In conclusion, Burns is to be commended for highlighting the presence of God as a central theme in Scripture and its implications for the lives of believers. At the same time, The Nearness of God is less thorough when it comes to synthesizing what the presence of God is and the reasons why this theme is so significant for God's redemptive mission. This lack of clarity unfortunately limits the book's ability to reach its greatest potential both practically and theologically. Still, Burns does his readers a great service by contending for the centrality of the presence of God within the storyline of Scripture and providing a strong foundation for further exploration of this theme and the reasons for its biblical theological significance.