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3 6 0 I n t e r p r e t a t i o n Volume 41 / Issue 3Law of God: The Philosophical History of an Idea [University of Chicago Press,2007], 263). Seaton, the translator of the work at hand, tells us that Bragueis both a philosopher and a Catholic believer (xi), and deems him almost a“Catholic Socratic” (xii). To be sure, the author draws upon both his personalexperience of God as well as his philosophically informed theology in writingthis book (xi) and refers to philosophers as regularly as he does to theologiansand apologists in On the God of the Christians. Brague, known and celebratedfor his many contributions to the study of medieval philosophy, brings hisexpertise in this field to the fore throughout On the God of the Christians.The title of the work gives an indication of the subject matter and presentsthe possibility that the book is academic or even historical in character,and while the book undoubtedly reflects its author’s extensive scholarly background,it goes beyond traditional scholarship. The subtitle of the work, forexample, strikes a somewhat flippant tone (as the author himself says [xvi]),and is a bit vague. At times, the book is deeply personal and endearing, asis reflected, for example, in Brague’s remarks dedicating the work to hiswife (xvi; see also 39). Sometimes, however, the book strikes a defensive orapologetic tone, while at other times it in fact appears to be quite scholarly oracademic, as in his sustained treatment of St. John of the Cross’s Subida delMonte Carmelo in chapter 5. While it may be difficult to pin down the genreof the book, it is nonetheless or perhaps for that very reason a passionate,interesting, and learned book.The book seems to be aimed, above all, at a Christian audience, as Bragueevinces no overarching desire to convince non-Christians to believe in theGod of the Christians. He does, however, indicate that non-Christians maywell read his book, and he only hopes that the potential Christian who readshis book and rejects the God of Christianity will do so having become betterinformed about the image of God that Christianity presents (xvi). The nonbelieverwho comes to Brague’s book will find an answer to the fundamentalquestion presupposed in the very first paragraphs. In the introduction, thereader is immediately greeted with what Brague calls “grand truisms”: “Inhimself, God is the same for all. Secondly, he is beyond all the representationsthat men have made of him” (xv). It would seem that the description of God,rather than any demonstrative argument, would provide the basis for anypossible conversion of the nonbelieving reader.The book consists of an introduction by the translator, a foreword by theauthor, and seven chapters. There is also an index of proper names and selectedtopics. In the introduction, Seaton provides a gracious account of Brague’s