A Violent God-Image

"Eugen Drewermann, a German Scholar, whose difficult but very profound work has been a sensation in Europe but which has been slow to arrive on the American intellectual scene, has been compared to the French philosopher Rene Girard, whose theories on the nature and causes of violence have influenced nearly every field of the humanities. Drewemann's thought, which also deals with the most important issues of our time, violence and it's relation to religion, is finally made accessible to American readers by Matthias Beier in his book, "A Violent God Image: An Introduction to the Work of Eugen Drewermann" published by Continuum in 2004. Beier draws from his encyclopedic knowledge of Drewermann's work in biblical studies, theology, depth psychology, existential philosophy and pastoral practice to present the synthesis of Drewermann's thought on the subject of Genesis and Christianity's violent God-image and how that God image functions as a cause and legitimation of personal pathology, social violence, war and destruction of nature. Beier's synthesis is scrupulously faithful to Drewermann's thought and includes extensive translations from original text. This is a deeply thought-provoking book which challenged our understanding of original sin, the crucifixion of Jesus, church authority and the political and cultural givens which control so much of our thought and behavior in society and church." -Professor Sandra Schneiders, Graduate Theological Union