I picked up Vulnerable God completely unaware of who Kenneth Tanner was or what this book would contain. By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. Tanner’s reflections on Jesus, the incarnation, and what it means to become truly human drew me into a book that was both theologically rich and deeply contemplative.
Before you read Vulnerable God, or even after, I recommend visiting Tanner’s Substack, where he shares the background behind the book and how it came to be. This quick read will give more background to the opening statements in the book, like this one…
“Pondering the person of Christ centers me in the present moment and gives me hope. This book is about my experience with Jesus Christ – what I have seen, heard, read, and felt – on the way that never ends: the journey to becoming human as God is human.”
What Vulnerable God is About
Tanner walks the reader through a journey of exploring every angle of Christ, the incarnation, and what Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection mean for His creation, namely people.
I was particularly drawn in by Tanner’s reflections on the incarnation, especially his comparison of God’s creative power and cosmic authority with His humility in becoming a baby dependent on Mary and Joseph. The things Tanner points out are so obvious, yet are things we miss. For instance, Jesus spoke into existence the wood that created the manger that held the newborn King. Jesus went from speaking all of creation into existence to then being speechless in the form of a baby. This beginning section helped me to be reminded of the gentle and lowly heart of our Savior.
The second section, A Human Life, highlights major moments in the life and ministry of Jesus. It’s interesting to ponder the unknown years of Jesus’ childhood and young adult life. He worked, lived in community, had friends, and then one day revealed that he was the promised Messiah. This section shows what it means to be truly human.
“In all things, at every moment, Jesus is God all-in and human all-in…He is simply one person, the union of all that it means to be God and all that it means to be human.”
In the third section, A Human Death, Tanner brings us the event of Jesus’ transfiguration. I have always been drawn to this moment in Jesus’ ministry, and Tanner brought up some new things for me to meditate on. As Jesus takes his disciples up the mountain, the disciples are able to see the transfigured Messiah on the mountain. Moses and Elijah are there too. But the three disciples don’t have to hide their faces as Moses did on Sinai. As I read this section, I began to wonder if this moment walked on the edge of being a theophany…but that’s for another time.
Tanner says, “Transfiguration helps us remember that all the appearances of God in time…are but one appearance.” God is outside of time, which is hard for us to grasp, yet Jesus experiences time on earth. But in this moment, the barrier between the seen and unseen is thinned, and the disciples are there to witness it. This helped me understand why Tanner places the transfiguration in a section called A Human Death. The glimpse of Christ’s glory points beyond the suffering. It points us beyond the death he would endure and toward the hope of resurrection and the glorious future awaiting God’s people.
In the last section, A Human Future, Tanner brings it all together and brings hope to the forefront as a central message of the book. In this last section, you’ll be reminded of the authority that Jesus has over sin and death by making himself vulnerable to evil. Your mind is taken to imagine a true and embodied eternity, because Jesus rose and ascended to make the path clear for us. This last section makes all the christology in the book feel real, and not just academic exercise.
I especially appreciated Tanner’s reminder about the purifying fire of God. We all have things we need to surrender and ways we still need to grow. Tanner reminds us that God is at work in us through the Spirit now, purifying us as we journey toward the glorious future he has promised. This process isn’t always easy, but it is a gift.
What I Appreciated – and A Few Differences
While the content of the book is theologically thought-provoking, I quickly became a fan of Tanner’s writing. This book is one of the most conversational books I’ve ever read. It almost feels as if I’m sitting in Tanner’s study listening to him talk about Jesus in an almost “stream of consciousness” kind of manner. It’s meditative, contemplative, and almost poetic at times. It feels comforting and warming, while still having moments of solid teaching throughout.
I have read reviews from others who thought his writing was meditative, but almost to a fault. This made some feel like the book became repetitive and cyclical, but I would have to disagree.
I was unaware of Tanner’s faith background before reading this book, so there were a few things here and there that we wouldn’t agree on theologically, but it wasn’t anything crucial to the gospel or Christ. For instance, Tanner’s reflections on communion seemed to suggest a different understanding of Christ’s presence in the bread and cup than my own.
I believe this is the beauty of reading the writing of others. I always read books like this as a conversation, and I get to learn from someone else’s experience, research, and thought. I won’t agree with everyone all the time, but that’s never a good reason to not read a book!
Tanner and I would have much to agree on, so these (very) minor differences in theology didn’t prevent me from enjoying the book and learning from Tanner.
Who Should Read This Book?
All followers of Christ would benefit from this book.
Do you need to have a theological background? No, but I imagine that someone new to their faith might have a few questions when Tanner mentions certain things. At one point, Tanner mentions Jesus becoming the final bridegroom of the woman at the well in John 4. He’s speaking in a theological metaphor and not a literal physical marriage.
I believe Vulnerable God is a valuable book for followers of Jesus because it invites us to see the heart of God through the incarnation of Christ. The reader is invited to meditate on His vulnerability, His love, and what it means for us to become truly human as God is.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. My review reflects my honest opinion.
by Craig Archer
Craig is a worship pastor at Wallula Christian Church and the creator of Active Theology. He loves coffee dates with his wife, reading, and riding his bike. A few of his favorite things are third wave coffee, vanilla ice cream, and plain t-shirts.
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