Wrestling With God: The Story of My Life

Lloyd Geering

Nov 2013 · Andrews UK Limited

About this ebook

Lloyd Geering, a minister and professor in the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, was tried for heresy in 1967 following his article 'What Does the Resurrection Mean?'. Found innocent, he became the foundation professor of religion at Victoria University. This is a reflective and honest account of his personal journey. In Wrestling With God Geering writes movingly of the interior and family life that form the backdrop to his controversial public life.

About the author

Sir Lloyd George Geering was born on Feb. 26, 1918 in Rangiora, canterbury, New Zealand. He is a New Zealand theologian who has studied Christianity and Muslim fundamentalism. He holds a Doctor of Divinity from the University of Otago and a master's degree in mathematics. He was a minister in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and turned to theological teaching in 1956. In 1967 Geering gained a high profile when he was charged with "doctrinal error" and "disturbing the unity of the (Presbyterian) church". The case was brought before the 1967 General Assembly of the PCANZ, and dismissed. The charges were brought by a group of conservative laymen and a conservative minister. During his church trial he claimed that the remains of Jesus lay somewhere in Palestine and that the resurrection had been wrongfully interpreted by churches as a resuscitation of the body of Jesus. He also rejects the notion that God is a supernatural being who created and continues to look over the world. Geering is a member of the Jesus Seminar and a participant in the Living the Questions program, an alternative to the evangelical Alpha course, which he views as dangerous indoctrination sadly growing among even mainstream churches. He is also a member of the Sea of Faith Network, and St Andrew's On The Terrace.