Naming God

An illuminating in-depth exploration of the complexities-and perhaps audacity-of naming the unnameable.
One of the oldest and most beloved prayers-known even to Jews who rarely attend synagogue-is Avinu Malkeinu ("Our Father, Our King"), a liturgical staple for the entire High Holy Day period. "Our Father, Our King" has resonance also for Christians, whose Lord''s Prayer begins "Our Father."
Despite its popularity, Avinu Malkeinu causes great debate because of the difficulties in thinking of God as father and king. Americans no longer relate positively to images of royalty; victims of parental abuse note the problem of assuming a benevolent father; and feminists have long objected to masculine language for God.
Through a series of lively introductions and commentaries, almost forty contributors-men and women, scholars and rabbis, artists and thinkers from all Jewish denominations and from around the world-wrestle with this linguistic and spiritual conundrum, asking, "How do we name God altogether, without recourse to imagery that defies belief?"
Contributors:
Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson ΓÇó Rabbi Anthony Bayfield ΓÇó Rabbi Will Berkowitz ΓÇó Dr. Annette Boeckler ΓÇó Dr. Marc Brettler ΓÇó Dr. Erica Brown ΓÇó Rabbi Angela Buchdahl ΓÇó Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove ΓÇó Rabbi Joshua Davidson ΓÇó Rabbi Lawrence Englander ΓÇó Lisa Exler ΓÇó Rabbi Paul Freedman ΓÇó Rabbi Elyse Frishman ΓÇó Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand ΓÇó Rabbi Edwin Goldberg ΓÇó Rabbi Andrew Goldstein ΓÇó Dr. Joel M. Hoffman ΓÇó Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman ΓÇó Rabbi Delphine Horvilleur ΓÇó Rabbi Elie Kaunfer ΓÇó Rabbi Karen Kedar ΓÇó Rabbi Reuven Kimelman ΓÇó Rabbi Daniel Landes ΓÇó Liz Lerman ΓÇó Rabbi Asher Lopatin ΓÇó Catherine Madsen ΓÇó Rabbi Jonathan Magonet ΓÇó Rabbi Dalia Marx ΓÇó Chazzan Danny Maseng ΓÇó Ruth Messinger ΓÇó Rabbi Charles H. Middleburgh ΓÇó Rabbi Jay Henry Moses ΓÇó Rabbi Jack Riemer ΓÇó Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin ΓÇó Rabbis Dennis and Sandy Sasso ΓÇó Rabbi Marc Saperstein ΓÇó Rabbi Jonathan P. Slater ΓÇó Rabbi David Stern ΓÇó Rabbi David Teutsch ΓÇó Dr. Ellen Umansky ΓÇó Edward van Voooen ΓÇó Rabbi Margaret Moers Wenig ΓÇó Dr. Ron Wolfson ΓÇó Rabbi Daniel Zemel ΓÇó Dr. Wendy Zierler