None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God by Matthew Barrett begins with the affirmation of Anselm that God is “that than which none greater can be conceived.” As he writes, “At the start of this book, and throughout, we have claimed, with Anselm’s help, that God is someone than which none greater can be conceived. All attributes, we have agreed, stem from this one truth. If God is the supreme being, the being of greatest perfection, then any limitation to his being is impossible. A supreme being must be an infinite being, and an infinite being must be independent, simple, immutable, impassible, eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, all-wise, holy, and loving” (241) and jealous of His own glory (241ff).
Barrett goes through all the aforementioned attributes carefully – like a surgeon making very precise cuts and joining together every part of the body. He gives a full and holistic picture of Who God is in the Scripture.
I was impressed with the clarity and precision of his writing and how he shows the interconnectedness of the attributes – emphasizing that God is His attributes – He does not merely have them. This is a book every pastor and seminarian would profit from not merely for its explanation of the attributes, but for its devotional thrust that carefully layers upon the reader reasons to praise God and worship Him.
This book could also be used in a college setting or in an adult Bible study. And, perhaps, with high school students with a philosophical/logical background. (This book made me remember and thank God for Mr. Chapin and his “Literature and Philosophy” class that I took in high school that helped me moving forward in my studies.)
At the back of the book there is an extensive glossary, as well as endnotes, and a lengthy bibliography that one might cull for further study.
I highly recommend this book.
[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]
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