10 Questions with Margaret Feinberg

Last September, I had the priviledge of interviewing Margaret Feinberg. Ms. Feinberg has recently released a great new book, The Organic God. I reviewed it Monday of this week, here. She was kind enough to allow me to interview her again regarding her new release. I highly recommend The Organic God.

1. What are you reading now?

I’m read the Bible right now, Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and way too many copies of USA Today.

2. The Organic God seems to be part autobiography & part theology on God’s attributes. Was this intentional, or did your story seem to flow naturally (organically, if you will) as you wrote about God?
This was definitely intentional. I tend to be very private and my editor kept pushing to put more of my story in the book. Good writing is like getting naked on paper, and this is definitely the most honest, vulnerable book I’ve written.

3. Is there a new attribute of God which you have recently seen since the writing of The Organic God?
Slowly, I am discovering God’s grace. God doesn’t just give us grace—it’s a part of who He is and it flows from within His depths.

4. You have generally written for people in their twenties. This book is definitely suitable for that age group, but also for a wider audience. Is this a new direction for you, or is your primary audience still twentysomethings?
This is a new direction for me. Upcoming Margaret Feinberg books will definitely be for all ages—encouraging people to go deeper in their relationship with God, deeper into the scriptures and deeper with their relationships with each other.

5. Why do you describe God as organic?
Organic, in essence, means natural, pure and essential. In many ways, that describes God, but all too often we find portraits of God laced with additives which try to make Him fit our tastes. But God is God an He not just worth knowing but best knowing as He is—organically.

6. You speak throughout The Organic God about luminescence. Could you explain this concept and how it applies to God?
Luminescence is the light admitted from small marine organisms. They don’t have to try to be light—it’s just a reflection of who they are. In the same way, we as followers of Jesus don’t have to try to be light—we just are when we allow God to come alive inside of it. And if you’ve ever seen luminescence, then you know it’s very, very beautiful.

7. In what ways do your Jewish roots enhance your relationship with God?
I am so grateful for my Jewish roots even though it brought in a degree of religious tension during younger years. I think my background gives me a greater hunger to know and understand Jewish culture and some definite insights into Jewish thought and humor. And if nothing else, it gives me a little chutzpah with God.

8. Who has the most to offer as far as leadership skills – Dwight, Michael, Jim or Andy Bernard?
I vote Jim. Not just because he makes me laugh the hardest, but because he’s the quiet leader of the pack.

9. What one thing reminds you of God’s beauty more than anything else? The redemption of God is captivating to me and I want to see it in every life possible—including my own.

10. What encouragement do you have for people who wish to simplify their faith and discover God organically? Check out The Organic God and then embark on an organic journey of your own. Study the scripture—a portion, a chapter, a book, a person, a theme—not until you know it but until you own it. He is worth the pursuit.