and before God. Most of the stories are ordinary, and could be told by any group of people who talk about their friends, and as such, they will probably resonate with many readers. Despite the uneven quality of the essays, all are heartfelt and provide ways of naming friendship’s graces that any reader will learn from. There are real insights and profound thoughts buried in the stories the authors tell. This collection is a good discussion starter for group study. It would be good for use in church groups and adult education, and a helpful addition to church libraries and popular spirituality collections. Aaron Klink Duke University LIKE CATCHING WATER IN A NET: HUMAN ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE THE DIVINE. By Val Webb. New York: Continuum, 2007. Pp. xii + 272. $24.95, ISBN 978-08264-2891-2. A lecturer in religion at universities in the US and Australia, Webb offers an absorbing book of metaphorical theology, one that follows the many and varied traces of the Divine in history. To this end, she explores the writings of Sufi, Buddhist, and Hindu mystics, the nature religions of the ancient Mesopotamians, the ethical monotheism of the ancient Israelites, the stress on the Creating Rainbow Spirit among the Aboriginal people, and theologies associated with traditional as well as progressive Christian traditions. Her book’s first five chapters probe why people throughout history have invoked Something More to answer existential questions; examine the place of Mystery as well as metaphor in imagining religiously; and delineate the difference between apophatic and kataphatic ways of (not) speaking about the Divine. The next five chapters critically assess several familiar images—both natural and anthropomorphic—for picturing the Divine. Here Webb notes how different models of Divine power work in the lives of those who use them. The final five chapters discuss how Christians see Jesus as God, note that the Bible’s authority (or lack thereof) often relates to this observation, and re- cognize that visualizing Jesus as the Divine poses serious challenges to persons committed to non-Christian ways of understanding God. In conclusion, Webb upholds process theism as the most fruitful, satisfying way to describe the Divine today. This astute book carries wide appeal. Darren J. N. Middleton Texas Christian University JOHN CALVIN AS TEACHER, PASTOR, AND THEO- LOGIAN: THE SHAPE OF HIS WRITINGS AND THOUGHT. By Randall C. Zachman. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006. Pp. 277. $24.99, ISBN 978-0-8010- 3129-8. This collection of essays is an interesting overview of certain aspects of Calvin’s theological methodology. The first part of the book surveys Calvin’s writings, organizing them according to Calvin’s conception of the distinct vocations of teacher and pastor. A pastor teaches a local congregation, while a teacher instructs pastors, and so addresses the universal church. Calvin wrote his Institutes, biblical com- mentaries and polemical treatises as a teacher while he composed his catechisms and French sermons in his capac- ity as pastor. Although this is a useful distinction, Zachman does not show why it is important. The most significant sections of this part are an examination of points of harmony and tension in Calvin’s friendship with Melanchthon through a comparison of their different views of the vocation of an evangelical teacher, and a discussion of Calvin’s views of biblical exegesis. Zachman argues that, far from being a precritical exegete, Calvin is substantially similar to modern theologians, such as Barth and von Balthasar, who combine historical-critical method with doctrinal contextualization. The Institutes likewise blends dialectic and rhetoric, and is primarily a contemplative book. The second part of the col- lection is an original exposition of the role of analogy and anagoge in Calvin’s theology. Zachman contends that Calvin pairs visual manifestation with verbal proclamation as twin ways of knowing God. Although an iconoclast, Calvin emphasizes that the universe and Jesus Christ are living images of God. Zachman covers much ground, but his argu- ments are based on close and convincing textual analyses. His lucid style and cogent argumentation makes this book suitable for both scholars and beginning students, and art historians will find his remarks on Calvin’s doctrine of images valuable. Jason van Boom Graduate Theological Union Ethics REDISCOVERING ABUNDANCE; INTERDISCIPLI- NARY ESSAYS ON WEALTH, INCOME, AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN THE CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADI- TION. Edited by Helen Alford, Charles M. A. Clark, S. A. Cortright, and Michael J. Naughton. Notre Dame, IN: Univer- sity of Notre Dame Press, 2006. Pp. ix + 386. $35, ISBN 0-268-02027-2. Utilizing Catholic Social Teaching, this volume expands the perception of wealth beyond the maximization of share price or the accumulation of capital. The introduction sug- gests that wealth should create economic structures benefit- ing the common good. The volume contains three sections, the first addressing wealth creation for the creation of moral and spiritual well-being. Clarke emphasizes the “means” rather than the “ends,” within economic theories. Kennedy and Haughey critique the assumption that wealth is limited and that gain for one is at the expense of another. Beretta, building upon Clarke, critiques the importance of the wealth collection process within the Catholic social tradition. The second section discusses Wealth Distribution. Clarke chal- lenges neoclassical views of wealth, emphasizing instead the focus on human dignity. McCann cites the limitation of Religious Studies Review • VOLUME 34 • NUMBER 3 • SEPTEMBER 2008 181