232 - The Fatherhood of God in an Age of Emancipation

The Fatherhood of God in an Age of Emancipation

By W. A. Visser 't Hooft

Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1983. 163 Pp. $7.97.

The author is the well known and first General Secretary of the World Council of Churches from 1948 to 1966. He has continued to write significant books in his years of retirement. His Memoirs written in 1973 provided insight into the history of the ecumenical movement. In his eighties, he issued two more valuable books. One of them, The Genesis and Formation of the World Council of Churches, adds to our understanding of ecumenical history. The other, the book under review, does not deal primarily with ecumenical history, although the author does draw upon experiences he had while serving as General Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation and later as General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.

This book deals with the subject of emancipation from patriarchalism or paternalism in various forms, and the relationship of patriarchalism to a belief in God as Father. In a preface, the author states that one of the advantages of old age is that it provides an opportunity to satisfy one's intellectual curiosity in a way that was not possible earlier; it offers time to read books one could not read while carrying out professional duties,

Specifically, the book deals with emancipation from patriarchal rulers, master-servant relationships, colonial paternalism, male paternalism, authoritarian fathers, ecclesiastical paternalism, paternal morals, and the Fatherhood of God. In dealing with these topics, the author shows that paternalism has frequently claimed its sanction from the Fatherhood of God. For example, the Russian Czar viewed his role as father of his people in this light. Thus for Marx, and others, revolt against paternalism included revolt against God.

The author explores the question whether belief in God as Father necessarily involves belief in paternalism, and he concludes that it does not. There is evidence to the contrary in the teachings of Jesus and in the actions of radical Christian groups in history whose beliefs led them to fight against oppression.

He sees three ways to respond to the urge for emancipation. One is to deny its validity. Another is to treat it as a panacea or universal remedy. The third, which he favors, is to see emancipation as a necessary step in the transition to a more mature form of culture. He does not mention Paul Tillich but his thinking follows similar lines. Tillich showed the limitations of heteronomy and autonomy and the need for theonomy.

In his preface, the author acknowledges that he has not dealt adequately with the process of emancipation in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. There are no references to the current writings of liberation theology in Latin American or black theology in the United States and

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South Africa. There are some references to the struggle for equality in South Africa in which the author himself became involved. And there are some references to feminist theology, but the treatment is limited. Visser 't Hooft reacts negatively to Mary Daly's writings. "In Marx's philosophy, there is a messianic class; in Mary Daly's, there is a messianic sex." It appears that the writer has not read books by Rosemary Ruether, and this is unfortunate. In the chapter on women's emancipation, he tells of his wife's contribution in this area and of her battles with Karl Barth on the theological bases of this issue.

PAUL BOCK

Doane College
Crete, Nebraska