The Fingerprint of God: Reflections on Love and Its Practice

by Will Dickerson

Publisher:

Resource Publications

, 2021

Overview

In a material, dog-eat-dog world where pain and suffering exist and where only the fittest survive, how and why did selfless love appear? How did love become one of the most basic necessities of human life? What exactly is love anyway? Is the existence--and necessity--of selfless love evidence that we really were created in the image of a loving God?

What if love was God’s fingerprint on our world and in our lives?

What if love was the proof that he was here and that he made us to love and be loved?

Praise for The Fingerprint of God

“Will Dickerson writes with a keen awareness of the questions many people are asking. Reading The Fingerprint of God will feel like you are enjoying coffee with a trustworthy friend, having a friendly and inspiring chat about the things that really matter.”

—Jim Thomas, The Village Chapel, Nashville



“‘Professor Will,’ as Dr. Dickerson is affectionately called by students and friends alike, gives a thoughtful and thought-provoking look at the relentless love of God. While his arguments are concise and compelling, he masterfully draws his readers into the intersection of his profound personal experiences and the heart of God, leaving his readers with a deeper sense of the real presence of God.”

—Rich Shockey, Executive Director, Flourish Furnishings, Kansas City



“With pastoral gentleness, story, and a dry wit, Dickerson illuminates a compelling case that selfless love is God’s fingerprint on our lives. Dickerson does this in a winsome, conversational style using narratives gleaned from over thirty years of teaching Hungarian teenage youths, assessable explanations of Scripture, metaphor, poetry, and art. This is a contemplation of God’s love.”

—Nicholas DiFonzo, Associate Professor of Psychology, Roberts Wesleyan College



“Will Dickerson is a humble, gentle, and patient teacher whose character comes through wisely and winsomely as he talks to us about the love of God. He carefully and clearly shows us how our relationship to God is grounded in God’s love for us, and he shows us how the love of God shapes our lives together as followers of Jesus.”

—Steve Froehlich, pastor, New Life Presbyterian Church, Ithaca, New York



" . . . the book’s strength lies in its nuanced understanding of Christianity itself. With a master of divinity degree from Princeton and a doctoral degree in medieval history from Cornell, the author provides knowledgeable and thoughtful analysis of Christian theology and history. His chapter-long discussion of the “Lord’s Supper” is particularly admirable, offering a solid history that is sensitive to disagreements between Catholics and Protestants as to the meaning and history of the Eucharist. While definitively Protestant in its theological approach, the book is deliberately ecumenical and includes critiques of fellow Christians. While the book challenges the Catholic belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary, it also questions the Protestant emphasis on doctrinal purity, noting that “God does not want your dead doctrines any more than He wants your dead works.” Despite Dickerson’s academic background, the book is written in a conversational style that juxtaposes engaging vignettes with accessible biblical commentary. Having pastored two churches, the author has clearly honed his skills in distilling complex ideas into concise, digestible packages. Interspersed throughout the text are astute analyses of classical Christian art and frequent breaks for poetry, inspirational passages from the Bible, and even the occasional and adorable piece of artwork by Dickerson’s grandchildren, illustrating the book’s preference for personal connection over academic jargon. Christian scholars may prefer a few more citations and deeper engagement with scholarly sources, but the book’s blend of learned analysis and accessible prose will appeal to a broad Christian audience . . . "

—Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

• Title: The Fingerprint of God: Reflections on Love and Its Practice
• Author: Will Dickerson
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Print Publication Date: 2021
• Logos Release Date: 2021
• Pages: 124
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9781666704891, 9781666704877, 1666704873, 9781666704884, 1666704881, 166670489X
• Resource ID: LLS:9781666704891
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-22T17:32:23Z

About the Author

Will Dickerson earned an MDiv from Princeton, a PhD in medieval history from Cornell, and an MEd from Károli Gáspár University in Budapest, Hungary. He has pastored two churches and presented in churches from Budapest to Alaska. Since 1993, he has served with One Mission Society in Budapest, where he has taught English in a public secondary school as well as a wide range of courses at EuNC.