Four conceptions of God among the American religious public

The authoritative God, who both judges and is closely engaged in the world
The benevolent God, who is “engaged but nonjudgmental”
The critical God, who happens to be judgmental but disengaged
The distant God, who is neither engaged nor judgmental, and could care less about how humans muck about.

… not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

(NKJV, 1 Peter 3:9)

Four conceptions of God among the American religious public

Since 2005