To write a book about God, if your name is not John Frame, requires you to author it not as ‘Bob’ or ‘Jim’ or whatever your name is, but to author it with initials. Note these:
The Holiness of God, R. C. Sproul.
Knowledge of the Holy One, A. W. Tozer.
And the all-time best Knowing God, J. I. Packer.
I long ago concluded that I could not write such a book for, among other more formidable deficiencies is the simple fact that I am, simply, Randy. I am Randall to the IRS and to the phone company, but Randy to everyone else.
I ruled out many years ago using my initials. “R. R. Greenwald” sounds like a car trying to start with a nearly dead battery. It lacks the pop of a ‘J. I. Packer’. So the book will remain unwritten.
It has occurred to me recently however that ‘R. R.’ does have some precedent not in theology directly, but in literature. If I could get someone to loan me a ‘J’, ‘J. R. R. Greenwald’ doesn’t sound half bad.
Gail and Keith
"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Write the book. Don't let a name stop you! G
Geoffsnook
I like the J.R.R. better but there is probably only one J.R.R. and that belongs to Tolkien. So I'd come up with another letter.I don't like my initials either as a theologian. So in addition to not being as smart as those guys, my initials preclude me from rising to prominence in the theological realm!
Randy Greenwald
Wait a second, Mr. H. I think "G. C. Henderson" would look right nice on a book spine.And, G, there may be a few other things in the way of that besides the name!
Anonymous
Why ask someone to lend you a J? Just give yourself one, following the example of the parents of our 33rd president who gave their son the letter S.If if was good enough for Harry….