The Christian faith, hinging as it does upon the events of Good Friday and Easter Day, has always raised baffling questions for those who reflect upon it. Human life is unpredictable—full of sorrows that no one can foresee and of joys that come unlooked for. But Christians often see the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as an exception to this rule. The ‘drama’ of Easter seems to unfold like a great play whose author is God, and in which each actor plays a predestined role. The starting point for this book is that Cross and Resurrection alike are travestied when they are seen in this way. In entering into our world and sharing in its suffering, God in Christ accepts the uncertainty and unpredictability that are part of the human lot. In embodying God’s love, Jesus was subject to the randomness and uncertainty that we experience as the ultimate threat to human life; and his resurrection is a sign of unexpected hope beyond final despair. Professor Barton searches into these questions with a profoundly attractive simplicity.

First published in 1990 by SPCK and twice reprinted within a year, Love Unknown was quickly recognised by readers and critics alike as a work of remarkable depth and beauty. It was first published by SLG Press in 1999. That it remains a work of such interest to readers thirty-five years after it was written is a testament to the power of its content.

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