The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Theology of a Caring God

By Michael Samuel

Book Overview

Timeless and inspiring, the shepherd metaphor addresses the fundamental relationship between God and man, speaking directly to questions raised by centuries of persecution. What is the nature of suffering in a just universe? How does suffering alter our perceptions of God? Rabbi Samuel explores questions of faith that are as old as the story of Job and as modern as the Holocaust.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568219121
• ISBN13: 9781568219127
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Jason Aronson
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Challenging, spiritually healing work!

Using the shepherd imagery of Psalm 23, Michael Samuel powerfully depicts God as a shepherd who constantly cares for His sheep. The Lord Is My Shepherd: The Theology of A Caring God awoke in me afresh the truth that God is for me and with me always--both in the pits and the peaks of life--leading, guarding, guiding, providing and nurturing me through my journey on this earth. That reminder has invigorated my spiritual life and inspired me to consciously relate to others as God relates to me. This work is a must read for all who question, struggle and who seek guidance in our challenging times.

Brilliant work!

I was very intellectually stimulated and inspired by this book, and everyone of our club's readers really enjoyed reading it. If any of you have struggled with faith, this is one book you cannot afford to ignore. Although the book was written twelve years ago, the material found in it is quite excellent and current. Samuel is correct in asserting that dysfunctional images of God are the source of a lot of suffering in the world. Psalm 23 addresses the issues we all have with God's relationship with the world. One of the best parts of the book is how Samuel explains the Book of Job; equally compelling are the mediatations a number of people did on Psalm 23. This exercise ought to be tried in more congregations. I think you will enjoy "The Lord is My Shepherd: The Theology of the Caring God."

What does a shepherd do, anyway?

We live in an urban society and don't understand the shepherd mataphor. Rabbi Samuel shows us the true caring necessary in the ancient role of shepherd and applies the insights of the Psalm to our view of God. This book is meant for everyone who thinks about, or questions, the idea of a personal God. It is a scholarly work, well researched, with citations covering the historical period from Plato to the present and philosophically from the atheist to the pious believer. But don't let me scare you. It is written for the laymen, entertaining and at times, witty. If you wrestle with the concept of a caring God in the 21st century, you must read this book