CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire

Volume 72, Number 1, March 2022

By The University of North Carolina Press | Publisher: Association Public Religion and Intellectual Life

About the book

Equal parts pandemic testimony and “autotheology,” God, The God of Unmet Desire is a record of the author’s quest to find God during the lonely peak of the first COVID-19 pandemic winter. At the heart of this special issue of CrossCurrents, lies a set of meditations on the daily, traditional Jewish weekday morning liturgy. They fiercely and feelingly explore that pandemic winter’s themes of grief, sensuality, and surrender, and our dire need for old and new wisdoms to help us move into collective responsibility for our broken world. To do so, the work weaves together sources as various as the Babylonian Talmud, 20th century feminist science fiction, and 21st century African diasporic poetry. The writings range in length and style from a few lines of prose to a half-dozen lines of poetry to a full-length essay.

This work is explicitly feminist, leftist, and non-Zionist. It playfully but sincerely demonstrates Jewish liturgical traditions’ possibilities and limitations as resources for personal and political liberation and accountability. God, The God of Unmet Desire also explores the author’s own gender and sexuality. It takes a tone that oscillates from sincerely pious to playfully kinky.

The work is designed to be accessible to a wider audience while drawing from deep, Jewish roots. Religious-curious and religious-affiliated progressive-minded people of all backgrounds will be drawn to Zisl’s creative and critical writing. God, The God of Unmet Desire will appeal to anyone who wishes to integrate liberatory models of collective social change with traditional insights about God and spiritual belonging—mediated by the wisdom of an imperfectly human sacred liturgy developed over the last two millennia.

Editions of CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire

Paperback
ISBN 9781469672229
EBook
ISBN 9798890864161
EBook
ISBN 9781469672892

Read an Excerpt

Equal parts pandemic testimony and “autotheology,” God, The God of Unmet Desire is a record of the author’s quest to find God during the lonely peak of the first COVID-19 pandemic winter. At the heart of this special issue of CrossCurrents, lies a set of meditations on the daily, traditional Jewish weekday morning liturgy. They fiercely and feelingly explore that pandemic winter’s themes of grief, sensuality, and surrender, and our dire need for old and new wisdoms to help us move into collective responsibility for our broken world. To do so, the work weaves together sources as various as the Babylonian Talmud, 20th century feminist science fiction, and 21st century African diasporic poetry. The writings range in length and style from a few lines of prose to a half-dozen lines of poetry to a full-length essay.

This work is explicitly feminist, leftist, and non-Zionist. It playfully but sincerely demonstrates Jewish liturgical traditions’ possibilities and limitations as resources for personal and political liberation and accountability. God, The God of Unmet Desire also explores the author’s own gender and sexuality. It takes a tone that oscillates from sincerely pious to playfully kinky.

The work is designed to be accessible to a wider audience while drawing from deep, Jewish roots. Religious-curious and religious-affiliated progressive-minded people of all backgrounds will be drawn to Zisl’s creative and critical writing. God, The God of Unmet Desire will appeal to anyone who wishes to integrate liberatory models of collective social change with traditional insights about God and spiritual belonging—mediated by the wisdom of an imperfectly human sacred liturgy developed over the last two millennia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire about?

Equal parts pandemic testimony and “autotheology,” God, The God of Unmet Desire is a record of the author’s quest to find God during the lonely peak of the first COVID-19 pandemic winter. At the heart of this special issue of CrossCurrents, lies a set of meditations on the daily, traditional Jewish weekday morning liturgy. They fiercely and feelingly explore that pandemic winter’s themes of grief, sensuality, and surrender, and our dire need for old and new wisdoms to help us move into collective responsibility for our broken world. To do so, the work weaves together sources as various as the Babylonian Talmud, 20th century feminist science fiction, and 21st century African diasporic poetry. The writings range in length and style from a few lines of prose to a half-dozen lines of poetry to a full-length essay.

This work is explicitly feminist, leftist, and non-Zionist. It playfully but sincerely demonstrates Jewish liturgical traditions’ possibilities and limitations as resources for personal and political liberation and accountability. God, The God of Unmet Desire also explores the author’s own gender and sexuality. It takes a tone that oscillates from sincerely pious to playfully kinky.

The work is designed to be accessible to a wider audience while drawing from deep, Jewish roots. Religious-curious and religious-affiliated progressive-minded people of all backgrounds will be drawn to Zisl’s creative and critical writing. God, The God of Unmet Desire will appeal to anyone who wishes to integrate liberatory models of collective social change with traditional insights about God and spiritual belonging—mediated by the wisdom of an imperfectly human sacred liturgy developed over the last two millennia.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire?

Philosophy and Religion > Religion and beliefs > Judaism

Where can I read a sample of CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469672229

How long is CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire and how many pages does it have?

CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire has 102 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire?

The University of North Carolina Press

Who is the Publisher of the book CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire?

Association Public Religion and Intellectual Life

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire is available as paperback(ISBN 9781469672229) and ebook(ISBN 9798890864161) and ebook(ISBN 9781469672892)

Where can I buy CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire from below

Where can I buy CrossCurrents: God, The God of Unmet Desire?