Challenging Prophetic Metaphor: Theology and Ideology in the Prophets

"The prophets of the Old Testament use a wide variety of metaphors to describe God. Some of these metaphors are familiar and soothing; others are unfamiliar and confusing. Still others portray God in ways that are difficult and uncomfortable: God as abusive husband or as neglectful father, for instance. Julia O'Brien searches the Prophetic Books for these metaphors, looking for ways that these images intersect and build off one another. When confronted with disturbing metaphors, she deals with them unflinchingly, providing a sharp critique and evaluation of their predominant interpretations. Attending to the possible uses of these metaphors in the church (for good or ill), O'Brien points us toward new ways to read these theological metaphors for a just faith today."--BOOK JACKET.

Julia M. O'Brien is Paul H. and Grace L. Stern Professor of Old Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary.