There are those who say the Bible is so hopelessly patriarchal it must be abandoned. Yet this is the very reason, says John Miller, why it must be embraced. Imaging God as father is necessary for the betterment of women and children and for the very health of western civilization.
It's been ten years since Miller presented his controversial analysis of why we need to call God "father." In that time, he says, there has been only more proof of the devastating consequences of fatherlessness. Miller updates his earlier Biblical, psychological, and sociological evidence with recent findings from the social sciences. He also explicitly addresses feminist critiques of patriarchy. He shows how the Bible can foster a high culture of fathering and actually help men to shape up in their parenting responsibilities.
Miller has written a love-or-hate book, but even those who hate it will want to know what he has to say. This is fascinating reading for traditional Christians, evangelicals, and anyone concerned with family values, as well as feminists, members of women's groups, members of men's groups, and anyone teaching or learning about gender issues.
John W. Miller is professor emeritus of religious studies at Conrad Grebel College, University of Waterloo, in Ontario, Canada. He was co-founder and co-chair of the Historical Jesus Section of the Society of Biblical Literature. His books include The Origins of the Bible, Rethinking Canon History, and Jesus at Thirty: A Psychological and Historical Portrait. Dr. Miller lives in Kitchener, Ontario.
