Is It God's Will? - by Brandon Ambrosino (Hardcover)

About the Book

From an acclaimed journalist and a rising star in theological academia, a provocative book about human and divine agency in an era of political extremism, climate catastrophe, and rising violence.

Book Synopsis

"A helpful, inviting and accessible guide to one of the most common questions in the spiritual life: 'Why do bad things happen?' Or, for that matter, 'Why do good things happen?' Grounding himself in the Bible and in Christian theology, Brandon Ambrosino offers a compelling conversation about God's role in human affairs, and our response to God's sometimes mysterious activity." ― James Martin, SJ, New York Times bestselling author of Learning to Pray

From an acclaimed journalist and a rising star in theological academia, a provocative book about human and divine agency in an era of political extremism, climate catastrophe, and rising violence.

In the wake of two foiled assassination attempts while Donald Trump was campaigning for President, many of his supporters claimed Trump's survival was an act of Divine intervention, and a sign that Trump was favored by God. In his victory speech, Trump alluded to this. But his survival prompts other questions: Why did God spare Trump, but not the retiree sitting behind him? Why couldn't God have spared everyone that day? And if God is truly omnipotent, why do so many children die in gun violence every year?

To award-winning journalist and theologian Brandon Ambrosino, these mortal questions provide us with an opportunity to explore the great questions about Divine and human agency, especially in relation to human tragedy and a world that seems to be slipping into chaos. In this powerful and searching enquiry-in the vein of N.T. Wright and C.S. Lewis- Ambrosino argues that theologians have been poorly equipped to confront these questions, because many hang on to an omnipotent model of God. Exploring the daily tragedies that so many of us must contend-as well as a provocative and challenging reading of Christ's death and resurrection-Ambrosino provides us with the tools to understand and process grief but also presents a refreshing portrait of less a God of power, and more of one of persuasion, who can still provide a residue of hope in a world gone wrong.

Review Quotes

"In this thought-provoking book, Ambrosino wisely doesn't give specifics as to what God's powers and limits are, as these seem unknowable, but writes evocatively from his own experience . . ."

"A helpful, inviting and accessible guide to one of the most common questions in the spiritual life: "Why do bad things happen?" Or, for that matter, "Why do good things happen?" Grounding himself in the Bible and in Christian theology, Brandon Ambrosino offers a compelling conversation about God's role in human affairs, and our response to God's sometimes mysterious activity."

"Ambrosino offers a bold and deeply personal challenge to traditional theologies that portray God as micromanaging human suffering. Instead of defending an all-controlling deity who permits or orchestrates disaster, this book introduces us to a God who is intimately entangled in our world's pain, creatively responding to it alongside with us and guiding us--through deep sorrow--toward radical hope. This is the God we need in our world today."

"Brandon Ambrosino does theology that makes me literally shout with joy from my desk chair. That might seem like a weird endorsement for a book about suffering, but trust me: He's the writer to take with you into the darkest places."

"Brandon Ambrosino invites us to acknowledge that this disorderly and often painful world defies our systematized theologizing. If God saved a presidential candidate from assassination, why not the firefighter who did die? If God controls everything, why punish a world that's gone wrong? If God is free to forgive, why must Jesus die? In response to such questions Ambrosino reads biblical texts with a discomfiting closeness, revealing that God becomes God in relationship with and among us, 'a god whose godness consists precisely in his loving.'"

"Brandon Ambrosino is one of my favourite thinkers. His writing never fails to fascinate, and he explores the topics of suffering and hope with depth, clarity and compassion. Is It God's Will? is a welcome antidote to the cynicism of the world around us."

"Brandon Ambrosino's book is a pleasure to read. And it's not just his accessible writing and probing insights. It's also the vision of God he sets forth, often as a rejoinder to unhelpful visions of the divine. This is the kind of book I'll give a thoughtful person asking tough questions and seeking loving, and hopeful answers."

"In Is It God's Will?, Ambrosino sits with the uncomfortable, down in the basement of theology, as he calls it. And he invites his readers to go down there with him. To ask the difficult questions even if the answers remain incomplete and unsatisfying. To struggle with how to even ask the question. To think about what happens when God happens in this world that is far from perfect, and in which, against all odds, good things also happen. This is innovative theology with style, both delightful to read and rich food for thought."

"In his accessible and conversational style, Brandon Ambrosino invites readers to explore profound questions about suffering and divine will. Does God care about our pain? Is suffering part of God's plan? Drawing from contemporary theology--particularly theopoetics--alongside ethics and science, Ambrosino offers illuminating insights on these challenging questions. His journey through tragedy and meaning culminates in a powerful observation: "hope for the world is not possible unless we first acknowledge that the world is a place worth hoping for." Dr. Ambrosino's writing is clear, engaging, and thoughtful, making complex theological concepts accessible to readers of all ages. Using suffering as a starting point, the book ultimately asks us to examine what kind of God we believe in. This exploration proves especially valuable in our current era, where suffering and hope intertwine amid global uncertainty and change."


"This uplifting work is full of consolation and inbreaking light. Ambrosino takes up tough theological and existential problems--suffering, divine inscrutability, the apparent senselessness of the world--in approachable, colloquial, and commonsense terms. The result is an everyday spirituality of courage, love and hope for those in pain, isolation, or doubt--Ambrosino's contagious confidence in God's care will be a gift to readers!"

"Why does God spare one house on a street hit by a tornado but not the others? Why does God allow innocent children to die or save one poor soul from cancer but not another? Brandon Ambrosino, a new and exciting theological voice, shows that these are not inscrutable mysteries to be accepted but confused questions and blasphemous images of God. Against this bankrupt theology, he offers a radically new conception of God which honors both God's love and human dignity and seriously engaging the beautiful risk of life, a risk for both God and us."