Bob Gardenhire

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In the spirit of full disclosure, Bob and I are good friends and have worked together at HeartPaths for twenty years, so there is not much in the book that I haven’t heard before, either in class or in conversation (a few new things, to be sure, though). What impressed me was how succinctly and cogently he gathered all these thoughts together into a coherent whole. The new “lenses” he offers for understanding the Christian God as wholly loving and gracious have grown, as he states, out of his own struggles with certain aspects of Christian dogma and doctrine. While these “lenses” may not appeal to, or may even offend more traditional Christians, I think they might be very helpful and reassuring to any who have struggled with these same issues in their own faith journeys. They have been helpful to me. The book is short, and the “lenses” not deeply developed, leaving the reader wanting a more elaborate explication at times. But it is typical of Bob to just plant the seed and leave it up to the receiver and the Holy Spirit to take it from there.

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The Rev. Bob Gardenhire helps us “see the road more clearly” by offering a map of love. We are all familiar with, and steeped in, the theology of sin. It’s easy for us to call ourselves “sinners.” The theology of Jesus dying for our sins is commonly accepted as the only understanding of Jesus’ life and work. Bob reinforces an alternate lens by reminding us of God’s pervasive and never-ending love. We sin, but likely, through God’s eyes, Bob reminds us, we are love—and can extend love to others. Thank you, Bob, for writing an accessible, understandable little book that will make a difference in my relationship with God.