God's silence during the passion is certainly a silence towards man, but in particular God was silent towards Christ in his perfect and complete humanity. It is also the silence of the Father towards the Son . . . At first sight this silence is troubling and perhaps shocking, suggesting that God is in fact absent. However, the author invites us to go beyond this first impression--and the silence turns out to be of tremendous richness, overwhelming depth, and surprising beauty. We are invited to refocus our attention and discover what the Father is saying in a completely new way. These pages sing with love for God, and our meditation of the passion narratives draws us into deep contemplation of the One they celebrate, the Crucified. ""Daniel Bourguet offers a unique and compelling reading of the passion narratives, showing God's humble, tender presence alongside his son Jesus as he suffers and dies. Bourguet interprets God's silence not as punishment or abandonment of his son, but rather as total solidarity that empowers Jesus in his saving action (and likewise us as we follow him). This book makes a valuable contribution to reflections on the atonement, respecting mystery yet bringing revelation that clarifies, inspiring and nourishing faith in God's total goodness even in the midst of the darkest suffering. Read and savor this spiritual classic, which inspires awe and adoration."" --Bob Ekblad, Tierra Nueva and The People's Seminary; Author of Reading the Bible with the Damned and A New Christian Manifesto Daniel Bourguet has been a pastor in the French Reformed Church. He has exercised a range of ministries in the local church and in theological institutions. He currently leads a contemplative life that involves prayer and writing; he also conducts retreats and receives visitors.
