Page |120 to scientific hypothesis generation.” Scientists can better test for the social 4 ~ =) (s) a and health consequences of religious ANGR.-z1L oof commitment when they know more human INA ite: y | eo lives: Sens <M at ar eae about the character and range of beliefs Fass inttendes PesenCé G 7 creators #= ' Christian belies 4244 Fobelieve!! about God that such commitment brings. a Bhar ‘g=relationship World £52 caper vo 8 : : hea P TP po gl See This chapter hopes to show, in ' "9 7. 0° °e" particular, that exactly what Christians - "3 believe about the nature of God’s Chapter 13 influence on their lives is likely to have Theological Perspectives on God as an an important bearing on one of the Invisible Force questions of this volume: How can oe, , . religion encourage a sense of connection God An individual ' pees about to others, especially in situations of i. _ ane ar io De! metus rth, perceived social isolation, and thereby ENUM =RUNIETSIOnA) IVESHeaHOn, OL Le assuage the adverse health consequences social consequences and possible health of loneliness? benefits of religion, an aid in particular _ Depending on what they think 3 God is like, Christians vary in the way '3 The lead author is Kathryn Tanner, Ph.D., the they expect God to be a present Dorothy Grant Maclear Professor of Theology at influence on their daily lives. God’s the University of Chicago Divinity School. Her . ; Daas nature is supernatural or transcendent, research relates the history of Christian thought : ; ; to areas of contemporary theological concern which means God is not very much like using critical, social, and feminist theory, with a any of the ordinary persons or things special focus on the possible practical with which they come into regular implications of Christian beliefs and symbols. contact. Christians use the same terms She has lectured widely throughout the United . for God that they use for talking about States and Europe, and is the author of six books: . : God and Crea