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What has always been at stake for me in insisting on "the reality of God" comes out particularly clearly and directly in my essay, "The Promise of Faith," especially in my criticism of "a certain misunderstanding" of Bultmann's approach to the meaning of eschatological symbols (_RG_: 215-219). I argue against this misunderstanding by appealing to the New Testament, making my point
 "over-simply" as follows: "whereas for this kind of existential theology, 'resurrection' designates a _human possibility_, for \[s\]cripture, it also refers, and, indeed, primarily, to a _divine actuality_" (216).
"\[O\]ur resurrection is never an authentic understanding of our existence until it is first a gracious action of God, which is real quite independently of our self-understanding. God first raises us up, first makes us the objects of \[God's\] limitless love, and only then do we have the possibility of participating in that 'new creation' which \[God's\] love ever and again makes possible for us and all our fellows. In a word, before resurrection is _our_ decision, it is _God's_ decision; and our faith does not create the risen life, but simply accepts it as already created by God through Christ and participates in it (218 f.)."