Product Description

In Your God Is Too Small, J. B. Phillips explains that the trouble facing many of us today is that we have not found a God big enough for our modern needs. In a world where our experience of life has grown in myriad directions, and our mental horizons have been expanded to the point of bewilderment by world events and scientific discoveries, our ideas of God have remained largely static. It is nearly impossible, Phillips argues, for an adult to worship the conception of God that exists in the mind of a child of Sunday-school age, the "God-in-a-box" notion, limiting God to such inadequate conceptions as "Resident Policeman," "Grand Old Man," "Meek-and-Mild," and "Managing Director." As a result of these insufficient ideas of God, many people live with an inner dissatisfaction, without any faith at all.

Your God Is Too Small explores the ways in which we can find a truly meaningful and constructive God for ourselves, big enough to account for our current experience of life and big enough to command our highest admiration and respect.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24971 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780743255097
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
ChurchmanHighly recommended for skeptics and believers alike.

About the Author
J.B. Phillips died in 1983. A canon of the Anglican church, his works include The Newborn Christian and his highly acclaimed translation The New Testament in Modern English.

Customer Reviews

A Classic, good read for the novice or the 'experienced' Christian
This book was recommended to me by a couple of folks and once I began reading I understood why: it's simple, pithy and a thoughtful read. I read it slowly so I could ponder each point of interest. I can truly say my God got bigger by the time I finished reading this book. And that's a Good Thing.

For new ideas, read an old book.
Originally published in 1952, this book is as up to date as tomorrow. For many years, I have observed the truth of the statement that we create God in our own image, resulting in an anemic deity no more wise or powerful than we are, and certainly incapable of creation, maintenance, or salvation. Phillips clearly identifies the source of the powerless god that we humans produce when we make the mistake of beginning with ourselves as a paradigm for holiness.

A Not Too Small Argument
People have knowledge of God through conscience. However, a feeling of guilt and failure may be quite false. People can be trained to feel that certain things are not done. Some people are abnormally afraid of God.

A child might think that God is an old gentleman living in heaven. Children may outgrow the meek and mild Saviour and find their heroes elsewhere. The meek and mild idea operates below the conscious level of many Christians. Thoughts and actions may be inhibited.

Phillips identifies absolute perfection as a false god. He claims the one hundred percent standard is a real menace. It is a prescription for guilt and misery. Followers of religion have found God to be their refuge and strength. It is not right to view God as party leader of a particular view. No denomination has a monopoly of God's grace. The 'outsider' sees clearly the advantages of a unified Christian front.

Another too small idea views God as a sort of managing director. We should not model God on what we know of man. To some the image of God is a blur of disappointment. Such people do not know the terms under which we inhabit the planet. It is necessary to see the immensely broad sweep of the Creator's activity. The vastness seems to depersonalize God.

Beauty and goodness and the search for truth exert an effect on man. True love and self-sacrifice have always been the most moving human attributes. Christ taught that love should go out to other people and out to God. The truth taught by Jesus is the right way to live. The purpose of life is loving God and doing his will. Christ deemed pride, self-righteousness and the exploitation of others sinful. The follower of the new way is called to spread the good news.