One of the oldest and most beloved prayers – known even to Jews who rarely attend synagogue – is Avinu Malkeinu ("e;Our Father, Our King"e;), a liturgical staple for the entire High Holy Day period. "e;Our Father, Our King"e; has resonance, also, for Christians, whose Lord's Prayer begins "e;Our Father."e;Despite its popularity, Avinu Malkeinu causes great debate because of the difficulties in thinking of God as father and king. Americans no longer relate positively to images of royalty; victims of parental abuse note the problem of assuming a benevolent father and feminists have long objected to masculine language for God. Through a series of lively introductions and commentaries, almost forty contributors – men and women, scholars and rabbis, artists and thinkers from all Jewish denominations and from around the world – wrestle with this linguistic and spiritual conundrum, asking, "e;How do we name God altogether, without recourse to imagery that defies belief?"e;
