Annotated Bibliography
Submitted to Dr. Todd Buck
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
THEO 626
Doctrine of God
by
28 March 2025
Statement of Topic:
This research paper will focus on God’s love, which ties into His character and essence,
specifically 1 John 4:16, which states that “God is love.”
Resource 1:
Manning, Brennan. 2015. Abba’s Child. NavPress.1
Author Credentials:
Manning was an author and former priest who wrote many books, most of which were specific
to God’s love. He graduated from Saint Francis University and then went onto study theology.
He struggled with alcoholism his whole life up until he died in 2013.
Relevance to Topic:
This book hones in on the individual’s response to God’s love. To do this, Brennan has to give
some incredible truths regarding God’s loving character and how he sees humanity. Manning
provides incredible insights into God’s nature and argues that his creation will experience his
love as they see themselves as God sees them.
Meaningful Quote:
“Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and
preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten
him. He weeps over our obsession of muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence.”
1 Manning, Brennan. 2015. Abba’s Child. NavPress. 14.
Resource 2:
Bray, Gerald. L. The Doctrine of God. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993.
Author Credentials:
Gerald Bray attended McGill University and University of Paris-Sorbonne. He is a respected
professor and an ordained priest in the Church of England with extensive publications in
theology and church history.
Relevance to Topic:
"The Doctrine of God" provides a comprehensive examination of God’s attributes, including His
love, within the framework of classical Christian theology. Bray explains how God’s love is
intricately connected to His nature as holy, just, and relational.
A salient or meaningful quote from the article that you would likely cite if you were to write
an essay on this topic.
“In the Scriptures, the love of God comes to us above all as the promise and assurance of
salvation. Because of its personal character, it is a mistake to equate God’s love with material
blessings, just as it is a mistake to tie his holiness to consecrated objects or places.”2
2 Bray, Gerald. L. The Doctrine of God. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993. 221.
Resource 3:
Feinberg, John S. 2006. No One Like Him. Crossway.
Author Credentials:
Dr. Fienberg has had an extensive career working as a professor of systematic theology, a church
pastor in California, and an author of nine books over nearly 30 years.
Relevance to Topic:
This book is relevant to the topic of God's love because it explores God’s nature and puts an
emphasis on his relational qualities. Feinberg presents how his love is expressed through his
intimate involvement with humanity.
Meaningful Quote:
“However, God’s holiness and justice are counterbalanced by the fact that he is also a God of
love. God’s love is one of the grandest themes in all of Scripture.”3
3 John S. Feinberg, No One Like Him: The Doctrine of God, The Foundations of Evangelical Theology (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway Books, 2001), 351.
Resource 4:
Strobel, Lee. 2014. The Case for Faith : A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to
Christianity. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.com.
Author Credentials:
Lee Strobel, an American Christian author and former investigative journalist. After converting
from atheism to Christianity in 1981, he became a teaching pastor, a professor of Christian
Thought at Houston Baptist University, and an acclaimed apologetics author.
Relevance to Topic:
This book targets the tough questions that people have about Christianity. Many of the
questions concern how God, being a loving God, can do things that seem to contradict his loving
nature.
This book will help flesh out some of people's objections towards God being so loving.
Meaningful Quote:
“It’s important to understand that if the God of Christianity is real, he hates hell and he hates
people going there.”4
4 Strobel, Lee. 2014. The Case for Faith : A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity. Grand
Rapids, Michigan. 182.
Resource 4:
Tozer, A W. 2017. Jesus. Moody Publishers.
Author Credentials:
A.W. Tozer was an American pastor and author who served for over 30 years. He lacked formal
education, his work spoke volumes into the world of theology. He earned respect from his peers
by his writing and received an honorary doctorate degree from Houghton College.
Relevance to Topic:
It would not be a decent research essay on the love of God if Jesus was not brought into the
fold. This book by Tozer highlights Jesus as God the Son and offers insights into that truth. Jesus
is pivotal to understanding God’s love as he is the image of the invisible God, he was sent to die
for humanity.
Meaningful Quote:
“But God in love and wisdom came once more. He came to speak, revealing Himself this time
through His eternal Son.”5
5 Tozer, A W. 2017. Jesus. Moody Publishers. 40.
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