Finding God: Selected Responses [Paperback]

Rifat Sonsino (Author), Daniel B. Syme (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0807407984 | ISBN-13: 978-0807407981 | Edition: Revised

What is God anyway? First published in 1986, Finding God contains essays on significant Jewish thinkers attempting to answer the question looming above us all: Is there more than one way to perceive of God? How can we know God? What does God "want" from us?

As in the earlier edition of Finding God, Sonsino and Syme explore the approaches to God found in biblical texts and in the prayer book as well as those of the classical and medieval rabbis. This latest edition of Finding God includes two new essays on the distinct theologies of Abraham Joshua Heschel and Alvin Reines, as well as a chapter on newer approaches, including those of Harold Schulweis, Marcia Falk, Lawrence Kushner, and others.

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Urj Press; Revised edition (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807407984
• ISBN-13: 978-0807407981
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.9 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Theology

More About the Author

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, LLB., Ph.D.
[e-mail]
http://www2.bc.edu/~sonsino
http://rsonsino.blogspot.com


Rabbi Rifat Sonsino is the Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA. and a member of the faculty at Boston College's Theology Department.
Born in Turkey, he received his law degree from the University of Istanbul (Faculty of Law, 1959), his rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (Cincinnati, 1966) and his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1975) in the field of Bible and ancient Near Eastern Studies. In 1991 the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion bestowed upon him a D.D.

Before coming to Needham, Rabbi Sonsino served congregations in Buenos Aires, Philadelphia and Chicago.

Rabbi Sonsino has authored numerous books and articles, and has chaired various committees both regionally and nationally. He was also the editor of the CCAR Journal (1997-2001).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Variety Of Meaningful Approaches To Age-Old Questions. October 22, 2003

By Jana L. Perskie HALL OF FAMEVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Questions about God have probably existed for as long as mankind has existed. Who is God? What is God? Does God exist? How does he fit into our lives? The authors of the newly revised "Finding God: Selected Responses," Rifat Sonsino and Daniel B. Syme, objectively present a variety of approaches to the profound questions about the divine being we call God. This very readable book offers a historical review of how theologians and philosophers have viewed God, over a period of thousands of years, without pushing a single approach, or suggesting that the reader believe anything at all. This is a wonderful resource book that I originally read for a class and have reread, and passed along to others, since then.

Jewish scholars have debated the nature of God for millennia. This short book packs a lot into each chapter as the authors present over a dozen views of Jewish thinkers and teachers, including those who transcribed, or wrote the Bible, the great Rabbis quoted in Rabbinic literature, Philo, Maimonides, Luria, Spinoza, Buber, Steinberg, Kaplan, Fromm, Heschel, and Alvin Reines.

The authors wrote in their Introduction: "This is a book about God. More specifically, it is a book about ways in which Jews have spoken of God through four thousand years of Jewish history. This book will not attempt to tell you what to believe as a Jew. Rather, it will present a spectrum of theological options that have been explored and affirmed by great Jewish thinkers, ancient and modern." The authors take care to point out that in the Jewish tradition, there is no one "correct" way to think of God. "Finding God" offers a solid foundation to begin the exploration of the concepts of God.

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA, and Rabbi Daniel B. Syme, spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills, MI, wrote, "If we make it possible for one Jew to reclaim his or her Jewish spiritual identity, if we help others to begin to talk about God without ambivalence or embarrassment, if we serve as a catalyst for further study of these and other Jewish thinkers, we will consider our work worthwhile." This is an extraordinary book, beautifully written, and is most worthwhile.
JANA

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finding God in a Jewish religious and perhaps not Jewish religious way February 20, 2007

By Shalom Freedman HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

This book is a very clear exposition of various Jewish approaches to God.

It is written in a very understandable way, and provides basic principles rather than detailed commentary. It has chapters on 'God in the Bible' ' God in Rabbinic Literature' ' Philo's Spiritual Monotheism' 'The Neo- Aristotelianism of Maimonedes' ' The Pantheism of Spinoza' 'The Philosphy of Dialogue of Buber' 'The Limited Theism of Milton Steinberg' ' The Religious Naturalism of Kaplan' ' The Humanism of Erich Fromm'.

The broadness of the authors approach will however raise certain problems for traditional Jews. i.e. The pantheism of Spinoza is ordinarily considered a denial of the basic tenet of Judaism regarding the Creator being a Personal God. The religious naturalism of Kaplan speaks of a God- Idea but also is not based on the personal God concept. It is questionable whether the Humanism of Fromm is truly a religious approach.

This said there is no doubt that this work outlines in an accurate way all the positions included.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone Should Read! May 20, 2011

By Julianne

Format:Paperback

This book is a must-read for anyone in search of finding their 'God idea' within themselves. Especially good for teenagers and young adults in search of their religious/spiritual identity.