Announcing: In God’s Presence: A Theological Reintroduction to Judais

1. Announcing In God’s Presence
2. Praise for In God’s Presence
3. Special November Sale
4. Session at American Academy of Religion
5. Praying Together in Jerusalem Announcing In God’s Presence

We are delighted to announce the publication of Rabbi Alon’s most recent, and to his mind – the most important, work. For a quarter of a century, he has taught Judaism to Christians, and has been working to develop a novel theological presentation of Judaism. Now, this project has been completed, in a monumental volume of more than 600 pages, published by Baker Academic.

In this landmark volume, noted Jewish scholar Alon Goshen-Gottstein offers a fulsome treatment of the Jewish faith for today.

The book explores the history and practice of Judaism and offers a framework in which this complex religious tradition makes sense to both the insider and the outsider. Painting a composite picture of Judaism from its beginnings until today, he draws on history, literature, theology, spirituality, and practiced religious life to craft an overview in which these different parts are appreciated as pieces of a larger whole.

Beyond the canonical foundations of the Bible and the Talmud, he incorporates mystical sources in presenting an image of spiritually engaged Jewish practice and belief. He thus argues that Judaism is best understood as a religious tradition in which individuals attempt to live not only by God’s law but in God’s presence.

The book surveys the major categories of Jewish life and theology, and considers them through a developmental lens, running from the Hebrew Bible to Hassidic thought and the mystical thought of Rav Kook.

For a table of contents and overview of the book, click here

Praise for In God’s Presence

“Written by an exceptional scholar and interpreter of the Jewish world who is an equally exceptional advocate and practitioner of interfaith dialogue and action, this book is a profound, visionary, generous, and exhilarating vision of Jewish tradition and identity, grounded in the authority of learning and personal immersion in the encounter with the divine.” —Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury Emeritus

“In God’s Presence offers a sweeping view of Judaism, historically and thematically. It is of extraordinary interest also for the Christian world and, in fact, for anyone interested in understanding religion’s influence on the life of the world. More than just an academic analysis or a theoretical presentation of history and great ideas, Goshen-Gottstein’s book is the fruit of his religious experience and of his years of encounters and reflections. These have taken shape in this book and found a clear and simple, but at the same time rigorous, profound, and convincing, expression. Ever since establishing a new Catholic approach to Judaism at the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has affirmed the value of a fuller acquaintance with and appreciation of postbiblical Judaism and its spiritual testimony, as these have developed over millennia since the separation between the faiths. I cannot think of a finer and more comprehensive way of meeting this challenge than In God’s Presence.” —Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzabala, Jerusalem

“This very important work distills a lifetime of scholarship, prayer, profound thought, and practical action. It gives a discerning, in-depth, and clear description of Judaism past and present together with an attractive vision for its future. And its deeply Jewish prophetic wisdom is relevant far beyond Judaism. This is a God-centered vision that can inspire other religions to sound their own depths and to engage with each other afresh in our fragmented twenty-first-century world. Goshen-Gottstein is already a towering, trusted figure in global interreligious engagement; in this long-awaited culmination, he opens up for readers the heart of what has inspired him.” —David F. Ford, University of Cambridge (emeritus)

“In God’s Presence is a truly thrilling tour de force. It delivers what its title proposes: a renewed look at Judaism, inspired by a grounded, yet urgent, sense of God’s presence in covenant with human intelligence and faithfulness. With a powerful vision, a truly impressive breadth of scholarly and theological learning, and a largeness of heart, Goshen-Gottstein guides the reader through every aspect of traditional Jewish life and thought—and reawakens it. This work is especially wonderful for me. It helps me, a teacher of Jewish meditation focusing on the presence of God, to understand much that I was unaware of and provides theological grounding for my own meditation practice and teaching. This book is, literally, a revelation to me. This is a book for all Jews and non-Jews who seek a thorough understanding of what Judaism is—and could be.” —Norman Fischer, former abbot, San Francisco Zen Center; founder and teacher, Everyday Zen Foundation

“Lucid, lively, original, and teeming with ideas and insights honed over a lifetime of inspirational teaching and practice, Goshen-Gottstein’s ‘Reintroduction to Judaism’ is a welcome addition to the library of contemporary religious thought. The focus throughout is on covenantal relation to God that is expressed in performance of the commandments and in the gift of divine presence. Jews are ‘cocreators’ with the God of the Torah that guides and enriches their lives; collectively and individually, uplifted by sacred times and spaces, they share with one another and the world the enduring story of what it can mean to live in the presence of God. One leaves Goshen-Gottstein’s book more grateful than ever for that story—and for the immense wisdom and learning that the author has brought to the task of retelling it for our generation.” —Arnold Eisen, Jewish Theological Seminary of America

“Goshen-Gottstein embarks on the beautiful and arduous task of nurturing and reconfiguring Judaism anew, in and for our own time, through the retrieval of the key—but long underdeveloped—theme of covenant, the red thread of the entire book. The result is as enthralling as it is singular. Goshen-Gottstein manages to simultaneously look not merely backward to ancient texts and traditions but also to the present crisis and to what is to come, since we are not yet at the end of history. This is Jewish ‘systematic theology,’ or ‘faith/emunah seeking understanding,’ at its deepest and highest levels, on a par with Abraham J. Heschel’s achievements. This book is both a reintroduction, i.e., a guiding afresh into the heart of Judaism, and an invitation to allow yourself to be guided there. This thick book will richly reward readers intellectually and spiritually, regardless of their religious stance. And one hopes this impressive work will foster similarly fruitful expositions of Islam, Christianity, and other traditions.” —Christophe Chalamet, University of Geneva

“In God’s Presence is a massive achievement—born from a lifetime of learning and spiritual devotion. Jewish and Christian readers alike will greatly benefit from the crafted integration of historical and theological reflections, recovering repeatedly the many (and integral) layers of Jewish thought and practice. This is a work of deep scholarship and religious insight that can be studied in discrete units or as a whole.” —Michael Fishbane, University of Chicago (emeritus)

“An inviting and accessible study of the Jewish tradition by one of its finest contemporary scholar-practitioners. A God-centered approach to Jewish spirituality that is both descriptive and constructive. Goshen-Gottstein has the rare ability to write for both the insider and outsider and to share the core theological insights of Judaism with a diverse global community. As a Hindu theologian, I found this book revealed the depths of Jewish spirituality to me and also contributed to greater clarity about my own tradition. I commend this work to readers across religious traditions.” —Anant Rambachand, St. Olaf’s College

Special November Sale

In honor of the appearance of In God’s Presence, Baker Academic is offering a unique 40% reduction on orders. Go to BakerAcademic.com, use code INGODSPRESENCENOV40 at checkout for 40% off of In God'sPresence and free shipping (US orders only) For the eBook sale, no codes are needed. All eBook distributors, Kindle, B&N, Google, etc. will run it at 40% off for the month of November

Session at American Academy of Religion

Join us for a discussion on 'In God's Presence: A Theological Reintroduction to Judaism' by Alon Goshen-Gottstein. A fireside chat featuring two theologians – Jon Levenson of Harvard University (Jewish) and David Ford of Cambridge University (Christian) will consider how this novel theological reading of Judaism's history and spirituality can shed new light and inspire mutual understanding for Jews and Christians.

Goshen-Gottstein’s book, the fruit of a lifetime of study and spiritual practice, offers a framework for understanding Judaism for both the insider and the outsider. Painting a composite picture of Judaism from its beginnings until today, Goshen-Gottstein draws on history, literature, theology, spirituality, and practiced religious life to craft an overview in which these different parts are appreciated as pieces of a larger whole.

Sunday, November 23, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Westin Copley Place, Essex South (Third Floor)

Praying Together in Jerusalem

This month, Praying Together in Jerusalem will be partnering with other interfaith organisations for a special Nostra Aetate event.

The event will take place on November 6 and will officially begin at 3:00 p.m. (Jerusalem time) with a panel of religious leaders reflecting on the legacy of Nostra Aetate.

Our Praying Together segment will start at 4:45 p.m. (Jerusalem time). We will begin by hearing prayers from religious leaders, then a presentation on the significance of Nostra Aetate from Dr Therese Andrevon Gottstein and music from Hanna Jaffe. This will be followed by a panel of interfaith activists, including Peta Jones Pellach, who will look at how interfaith dialogue has changed over the past sixty years, since the Catholic Church pronounced Nostra Aetate.

For those who wish to join us in person, please register using the following link: https://forms.gle/1Cunr4Qhq1WSnj6s7.

As always, we will also offer the option to join via Zoom.

We look forward to seeing you and once again praying together for peace and unity in Jerusalem!