God Is Love: The Heart of Christian Faith

by Anthony J Kelly

Overview

"God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him" (1 John 4:16). In this famous passage, St. John expresses the heart of the Christian faith and the essence of the Christian image of God. In the same verse, he also offers a kind of summary of the Christian life: "We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us."

In God Is Love, Anthony Kelly, CSSR, takes this phrase as a concise and profound expression and unpacks it for thinking Christians today. He explores seven ideas that are necessarily implied in the love that God is-the Trinitarian terms, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the cross and resurrection as events within the paschal mystery; the church as the revelation of God's love being worked out in history; and finally, the ultimate hope for eternal life and heaven itself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814680438
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	06/01/2012
Pages:	136
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Anthony J. Kelly, CSSR,(1938-2024), was professor of theology at Australian Catholic University and deputy director of the university's Institute for Catholic Identity and Mission. He was recently made an inaugural Fellow of the Australian Catholic Theological Association and was a member of the Pontifical International Theological Commission. He had lectured and taught in Singapore, the Philippines, India, Canada, England, Ireland, and the United States. The author of many articles and books, his most recent are Experiencing God in the Gospel of John (2003, with Francis J. Moloney), Eschatology and Hope (2006), and The Resurrection Effect: Transforming Christian Life and Thought (2008).

Table of Contents

Preface: Focus and Dimensions vii

Chapter 1 Love, the Focal Point 1

Chapter 2 The Father: Love as Origin and End 10

Chapter 3 The Son: Love as Self-Giving 26

Chapter 4 The Cross: Love as Unconditional 38

Chapter 5 The Resurrection: Love as Transformative 50

Chapter 6 The Holy Spirit: Love as Communicative 64

Chapter 7 The Church: Love Formed in History 78

Chapter 8 Eternal Life: Love Consummated 95

Conclusion 110

Notes 117

Index 119

Editorial Reviews

Insightful, poetic, and challenging.
Kevin O'Neil, CSsR, Associate Professor, Systematic and Moral Theology, Washington Theological Union


In a manner soundly doctrinal, deeply spiritual, and engagingly contemplative, God Is Love penetrates beyond the ‘left’-‘right’ culture wars and beneath the surface of things into a fresh appreciation of the lavishness of God’s love. This book is truly a gift.
Bishop Richard J. Malone, ThD, STL, Chair, U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis


In God is Love, Anthony Kelly, CSsR, provides a reflection on divine Mystery, clearly and simply written, that will leave you breathless. This book should be in the hands of anyone who has faith, or who wants to have more faith.
Bill Huebsch, Director, PastoralPlanning.com, Author of Grace: God's Greatest Gift


This is a beautifully written, pastorally attuned, and gently thought-provoking book. A wide range of readers will enjoy the clear and accessible language, with minimal technical terminology, together with the lightness of touch with which Kelly treats the themes. While robustly orthodox, this creative experiment in communicating the essence of Christian faith will prove a most useful resource for adult education, faith development and introductory theology programs, inspiring its readers to freshly own, live and further explore their faith.
Professor Anne Hunt, FACE, OAM , Executive Dean, Faculty of Theology and Philosophy , Australian Catholic University

From the Publisher