenge to fully agree with/find a way for myself to accept the message.

[Katrina Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super-cool... It definitely gave me plenty to think about, not to mention being quite wonderfully optimistic.

[Mary Metias · Rating 5 out of 5]

الكتاب هو تسأولات و تأملات حول فكرة هل الله محب أم ديان