The Vulnerable God is not an argument for a theological position but a long meditation. Or, as Brian Zahnd called it in the foreword, Kenneth Tanner has painted an icon with words. This book refuses being rushed through, and it took me a long time to read it, very slowly.
Other books wrestle with theological terms, asking, Is God impassive? Jesus has emotions. Does God change? What is the way of Jesus? This book explores those questions by meditating on the life of Jesus, who is God. How do we see God in the face of Jesus Christ?
At the beginning, Tanner mentioned that the book’s structure follows the Church calendar, but I think it makes more sense to say it follows the life of Jesus. The four parts ponder “A Human God,” “A Human Life,” “A Human Death,” and “A Human Future.” Throughout the book, Tanner quotes primarily the Church Fathers to orient ourselves within a tradition that has pondered Jesus.
Tanner warns against speaking “of the cross in ways we can and should forget, a cross that is a brief stop of surrender and selflessness on a violent crusade toward a ‘greatness.’” I have been much encouraged by the interpretation of Philippians 2 as a “J-Curve” (see Paul Miller’s book of the same title), and here Tanner is arguing that the downward line of the “J” is not temporary until the upward line, but that in the way of Jesus, the way of greatness is the way down.

Very simply, this is an incredibly beautiful book. Being familiar with Father Kenneth Tanner's writings through Facebook, sub stack and other places, I was prepared for this the be a wonderful book to read. However, I was not prepared for how the Vulnerable God would affect me, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
To do justice to this book, to allow it to truly allow you see and experience The Vulnerable God, I came to believe during my reading that it is best read in small doses, as one would read a daily devotional, to allow Tanner's words to sink deeply into your soul. The Vulnerable God, is insightful and powerful. I, when reading most books, just plow right through them, with finishing it being the goal, as I did with this one. But I feel as if I did not do it, or myself justice by doing so. I believe, the depth, and beauty of The Vulnerable God requires moments of contemplation, meditation and prayer to fully absorb the breadth, depth and message of this beautiful book.
I plan on reading The Vulnerable God again, this time much slower and contemplative than my first reading.
This is a wonderful book and quite possibly the best book I have read this year. Put this book on your to read list.
Much thanks into net galley for allowing me to read and review this book

Vulnerable God helped me reconsider the idea that strength must involve control, invincibility, or dominance. I learned that the book presents Jesus’s complete humanity—including physical weakness, dependence, pain, and death—as essential to understanding God’s character. Another important lesson was that genuine power can appear through humility, service, and care, as shown when Jesus kneels to wash his disciples’ feet rather than demanding status or recognition. The book also taught me that suffering does not necessarily mean God is distant, because Jesus is portrayed as entering human grief and sharing it from within. Its thoughtful combination of theology, personal experience, Scripture, and reflection offers a moving vision of what it means to become more compassionate and fully human. For readers seeking a deeper understanding of Jesus, vulnerability, and self-giving love, this is a book I am highly recommending.