George MacDonald's Unspoken Sermons (Series I: 1867, Series II: 1885, Series III: 1889) represent a profoundly theological and literary body of work that engages deeply with the nature of God, human suffering, divine love, obedience, and the problem of evil. These sermons, though never preached orally, articulate MacDonald's theological vision with poetic sensitivity, metaphysical depth, and a striking departure from prevailing Victorian religiosity. While each sermon is independent, the three series cohere around MacDonald's overarching insistence on the primacy of God's fatherhood and the moral transformation of the human soul through loving obedience.
At the heart of MacDonald's theology is his unwavering belief in the absolute goodness and fatherhood of God. He rejects the legalistic and penal substitutionary views of the atonement dominant in his era, instead advocating a theodicy rooted in divine love and moral development. For MacDonald, salvation is not about escaping punishment but becoming like Christ. This is exemplified in sermons such as "The Consuming Fire" (Series I), where he argues that God's fire is not retributive but purgative: a burning away of sin, not sinners. Hell, in MacDonald's thought, is not a place of eternal torment but a remedial condition through which souls may yet turn to God.
A key feature of the Unspoken Sermons is MacDonald's epistemological humility and his stress on spiritual experience over doctrinal certainty. He writes not as a systematic theologian but as a Christian mystic, appealing to the conscience and affections. This places him in the tradition of thinkers like Origen, Julian of Norwich, and the German mystics. His rhetorical style is deeply lyrical and at times elliptical, requiring contemplative reading. The sermonic essays often eschew scriptural proof-texting in favor of expansive meditations on biblical themes, especially those drawn from the Gospels.
Obedience, for MacDonald, is the chief form of faith. In "Obedience" (Series II), he insists that intellectual assent to Christian doctrine is meaningless without a lived conformity to the will of God. Faith, in this sense, is not belief without evidence, but fidelity to the truth one already knows. This moral realism underpins many sermons, such as "The Truth in Jesus," where he affirms that Christ is not merely a teacher of truth but Truth embodied, and thus the pattern of all true humanity.
MacDonald's concept of divine justice is grounded in restorative love rather than retribution. In "Justice" (Series III), he provocatively declares that "there is no revenge in God," dismantling traditional notions of damnation as punitive. For MacDonald, true justice involves right-making, not merely right-measuring. His eschatology, therefore, is fundamentally hopeful, even universalist in tone, though he stops short of dogmatic universalism. His confidence lies in the character of God, whose love never ceases working upon the soul.
The Unspoken Sermons are also remarkable for their literary quality. MacDonald, best known in his time as a novelist and fantasy writer, brings a poetic sensibility to his theology. His metaphors often draw from nature, domestic life, and personal suffering. He portrays spiritual growth as a journey, sometimes arduous and obscure, but always under the eye of a loving Father. His influence on later writers is significant, particularly C. S. Lewis, who called MacDonald his "master." Lewis would adopt and develop many of MacDonald's themes, especially the rehabilitative view of hell and the centrality of moral transformation.
These sermons were countercultural in the Victorian religious landscape. At a time when Calvinistic determinism and fear-based evangelism dominated, MacDonald offered a theology of hope, moral integrity, and unrelenting divine compassion. His refusal to denounce the possibility of post-mortem repentance and his belief in a God whose punishments are acts of mercy placed him at odds with orthodox Anglican and Nonconformist theology. Yet it is precisely this divergence that has ensured his lasting spiritual influence.
In sum, the Unspoken Sermons constitute a visionary, intellectually rigorous, and spiritually profound body of theological reflection. They resist doctrinal rigidity and instead offer an invitation to the inner transformation of the soul by the indwelling Christ. The sermons call readers not to speculation but to surrender, not to fear but to love. As such, they remain enduring contributions to Christian thought, particularly for those seeking a conception of God that is both morally compelling and emotionally healing. MacDonald does not aim to persuade by argument alone but seeks to awaken the reader's conscience to the reality of a God who is "not bound by our righteousness but by his own."
1103689345
At the heart of MacDonald's theology is his unwavering belief in the absolute goodness and fatherhood of God. He rejects the legalistic and penal substitutionary views of the atonement dominant in his era, instead advocating a theodicy rooted in divine love and moral development. For MacDonald, salvation is not about escaping punishment but becoming like Christ. This is exemplified in sermons such as "The Consuming Fire" (Series I), where he argues that God's fire is not retributive but purgative: a burning away of sin, not sinners. Hell, in MacDonald's thought, is not a place of eternal torment but a remedial condition through which souls may yet turn to God.
A key feature of the Unspoken Sermons is MacDonald's epistemological humility and his stress on spiritual experience over doctrinal certainty. He writes not as a systematic theologian but as a Christian mystic, appealing to the conscience and affections. This places him in the tradition of thinkers like Origen, Julian of Norwich, and the German mystics. His rhetorical style is deeply lyrical and at times elliptical, requiring contemplative reading. The sermonic essays often eschew scriptural proof-texting in favor of expansive meditations on biblical themes, especially those drawn from the Gospels.
Obedience, for MacDonald, is the chief form of faith. In "Obedience" (Series II), he insists that intellectual assent to Christian doctrine is meaningless without a lived conformity to the will of God. Faith, in this sense, is not belief without evidence, but fidelity to the truth one already knows. This moral realism underpins many sermons, such as "The Truth in Jesus," where he affirms that Christ is not merely a teacher of truth but Truth embodied, and thus the pattern of all true humanity.
MacDonald's concept of divine justice is grounded in restorative love rather than retribution. In "Justice" (Series III), he provocatively declares that "there is no revenge in God," dismantling traditional notions of damnation as punitive. For MacDonald, true justice involves right-making, not merely right-measuring. His eschatology, therefore, is fundamentally hopeful, even universalist in tone, though he stops short of dogmatic universalism. His confidence lies in the character of God, whose love never ceases working upon the soul.
The Unspoken Sermons are also remarkable for their literary quality. MacDonald, best known in his time as a novelist and fantasy writer, brings a poetic sensibility to his theology. His metaphors often draw from nature, domestic life, and personal suffering. He portrays spiritual growth as a journey, sometimes arduous and obscure, but always under the eye of a loving Father. His influence on later writers is significant, particularly C. S. Lewis, who called MacDonald his "master." Lewis would adopt and develop many of MacDonald's themes, especially the rehabilitative view of hell and the centrality of moral transformation.
These sermons were countercultural in the Victorian religious landscape. At a time when Calvinistic determinism and fear-based evangelism dominated, MacDonald offered a theology of hope, moral integrity, and unrelenting divine compassion. His refusal to denounce the possibility of post-mortem repentance and his belief in a God whose punishments are acts of mercy placed him at odds with orthodox Anglican and Nonconformist theology. Yet it is precisely this divergence that has ensured his lasting spiritual influence.
In sum, the Unspoken Sermons constitute a visionary, intellectually rigorous, and spiritually profound body of theological reflection. They resist doctrinal rigidity and instead offer an invitation to the inner transformation of the soul by the indwelling Christ. The sermons call readers not to speculation but to surrender, not to fear but to love. As such, they remain enduring contributions to Christian thought, particularly for those seeking a conception of God that is both morally compelling and emotionally healing. MacDonald does not aim to persuade by argument alone but seeks to awaken the reader's conscience to the reality of a God who is "not bound by our righteousness but by his own."
Unspoken Sermons, Series I., II., and III.
George MacDonald's Unspoken Sermons (Series I: 1867, Series II: 1885, Series III: 1889) represent a profoundly theological and literary body of work that engages deeply with the nature of God, human suffering, divine love, obedience, and the problem of evil. These sermons, though never preached orally, articulate MacDonald's theological vision with poetic sensitivity, metaphysical depth, and a striking departure from prevailing Victorian religiosity. While each sermon is independent, the three series cohere around MacDonald's overarching insistence on the primacy of God's fatherhood and the moral transformation of the human soul through loving obedience.
At the heart of MacDonald's theology is his unwavering belief in the absolute goodness and fatherhood of God. He rejects the legalistic and penal substitutionary views of the atonement dominant in his era, instead advocating a theodicy rooted in divine love and moral development. For MacDonald, salvation is not about escaping punishment but becoming like Christ. This is exemplified in sermons such as "The Consuming Fire" (Series I), where he argues that God's fire is not retributive but purgative: a burning away of sin, not sinners. Hell, in MacDonald's thought, is not a place of eternal torment but a remedial condition through which souls may yet turn to God.
A key feature of the Unspoken Sermons is MacDonald's epistemological humility and his stress on spiritual experience over doctrinal certainty. He writes not as a systematic theologian but as a Christian mystic, appealing to the conscience and affections. This places him in the tradition of thinkers like Origen, Julian of Norwich, and the German mystics. His rhetorical style is deeply lyrical and at times elliptical, requiring contemplative reading. The sermonic essays often eschew scriptural proof-texting in favor of expansive meditations on biblical themes, especially those drawn from the Gospels.
Obedience, for MacDonald, is the chief form of faith. In "Obedience" (Series II), he insists that intellectual assent to Christian doctrine is meaningless without a lived conformity to the will of God. Faith, in this sense, is not belief without evidence, but fidelity to the truth one already knows. This moral realism underpins many sermons, such as "The Truth in Jesus," where he affirms that Christ is not merely a teacher of truth but Truth embodied, and thus the pattern of all true humanity.
MacDonald's concept of divine justice is grounded in restorative love rather than retribution. In "Justice" (Series III), he provocatively declares that "there is no revenge in God," dismantling traditional notions of damnation as punitive. For MacDonald, true justice involves right-making, not merely right-measuring. His eschatology, therefore, is fundamentally hopeful, even universalist in tone, though he stops short of dogmatic universalism. His confidence lies in the character of God, whose love never ceases working upon the soul.
The Unspoken Sermons are also remarkable for their literary quality. MacDonald, best known in his time as a novelist and fantasy writer, brings a poetic sensibility to his theology. His metaphors often draw from nature, domestic life, and personal suffering. He portrays spiritual growth as a journey, sometimes arduous and obscure, but always under the eye of a loving Father. His influence on later writers is significant, particularly C. S. Lewis, who called MacDonald his "master." Lewis would adopt and develop many of MacDonald's themes, especially the rehabilitative view of hell and the centrality of moral transformation.
These sermons were countercultural in the Victorian religious landscape. At a time when Calvinistic determinism and fear-based evangelism dominated, MacDonald offered a theology of hope, moral integrity, and unrelenting divine compassion. His refusal to denounce the possibility of post-mortem repentance and his belief in a God whose punishments are acts of mercy placed him at odds with orthodox Anglican and Nonconformist theology. Yet it is precisely this divergence that has ensured his lasting spiritual influence.
In sum, the Unspoken Sermons constitute a visionary, intellectually rigorous, and spiritually profound body of theological reflection. They resist doctrinal rigidity and instead offer an invitation to the inner transformation of the soul by the indwelling Christ. The sermons call readers not to speculation but to surrender, not to fear but to love. As such, they remain enduring contributions to Christian thought, particularly for those seeking a conception of God that is both morally compelling and emotionally healing. MacDonald does not aim to persuade by argument alone but seeks to awaken the reader's conscience to the reality of a God who is "not bound by our righteousness but by his own."
At the heart of MacDonald's theology is his unwavering belief in the absolute goodness and fatherhood of God. He rejects the legalistic and penal substitutionary views of the atonement dominant in his era, instead advocating a theodicy rooted in divine love and moral development. For MacDonald, salvation is not about escaping punishment but becoming like Christ. This is exemplified in sermons such as "The Consuming Fire" (Series I), where he argues that God's fire is not retributive but purgative: a burning away of sin, not sinners. Hell, in MacDonald's thought, is not a place of eternal torment but a remedial condition through which souls may yet turn to God.
A key feature of the Unspoken Sermons is MacDonald's epistemological humility and his stress on spiritual experience over doctrinal certainty. He writes not as a systematic theologian but as a Christian mystic, appealing to the conscience and affections. This places him in the tradition of thinkers like Origen, Julian of Norwich, and the German mystics. His rhetorical style is deeply lyrical and at times elliptical, requiring contemplative reading. The sermonic essays often eschew scriptural proof-texting in favor of expansive meditations on biblical themes, especially those drawn from the Gospels.
Obedience, for MacDonald, is the chief form of faith. In "Obedience" (Series II), he insists that intellectual assent to Christian doctrine is meaningless without a lived conformity to the will of God. Faith, in this sense, is not belief without evidence, but fidelity to the truth one already knows. This moral realism underpins many sermons, such as "The Truth in Jesus," where he affirms that Christ is not merely a teacher of truth but Truth embodied, and thus the pattern of all true humanity.
MacDonald's concept of divine justice is grounded in restorative love rather than retribution. In "Justice" (Series III), he provocatively declares that "there is no revenge in God," dismantling traditional notions of damnation as punitive. For MacDonald, true justice involves right-making, not merely right-measuring. His eschatology, therefore, is fundamentally hopeful, even universalist in tone, though he stops short of dogmatic universalism. His confidence lies in the character of God, whose love never ceases working upon the soul.
The Unspoken Sermons are also remarkable for their literary quality. MacDonald, best known in his time as a novelist and fantasy writer, brings a poetic sensibility to his theology. His metaphors often draw from nature, domestic life, and personal suffering. He portrays spiritual growth as a journey, sometimes arduous and obscure, but always under the eye of a loving Father. His influence on later writers is significant, particularly C. S. Lewis, who called MacDonald his "master." Lewis would adopt and develop many of MacDonald's themes, especially the rehabilitative view of hell and the centrality of moral transformation.
These sermons were countercultural in the Victorian religious landscape. At a time when Calvinistic determinism and fear-based evangelism dominated, MacDonald offered a theology of hope, moral integrity, and unrelenting divine compassion. His refusal to denounce the possibility of post-mortem repentance and his belief in a God whose punishments are acts of mercy placed him at odds with orthodox Anglican and Nonconformist theology. Yet it is precisely this divergence that has ensured his lasting spiritual influence.
In sum, the Unspoken Sermons constitute a visionary, intellectually rigorous, and spiritually profound body of theological reflection. They resist doctrinal rigidity and instead offer an invitation to the inner transformation of the soul by the indwelling Christ. The sermons call readers not to speculation but to surrender, not to fear but to love. As such, they remain enduring contributions to Christian thought, particularly for those seeking a conception of God that is both morally compelling and emotionally healing. MacDonald does not aim to persuade by argument alone but seeks to awaken the reader's conscience to the reality of a God who is "not bound by our righteousness but by his own."
4.99
In Stock
5
1
Unspoken Sermons, Series I., II., and III.
Unspoken Sermons, Series I., II., and III.
Related collections and offers
4.99
In Stock
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940184692500 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | George MacDonald |
| Publication date: | 05/05/2025 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 531 KB |
About the Author
From the B&N Reads Blog