Is this your God, O Israel: the enraged king, violent and vengeful towards those who disobey him, who will burn down whole cities in his anger; or is it the one who is expelled with the outcasts, and who bears the punishment of the world with grace?

Is this your God, O Israel: the golden idol you create, expecting it to make you whole, who you trust to remove your suffering, who you think will give you the truth; or is it the one who embraces suffering with you, who helps you face up to your unknowing, and to fully accept the difficulties of existence?

A talk for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, 15 October 2023.

Referencing Exodus 32.1-14, Matthew 22.1-14

Find the text to this and all my talks at ⁠bit.ly/johndavies-talks⁠.