We can only live our lives through myth. Yet many Christians see 'myth' as equivalent to a fairy story and seek to explain their religion as if it were a collection of 'facts'—and the result is silliness and fundamentalism. A myth is a finite symbol that is transparent for transfinite reality. It is a doorway to truth that is greater than understanding. This book shows us how myth—and mythical discourse—must be central to genuine Christian faith.

Thomas O'Loughlin, Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology, University of Nottingham

At last, someone has set out to remind us what we learned about metaphor on English class. Its apparent exaggeration is meant to underscore the importance of the topic under consideration. So it is with myth, which spurns the exactitude of history in favor of poetic expansiveness. No wonder so many theological statements contain elements of myth. However, too few people really know how to read these statements. Alan McGill has stepped forward to address this pressing need, and the result is this insightfully written and easily read book.

Dianne Bergant, Catholic Theological Union in Chicago