The Flawed Family of God (Paper)

“In this most creative book, Carolyn B. Helsel and Song-Mi Suzie Park have taken an unorthodox stroll through the book of Genesis. Where others find the creation story, Noah’s Ark, and the Tower of Babel, Helsel and Park find families—wonderful, human, complicated families…. The authors provide insight into the frayed edges of our family life, but because the authors also find God in the broken places, they bring us profound hope.” —Thomas G. Long, Bandy Professor Emeritus of Preaching, Candler School of Theology

“The Flawed Family of God provides an honest, thoughtful overview of the dysfunctional families in the book of Genesis. The authors pose difficult questions and avoid easy answers. Helsel and Park use examples from psychology, current events, and pastoral experience to show the many connections between these strange old stories and contemporary life. This book will be a valuable resource for preachers and all those interested in substantive study of the Bible.” —Lynn Japinga, Professor of Religion, Hope College, and author of From Widows to Warriors

"Helsel and Park have produced an excellent resource for adult Christian study groups looking for ways to find relevance in the biblical text of Genesis. They ask probing questions, deal sympathetically and empathetically with the characters of the bible, and push readers to think deeply about their own familial and communal relationships." - Reading Religion