Encountering the divine names : a theological pilgrimage

Abstract

In Scripture, the Church encounters many texts that "name" God. In Genesis, He is encountered as The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. After the Exodus from Egypt, The Song of the Sea names Him as a Divine Warrior. In Exodus 32, God says "I kill and I give life." The Psalms praise Him as Creator, Judge, and God of Mercy. Isaiah boldly calls on God using many different names, among them are Father, Potter, Redeemer. In the New Testament, the many titles ascribed to Jesus Christ re-shape Biblical faith in a profound way. Reflection on the divine names continued in the Patristic era and among the theologians of the Middle Ages. In spite of all our efforts to name God, He remains an elusive presence. Yet the church is taught to keep on looking for Him in the severe beauty of the Cross, and in the face of the other.