Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth (Know What)

Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth (Know What)
Average customer rating:

WONDERFUL resource!

An Excellent Primer to the Christian Faith

Good book no matter where you are on the Christian journey

very good on basics

reinforced dogma

Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth (Know What)
Paul E. Little
Manufacturer: Cook Communications Ministries (CO)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Faith | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Catechisms | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Know Why You Believe: Connecting Faith and Reason (Know What)

How to Read Slowly (Wheaton Literary Series)

Know Who You Believe: The Magnificent Connection (Know What)

The Deadliest Monster: A Christian Introduction to Worldviews

How to Give Away Your Faith (Ivp Classics)

ASIN: 0781439647

Book Description

What does the Bible teach about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit? What do angels, Satan, and demons have to do with reality? What place should the Bible or a church have in my life? Perhaps you think you know what others are telling you to believe, but deep down inside you wonder, "What is really important to my own faith?" If so, you need to know...a Christian's faith must be grounded in truth! "I have deeply admired [Paul Little} as a man of God with Extraordinary insights into the work of God and boundless enthusiasm for communicating the Word of God" -Billy Graham "There are just a few timeless treasures in Christian literature. Know What You Believe is one of them. I am confident that the expanded and updated version of this book will be as important to this generation as it was in the days when I was a student." -Joseph M. Stowell, President, Moody Bible Institute "This updated classic stands ready to serve a whole new generation. Read it and let Paul help you understand the timeless biblical truths that will prevent you from being 'blown here and there by every wind of teaching.'" -Mark Mittelberg, Executive Vice President, Willow Creek Association

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFUL resource!.......2007-04-06

This resouce helped my college-aged daughter evaluate and nail down her own beliefs.

An Excellent Primer to the Christian Faith.......2006-07-16

Know What You Believe is an excellent synopsis of the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Paul E. Little proceeds with commendable logic by covering a low-level defense of the Bible, the properties of God and what sets Him apart from other gods, the nature and life of Christ, the significance of Christ's death on the cross, the relationship of man and sin, the work of the Holy Spirit, the implications and requirements of salvation, the biblical description of angels, demons, and Satan, the church universal and local, and a brief overview of the competing theories for the end times. If you are looking for a summary of all the elements of mere Christianity, this may be the book for you. If you are looking for the best scholarship has to offer on the nature of the Trinity, I recommend you look elsewhere.

Nevertheless, I do have one complaint against the book, and that is concerning the unfair treatment of Roman Catholocism. Although Know What You Believe will tend to be accepted by most mainline Protestant groups and some Roman Catholics, he does not give certain Catholic doctrines fair treatment, although he is quite willing to be fair to the Armenian/Calvinist debates. For instance, he denies the doctrines on Purgatory without giving at least giving a Catholic defense. It is fine to say that Purgatory is not a necessary element of Christian faith, but it would be better to leave it out of the book entirely than to set it and other Roman doctrines as straw man arguments and proceed to knock them down.

Despite this problem, I have found Paul E. Little's summary of the faith very useful in completing a sometimes fragmentary knowledge of Christian faith and ideas as they are taken from Scripture. This book is often useful even to long-term knowledgeable Christians as a reaffirmation of the faith, and sometimes an eye-opener to smaller details one might not have thought of before, such as the relationship between the body, spirit, and soul. The competing theories of the end times, although not comprehensive, is laid out in a very clear and readable format, allowing for even a more knowledgeable Christian to benefit from Little's style.

Good book no matter where you are on the Christian journey.......2006-06-26

The front cover description by Billy Graham of this book is amazingly accurate - "Scholarly, articulate, simple." Paul Little really does an amazing job of addressing the core essentials of the faith in less than 150 pages - from the nature of God, to the nature of man, from the importance of Christ's substitutionary death on the cross to His imminent return for His Bride, the Church. I especially liked the way that Little handed controversial issues, by giving an adequate description of both sides without seeking to interject his own opinions on several matters.

I also liked the flow of the book, beginning with the essential element of Scripture from which God has revealed Himself to man in a special manner to a chapter on the nature of God Himself. From there, Little explores the historical person of Jesus Christ and the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, upon which the entirety of Christianity rests. Once the concept of God's creation and the god-head itself are addressed, Little turns to the problem with the world - sin and the separation of man from his designed status as a child of God. Little then follows that with the chapter on the Holy Spirit, introducing the reader to the remainder of the Trinity and the special work of the Holy Spirit to convict man of his sin. Following this, Little turns to the good news of salvation and the redemption of man through the blood sacrifice of Christ. The remaining three chapters deal with other spiritual issues facing believers, including angels, Satan and demons, the role of the Church in the life of the believer, and the fundamentals of eschatology, or the "things to come" as Little phrases it.

The book is simply profound in its ability to cover such a wide gamut of ideas and principles giving just enough to address the issue without either boring the reader or leaving the reader without a proper understanding. A great book to suggest to every believer, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.

very good on basics.......2006-06-15

The author handles basic Christian faith very well, and uses some helpful examples and analogies that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I would unreservedly recommend this book to anyone who wants to become grounded on basic Christian docrine.

reinforced dogma.......2005-10-30

If you want your dogma reinforced then this is a great book. It blazes through philosophical arguments with proposterous nerve.

example 1. The problem of evil is solved thus:
"And God has done something about the problem of evil. He has done the most dramatic, costly, and effective thing possible by giving his Son to die for evil men."

example 2. To John Wisdoms damning parable, the book argues: "For in Christianity we do not have merely an allegation that the garden of this world is tended by a loving Gardener; we have the actual, empirical entrance of the Gardener into the human scene in the person of Christ (cf. John 20: 14,15), and this entrance is verifiable by way of His resurrection."

All of the arguments assume the ignorant position. The argument from design is entertained in the most ridiculous manner -arguing from the specific to the general. Reality is simple -we are here because things are the way they are -if they weren't, we wouldn't be here. Too many leaves in the teacup being read by those who want to see things that are not there. I'm afraid for humanity if they think this is knowledge.

What Catholics Really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith

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Informative
Good for its intended purpose
A great book for Catholics!
Skim this Book and You will Read it
TO DISCOVER WHAT CATHOLICS MUST TRULY BELIEVE READ PACEM IN TERRIS

What Catholics Really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith
Karl Keating
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898705533

Customer Reviews:

Informative.......2007-06-27

Keating provides a great deal of information and sound support for his writing. I found his academic tone to be a bit offensive at times and, quite honestly, a turn off.

Good for its intended purpose.......2007-04-25

In this well-organized and concise response to 52 common misconceptions of the Roman Catholic faith, Karl Keating provides answers from scripture, tradition, and history to set the record straight. I must admit, I do not think I would have stated any of the misconceptions in the way the author did but perhaps my misconceptions are not so far off track as many. Still, the responses are cogent and concise with ample proof scripture texts and historical/traditional background. It would be a good start especially for anyone who has a limited grounding in catholic theology in preparation for further and more detailed study in the catechism of the Roman Catholic church. A good start but not a very thorough theological/doctrinal study - but, in fairness, it was not intended to be a systematic theology or Roman Catholic doctrinal summary. This is more a reactionary book in response to some rather common (and sometimes silly) notions even lifelong Catholics have accepted as fact. Very well done for its type.

A great book for Catholics!.......2007-03-30

I someone wishing to learn more about the Catholic Church I found this book to be an excellent representation of the Catechisms. I think this book would be a must for any "Cradle Catholics" who has forgotten what the Church teaches.

As a Protestant on the verge of reconciling my Faith with the Catholic Church I found it an enjoyable read which answered some of the "uhs?" I've had for years.

What this book doesn't try to do is to prove those statements. For me that was just fine as I have many other books now which contain that information. This book will definitely help set the record straight, you will just still have questions as too why, especially if you aren't Catholic. But hey, to me that search of why is a wonderful thing that can help all of us learn more about our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Skim this Book and You will Read it.......2007-01-14

52 questions are posed along with their answers. Written in the question and answer style of the Baltimore Catechism, only this book really grabs the reader, and holds their interest. I think this book will be of great interest to any Catholic that invests any amount of time into religion. This reader has seen many quick perusals of this book turn into a regular reading session. The questions are posed, many that are commonly heard and the book's answer becomes irresistible.
The Church's views on Extraterrestrials, Angels, civil divorce, etc, are all discussed within this book. `
The author is a well-known apologist, very knowledgeable. This book has a lot of bang for the buck, really quite an eye-opener text

TO DISCOVER WHAT CATHOLICS MUST TRULY BELIEVE READ PACEM IN TERRIS.......2006-11-25

This book you might browse through amazon=s Search Inside system. You will see it is nothing but a collection of irrelevant "how many angels dance on the head of a pin?" questions, formative not normative.

To discover the essence and truth of what Catholics really believe, study instead the Reverend Father Richrd McBrien: Catholicism. Study the National Conference of Bishop-s The Challenge of Peace: GOd-s Promise and Our Response. Study the good Pope John-s Pacem in Terris. Study Gaudium et Spes, and you will discover that NO Catholic can participate in any way indirectly nor directly in our sixteen year long war against Iraq, which has left over a million dead. Study our US Conference of Catholic Bishop=s Economic Justice For All, and realize the horror of our current administration=s domestic and foreign policies. Read Father Fox=s Creation SPirituality and relaize the accounting we will have to give of our stewardship of creation.

Instead of these meaningless considerations in this present book, read Archbishop Romero, Father Ellacuria, and consider carefully their martyrdoms for the poor of our Church and for their Gospel witness. Read the Reverend Father John Dear, SJ, and his companion, the courageous and thoughtful and Reverend Father Daniel Berrigan. Read Thomas Merton, especially his Peace in a Post=Christian Era, and contemplate that which a true Catholic Really Believes. Further study carefully Bishop Pedro Casaldaliga, the Rev. Father Charles Curran, Fr. Leonardo Boff=s writings especially his recent commentaries on the Our Father and the Hail Mary, and his earlier contemplation of the Stations of the Cross. Read the Magnificat, the prayer of Mary as to fate of the wealthy and of the poor.

Therein you may discover that which a Catholic Really Believes. Not here in Keating. All of these references are still available within the mighty amazon.

Know Why You Believe: Connecting Faith and Reason (Know What)

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Great book on apologetics
Nice summary of answers to common questions
Some good, Some bad
A place to start for beginners.
WOW!

Know Why You Believe: Connecting Faith and Reason (Know What)
Paul E. Little , and Marie Little
Manufacturer: Victor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth (Know What)
Know Who You Believe: The Magnificent Connection (Know What)
The Deadliest Monster: A Christian Introduction to Worldviews
How to Give Away Your Faith (Ivp Classics)
How to Read Slowly (Wheaton Literary Series)

ASIN: 0781439639

Book Description

You're a reasonable person. And you know there are some tough questions that Christianity should be able to answer. Paul Little does just that, and in a way that Billy Graham lauds as "scholarly, articulate," and yet "simple." Revised and expanded to explore the central truths of Christianity in a more contemporary format, this companion bestseller examines the claims of the Christian faith. Discover for yourself what such great Christian minds as Bill Hybels, Josh McDowell and Ravi Zacharias have found to be a must-have classic for any critical thinker's library.

Customer Reviews:

Great book on apologetics.......2006-08-21

This book is an excellent introduction to apologetics. The chapters are organised according to questions that unbelievers often ask. The chapters are easy to read and they present the facts in a concise, intelligent, and convincing way. This book helped me realise how little I know, for example about the historical evidence for Jesus, and I found myself wanting to memorize portions of the book. I have been memorizing parts of this book, and I have been reading it over and over. I recommend it to all believers who need an introduction to apologetics.

Nice summary of answers to common questions.......2003-10-22

My wife asked me to read this book to see if it was any good- so I did. Like most reviewers, I enjoyed this book despite its simplicity. It is pretty short, easy to follow, and worth the time spent reading it. I was somewhat familiar with certain sections of the book, but enjoyed the pragmatic way that Paul Little presents the Christian view to the reader.

The context for the book is that Paul Little wanted to provide answers to the 12 most common questions he received when discussing Christianity on college campuses. He fulfills his purpose, and provides many references, and additional materials to research if you want to go deeper into any particular subject.

You will most likely not be interested in all 12 topics discussed, but it makes sense that most Christians should have some familiarity with these questions, and the basic answers provided in this book. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick introduction to apologetics, or different ways to answer the questions that may arise as you share your faith with others.

Some good, Some bad.......2003-07-11

A lot of other reviewers have highlighted the positives so I'll concentrate on the negative. I'ts obvious that his bible interpretation is a literalist,inerrant view most compatible with conservative evangelicism or fundamentalism. As such it repeatedly leaves itself open to attack of the historicity of certain events in the bible.
The worst section of the book is clearly the one on science and religion. To imply that the age of the earth is a question still open because of uncertainties in geology is just intellectually
dishonest. There was good evidence through geology about the old nature of the earth long before even the first edition of this book came out.
As well there has been evidence found about transitional life forms in fossils (nowhere complete yet I will admit).
When you see that he is quoting Michael Behe and Hugh Ross you know well, that just about does the chapter in. Even honest christian scientists dismiss much of the ideas of those two.
Bottomline: there's better than this to read out there.

A place to start for beginners........2002-11-26

I read Little's book and was disappointed with it. My criticisms of this book are derived not from an anti-Christian perspective, but from a practical pedagogical perspective. With that said, I am not trying to disprove any of Little's statements on Christian faith that he derives from his readings of the Bible. But I do have some criticisms of this book. My criticisms against this book should assist the prospective reader in selecting (or not selecting this book).
-Simplistic style. This is not a college level book, despite what one review states. It is written at the seventh or eighth grade level. If you read at the college level, this is a Dick & Jane book. Sometimes it is like reading a PowerPoint presentation. It is basic and not challenging.
-Slow pace. The pace of this book is very slow. Part of what makes this a slow read is the book's repetitious style. Little keeps making his point over and over. After a while, you get the point and no longer have to have it made again.
-Errors (or over-simplification). For example, Little refers to a Greek Empire (page 12). There was never one. With that said, it is clear he is referring to the `Greek' linguistic and cultural hegemony created in the western Mediterranean by Alexander the Great's conquests.
-Academic credentials. Little holds an MBA and is not a theologian. He holds no advanced degrees in that field. The method by which Little postulates his arguments resembles those made by Fundamentalist - a lot on what the Bible says and little on historical context or liturgical perspective. In other words, his sources are limited and it shows. And, he tends to make circular arguments.
With all of this said, I do consider this to be fine book for a novice to Christianity. The basics are here, without any complications. However, it is not illuminating. So if you are looking for a place to start, this might be it. However, don't stop here - this is way too basic.

WOW!.......2002-05-24

I'm very interested in apologetics, and this is exactly what I wanted! The language is easy to understand, but the meaning and explanations go much deeper. Some of the points Little discusses are a little confusing, but for the most part, he explains it very well. There are separate chapters for each reason we believe. The major reasons are covered in this book, and because of that, the book doesn't drag on and on, covering each minute detail. This is a wonderful read for someone wanting to know why they believe.

The Truth about Conservative Christians: What They Think and What They Believe

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Should be requred for left-wing idelogues - and everyone else
Great empirical study of evangelicalism in America
No surprises here unless you live in the North East and read the NYT

The Truth about Conservative Christians: What They Think and What They Believe
Andrew Greeley , and Michael Hout
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226306623

Book Description

Ever since the reelection of President Bush, conservative Christians have been stereotyped in the popular media: Bible-thumping militants and anti-intellectual zealots determined to impose their convictions on such matters as evolution, school prayer, pornography, abortion, and homosexuality on the rest of us. But conservative Christians are not as fanatical or intractable as many people think, nor are they necessarily the monolithic voting block or political base that kept Bush in power.

Andrew M. Greeley and Michael Hout's eye-opening book expertly conveys the complexity, variety, and sensibilities of conservative Christians, dispelling the myths that have long shrouded them in prejudice and political bias. For starters, Greeley and Hout reveal that class and income have trumped moral issues for these Americans more often than we realize: a dramatic majority of working-class and lower-class conservative Christians backed liberals such as Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton during their runs for president. And when it comes to abortion, most conservative Christians are not consistently pro-life in the absolute fashion usually assumed: they are still more likely to oppose the practice than other Americans, but 86 percent of them are willing to tolerate it to protect the health of the mother or when the woman has been raped, and 22 percent of them are even pro-choice.

What do conservative Christians really think about evolution, homosexuality, or even the meaning of the word of God? Answering these questions and more, The Truth about Conservative Christians will interest—and surprise—a broad range of readers, especially in this heated election year.

Customer Reviews:

Should be requred for left-wing idelogues - and everyone else.......2007-01-06

Stereotypes are a convenient shorthand for the ignorant. They allow a person to communicate a favored interpretation of a group in a word or two. "Fundamentalist Christian", for example, is often used perjoratively to describe a group that is imagined to possess intense religious beliefs and live according to very restrictive and narrow beliefs.

In this book, which is composed almost entirely of statistical tables, authors Greeley and Hout put that stereotype to the test the validity of the stereotype.

It is fascinating reading.

The authors define Conservative Christianity as a religious movement whose "[m]embers seek a religious practice consistent with a relatively small number of basic principles tht are rooted in scripture". The widely held and broadcast stereotype is that "Conservative Christians are a juggernaut bent on undoing liberty, equality and the fraternity of nations. Power-mad hypocrites, the mask hate with love, a judgmental streak with pieties, exclusion with appeals to inclusion and monoculture in the name of diversity." And that's one of the nicer left-wing stereotypes of the Conservative Christians.

The authors, both social scientists, announce that their mission is to deliver "facts about Conservative Christians". And they do.

Thy provide 172 pages of data drawn from surveys and studies conducted over the past several decades. Among the many myths destroyed is that all Conservative Christians vote for Republicans. In fact, only 7 percent more of them vote for Republicans than what the authors deem Mainline Protestants. The range of subjects studied by the authors is impressive.

Statisics and statistical analysis can be terribly dry. To their credit, the authors manage to keep it interested for the dedicated reader. Unfortunately most readers will not be that dedicated. It would have been a fine service if the authors had provided something of an executive summary presenting all of their findings in bullet form. The less-motivated reader would at least be able to take away the highlights.

For those who seriously seek understanding, this book is highly recommended.

Jerry

Great empirical study of evangelicalism in America.......2006-12-14

The authors do an outstanding job of using empirical data to show how complex the evangelical subculture really is. Although not an evangelical, I had long suspected that the movement's de facto leadership glossed over many of its internal differences and divisions. The data largely bear this out.

Some of the data in the book amount to little more than interesting trivia. For example, more than half of single evangelical adults do not practice sexual abstinance. But in addition to such trivia, the book also uncovers broader trends within the movement. For example, the views of educated, white-collar evangelicals track very differently on many issues from those of less educated working-class evangelicals.

After reading this book, I wondered whether evangelical leaders even understand the people who sit in their pews every week. For the past several years I have been trying to find a book that would help me to understand what makes evangelicalism tick. I read several books written by evangelicals and non-evangelicals. All painted the evangelical subculture as monolithic, but none gave the same picture. After reading this book I got my answer as to what makes the evangelical subculture tick: nothing in particular. Evangelicals seem to vary a lot depending on their level of education, their degree of wealth, their professions, and their zip code.

No surprises here unless you live in the North East and read the NYT.......2006-09-12

I'm a conservative Christian, and while I supported Jimmy Carter at the time, his performace and policies cured me from seriously considering voting for any Democrat for President since then. And it should be of no surprise that conservative Christians don't rule out abortion when the life of the mother is indeed at risk. Conservative Christians are conservative, not stupid.

Liberals indeed hold many stereotypes of conservative Christians. If they knew us better they would realize that we are the strongest defenders of our country and its freedoms that we have. After all, the blessings that we have in America today came about through the enlightenment and the Great Awakening.

What Do Our Neighbors Believe?: Questions And Answers On Judiasm, Christianity, and Islam

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Lots of answers
Promoting understanding of others faiths

What Do Our Neighbors Believe?: Questions And Answers On Judiasm, Christianity, and Islam
Howard R. Greenstein , Kendra G. Hotz , and John Kaltner
Manufacturer: Westminster John Knox Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0664230652

Customer Reviews:

Lots of answers.......2007-07-10

As a Christian Minister I found this book to be very interesting. The format was very helpful because each religion answered the same question. The answers on behalf of Christianity had to be very broad because the Christian faith has so many streams of expression. I learned a lot about all the religions.

Promoting understanding of others faiths.......2007-03-12

Every household should own this book. Learned a lot about the Jewish, Islam and my own faith history.
Great book for a study group to use.

The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters

Average customer rating:

Makes the Creed live.
The reason to believe
Hurrah for Creedal Christianity!
Timely explanation of Christianity's statement of faith in our post-modern and post-Christian times
Disagree with most of the other reviewers

The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters
Luke Timothy Johnson
Manufacturer: Image
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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"I Believe": Exploring the Apostles' Creed
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Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition
The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation

ASIN: 0385502486
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Book Description

This thoughtful, fully accessible exploration of the creed, the list of beliefs central to the Christian faith, delves into its origins and illuminates the contemporary significance of why it still matters.

During services in Christian communities, the members of the congregation stand together to recite the creed, professing in unison the beliefs they share. For most Christians, the creed functions as a sort of “ABC” of what it means to be a Christian and to be part of a worldwide movement. Few people, however, know the source of this litany of beliefs, a topic that is further confused by the fact that there are two different versions: the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.

In The Creed, Luke Timothy Johnson, a New Testament scholar and Catholic theologian, clarifies the history of the creed, discussing its evolution from the first decades of the Christian Church to the present day. By connecting the deep theological conflicts of the early Church with the conflicts and questions facing Christians today, Johnson shows that faith is a dynamic process, not based on a static set of rules. Written in a clear, graceful style and appropriate for Christians of all denominations, The Creed is destined to become a classic of modern writings on spirituality.

Customer Reviews:

Makes the Creed live........2007-01-13

After the preface it became easy reading and explained much about what we say and should believe when we recite the Creed.

The reason to believe.......2007-01-07

Over the pat couple of years I have increasingly become aware of the controversy that Christian Creed, and Creedal Christianity, invoke. The more fundamentalist Christians tend to think of creeds as a later development, and by extension a corruption, of the original pristine New Testament Christianity. On the other hand, theological liberals of all stripes perceive creeds as a straitjacket and a tool of control and exclusion of the heterodox views that were suppressed by the Orthodox "faction". Furthermore, secularists and atheist equate any and allegiances to creeds as a credulity, an infantile instinct that needs to be eradicated if we are to move ahead as a society. Luke Timothy Johnson in this wonderful little book goes a long way in defending The Creed against all these major detractors, and he does it with a great deal of skill, scholarship and finesse.

The early chapters of this book explore how did particular statements in The Creed come about, what were the historical and theological disputes that lead to their inclusion. However, this is not the main focus of the book, and some other works on this topic may be more relevant. The major part of the book is dedicated to taking each one of the statements in The creed (and The Creed in question is theNiceno-Constantinopolitan Creed), elaborating on its meaning, providing the relevant biblical proof-texts that support it, and providing the significance of it in our dailylives and in the world at large. It is here that Luke Timothy Johnson is at his best, and this book brought new freshness to the old statements of faith that I've been reciting in Church for many years.

This is a wonderful modern book that I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in the Christian beliefs.

Hurrah for Creedal Christianity!.......2006-05-20

This book stands in stark contrast with the lofty Clues to the Nicean Creed (see my review). It is filled with solid theology, scriptural references and persuasive arguments in support of one thesis: the Creed should be the interpretative backbone of the Christian faith, the flag around which disoriented and wavering Christians ought to rally in our age of uncertainty.
According to Johnson, in order to share a meaningful message with the world, Christianity ought to rediscover the wealth and value of the Creed or stand in danger to lose its "salt" and become either irrelevant or another club. I totally concur with his assessment. In his last chapter ("Creedal Christianity"), probably the most valuable of the book, the author makes a spirited defense of the Creed against reductionist/minimalist claims about Jesus and the content of the Christian faith made by people within and outside of it. I also was delighted by two suggestions advanced by Johnson: that the doctrinal claims of the Creed can and should guide the practice of the Church (Johnson made a convincing case that the Creed defines parameters and boundaries, but not obstacles); and that the Creed emphasizes the what and not the how of the Faith, and thus should not be accused of saying "too much where one ought to remain silent."
I gave the book only three stars because of its underdeveloped historical treatment and because I was not impressed with what I personally considered a de rigoeur, artificial and somewhat forced correlation between the Creed and the social agenda of the Church.

Timely explanation of Christianity's statement of faith in our post-modern and post-Christian times.......2006-04-22

Timely explanation of Christianity's statement of faith in our post-modern and post-Christian times

For someone who grew up in a neo-Protestant denomination, where the Nicene-Constantinople Creed (or any other) have never been mentioned (from the pulpit or during Sunday School), I found this read not only enlightening but also upbuilding for my faith.

While I have to say there are a few statements that Luke Timothy Johnson makes without providing any evidence (and which I would like to challenge), this read is not a light read and neither a dry one. The first chapter briefly discusses the history of the early Christian creeds. The rest of the book is a treatise and explanation of every sentence, phrase, or words found in the Nicene-Constantinoplean creed. There are sub-chapters that are full of wisdom, and many of them are replete with Bible verses and quotations. While Dr. Johnson comes from a Roman-Catholic tradition, his writing is very Protestant and Orthodox friendly, and for that matter Heathen or non-believer friendly.

This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn what Christians believe now and what they have believed since the early Church times. Also, if you want to better understand the Creed which is recited every Sunday in church, this is an excellent read. The only companion in this subtopic (Christian Creeds) that I would recommend is "Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition" by Jaroslav Pelikan.

Disagree with most of the other reviewers.......2005-04-06

I hate to disagree with many of the other reviewers, but this book was a disappointment. While short in pages, this book is not concise in thought. He raises many interesting points, but to me the book is a series on long-winded ramblings.

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Disarming
Basic Christianity
Common beliefs

What Christians Believe
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mere Christianity

ASIN: 0060761539
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Book Description

A succinct statement of Christian doctrine from one of Christianity's most beloved thinkers.

Customer Reviews:

Disarming.......2007-03-06

Wonderful explanation of what believing is. I like especially the chapter about marriage. Although Lewis was a bachelor, he has deep insight. But the other chapters are great as well, especially for people that like to think, but have no long attention span.

Basic Christianity.......2006-11-09

Beautifully written, logical explanation of basic Christian beliefs. It is very easy to read and follow his thought process. You could easily read it in one sitting. This would be a great tool for sharing with friends who are not Christians but have questions. It is actually only one chapter out of Lewis' classic "Mere Christianity."

Common beliefs.......2005-06-01

C.S. Lewis was a rare individual. One of the few non-clerics to be recognised as a theologian by the Anglican church, he put forth the case for Christianity in general in ways that many Christians beyond the Anglican world can accept, and a clear description for non-Christians of what Christian faith and practice should be. Indeed, Lewis says in his introduction that this text (or indeed, hardly any other he produced) will help in deciding between Christian denominations. While he describes himself as a 'very ordinary layman' in the Church of England, he looks to the broader picture of Christianity, particularly for those who have little or no background. The discussion of division points rarely wins a convert, Lewis observed, and so he leaves the issues of ecclesiology and high theology differences to 'experts'. Lewis is of course selling himself short in this regard, but it helps to reinforce his point.

This book derives from his work, 'Mere Christianity', a book looks at beliefs, both from a 'natural' standpoint as well as a scripture/tradition/reason standpoint. Lewis looks both at belief and unbelief - for example, he states that Christians do not have to see other religions of the world as thoroughly wrong; on the other hand, to be an atheist requires (in Lewis' estimation) that one view religions, all religions, as founded on a mistake. Lewis probably surprised his listeners by starting a statement, 'When I was an atheist...' Lewis is a late-comer to Christianity (most Anglicans in England were cradle-Anglicans). Thus Lewis can speak with the authority of one having deliberately chosen and found Christianity, rather than one who by accident of birth never knew any other (although the case can be made that Lewis was certainly raised in a culture dominated by Christendom).

Lewis also looks at practice - here we are not talking about liturgical niceties or even general church-y practices, but rather the broad strokes of Christian practice - issues of morality, forgiveness, charity, hope and faith. Faith actually has a very brief section - part of it looking at the more common use of system of belief, but another part examining faith in a more subtle, spiritual way. Lewis states early that should readers get lost, they should just skip the chapter - while many parts of Christianity will be accessible and intelligible to non-Christians, some things cannot be understood from the outside. This is the 'leave it to God' sense of faith, that is in many ways more of a gift or grace from God than a skill to be developed.

Finally, Lewis looks at personality, not just in the sense of our individual personality, but our status as persons and of God's own personality. Lewis' conclusion that there is no true personality apart from God's is somewhat disquieting; Lewis contrasts Christianity with itself in saying that it is both easy and hard at the same time. Lewis looks for the 'new man' to be a creature in complete submission and abandonment to God. This is a turn both easy and difficult.

The main book 'Mere Christianity' was originally a series of radio talks, published as three separate books - 'The Case for Christianity', 'Christian Behaviour', and 'Beyond Personality'. This book brings together primary excerpts from all three texts. Lewis' style is witty and engaging, the kind of writing that indeed lives to be read aloud. Lewis debates whether or not it was a good idea to leave the oral-language aspects in the written text (given that the tools for emphasis in written language are different); I think the correct choice was made.

This book is part of a pocket-book series being produced by Harper SanFrancisco, several books that highlight the key points of C.S. Lewis' religious/theological writing. Less than 100 pages, with plenty of white space and good-sized print, these books are easily read, but invite contemplation far beyond the scope of their diminutive size.

So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ

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Lucid, Pastoral Response to MacArthur
Salvation Free and Easy?
Grace- it's too easy for some
Salvation in laymans terms
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So Great Salvation: What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ
Charles Ryrie
Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Salvation

ASIN: 0802478182

Book Description

What is the Gospel? Confusion about the Gospel is a serious problem of tremendous magnitude. It's not just semantics. It's the eternal difference between heaven and hell. But there is Good News. Follow along in this scholarly yet readable work as Dr. Ryrie carefully explains what the Bible has to say about salvation, discussing man's hopeless state before meeting Jesus, God's grace in saving us, and our call to obedience as we walk with Him. In So Great Salvation, Dr. Ryrie also addresses many questions raised by those who hold to the lordship salvation position. Does Jesus have to be the Lord of every area of our lives before we are saved? What about backslidden Christians? What is 'easy-believeism?' Join Dr. Ryrie as he studies the important topic of salvation. Discover how God's grace is all we need to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Customer Reviews:

Lucid, Pastoral Response to MacArthur.......2006-05-17

Charles Ryrie's So Great Salvation was first published in the summer of 1989 as a response to John MacArthur's bestselling 1988 book The Gospel According to Jesus. As a response, it will be of most value to people who have read MacArthur's work.

The fundamental issue that divides Ryrie and MacArthur is a major one: What must a person do to receive salvation? Other associated issues arise: To be in God's family, must you submit to Christ as lord? What does it mean to repent and turn to Jesus Christ in faith? Do Christians always show visible signs of their regeneration by the Holy Spirit?

On these issues, there are similarities and differences between the authors. Both believe that Christians must bear fruit and be sanctified; the difference between them lies in Ryrie's willingness to allow that some Christians' fruit may never be visible to others. A far more critical distinction revolves around the issue of salvation. Ryrie contends that a person must believe in Jesus' death for your sins and his resurrection from the dead. To Ryrie, this is not a simple acknowlegment of some facts; rather, belief involves a trust in Christ. MacArthur, in contrast, argues that there must at least be a willingness to submit to Christ as lord when you turn in repentance and faith to Christ; Ryrie argues that such willingness often comes later and may never come.

These are important issues, and whether you agree or disagree with him, Ryrie tackles them succinctly and with clarity. He also displays a warm, pastoral concern for people that is mostly lacking from The Gospel According to Jesus. (MacArthur is much more concerned with being hard-hitting in his points. That's not to say that MacArthur is unloving, just that he expresses that love by sounding warning bells, while Ryrie is much softer in temperament and, often, more nuanced with his prose.)

Whether you agree or disagree with Ryrie may well depend on how much of a dispensationalist you are. Ryrie's dispensationalism leads him to draw sharp distinctions in several areas: between salvation and the Christian life, faith and works, Jesus' gospel (which Ryrie, as a premillenialist, sees as applying to a millenial kingdom) and Paul's gospel (which Ryrie sees as applying to our time today, the period that some dispensationalists call "the church age"), salvation and discipleship, receiving the gift of eternal life and repenting of sins, and positional sanctification and practical sanctification. MacArthur, on the other hand, sees all of these issues as being interrelated and an essential part of the life of a Christian.

Personally speaking, I'm neither a premillenialist nor a dispensationalist, so Ryrie's strong lines of demarcation don't sit well with me. This is particularly true of his contrast between "Jesus' gospel" and "Paul's gospel," a distinction that seems way out of left field and even dangerous to me. Ryrie also is too quick to label something that God leads you to do, such as baptism, a means of grace, as a human work. Additionally, I believe that MacArthur's correct in saying that the call to salvation is also a call to repentance, submitting yourself to the lordship of Christ, and discipleship; you cannot separate these elements of the Christian life.

Still, So Great Salvation is an important contribution to what was termed the "lordship salvation" debate that attracted much attention in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and which is still relevant today. On the positive side, So Great Salvation is just about as breezy of a read as theology books go; Ryrie covers his points simply but effectively, and with an economy of words. Even if you disagree with him, as I do, Ryrie makes his points charitably and effectively.

Salvation Free and Easy?.......2005-10-05

The Bible agrees with Ryrie that salvation is by grace through faith alone and that it is a gift from God. But this is not to ignore the picture of a man dead in trespasses and sins, and that it is God that has quickened us (waken us up to our horrid condition), and prepared our hearts to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Ryrie thinks that repentance towards sin is a "work" for salvation, and uses this as a strawman to attack lordship salvation. However he fails to see that this repentance is not a "work" of the sinner, but is a condition GIVEN to the sinner by grace from God. It is a work of God on the sinner's heart to make him aware of his great needfulness for salvation, and draw him to the cross of Christ.

Ryrie devotes an entire chapter to Carnality, arguing that carnal Christians are still saved. That could be the case on a case by case basis, and who is to know how the Holy Spirit works in each Christian's life. However I'm afraid that some people reading this book will be lulled into thinking that they are "saved" and can still be carnal (which means that they are still dead in their trespasses and sin).

I really think he misinterprets the Lordship people, not that I'm in that camp either. So I urge the reader to consider both sides, and use the Bible as your guide. Take each of the scriptures quoted to illustrate each point of view, and look before and after to get the context to which it is used. Who is it addressed, what happened immediately before, and what was the effect. For example, the often quoted Ephesians 2:8 is preceeded by Ephesians 2:5 and followed by Ephesians 2:10.

Grace- it's too easy for some.......2005-01-29

This book has literally saved my life. The freedom which Christ preached has been perverted for centuries by men who self righteously portray themselves as judges of mens souls instead of their actions alone. Certainly I can judge a mans deeds- but his soul is not my domain. Where he or she came from and the fruit they display in their lives is not mine to make SOUL judgements of- I may doubt their salvation- but to know is to truly play God. Lordship advocates talk of playing God by "easy believism and cheap grace" yet in reality their's is true playing of God. Churches where the hurt and empty can come and the "Easy (there's that word again) yoke" of Jesus can be taken have turned into looking good Christians with harsh attitudes and great fear that "you or I may not be doing it right". The fear that grace might lead to "go ahead and sin anyway" was answered by Paul in Romans 6- and he stated in Galatians that the gospel was an offense to the works righteous Jews of his day. While I won't judge the Lordships advocates souls I will say that it appears they would be appalled at the people Jesus hung out with.

Salvation in laymans terms.......2004-01-08

This book was an excellent read and really clarified the issue of what it means to beleive in Jesus Christ. By no means an antinomian, Ryrie sets forth a clear exegesis of the issue of exactly 'what it takes' to be saved. He responds with integrity, balance, and grace to the Lordship salvation view.

Any serious born again Christian should ponder over this book. Most notable is his exegesis of the passage on the rich young ruler which lordhsip advocates take as a prime text for their view.

Very grateful for this work.

Unbelieveable.......2002-07-20

Literally. I was very unconvinced by the end of the book. His conclusions were simply not persuasive. He relies more on philosophy and reasoning than scripture and context. Having seriously studied the New testament for several years may have also hurt my regard for his work. Can anyone who has actually read the New Testament really believe that faith doesn't need to lead to faithfulness? If so, this book's for you!

Theology: Think for Yourself About What You Believe (Think Reference Series)

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Theology: Think for Yourself About What You Believe (Think Reference Series)
Mark A. Tabb
Manufacturer: Th1nk Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1576839575

Book Description

Using a conversational approach and relevant mindset, this unique guide will help students learn that theology can unite the body of Christ in truth and purpose.

How to Live What You Believe: A Life-Related Study in Hebrews/Paperback Commentary/Pub Order No S411111 (Bible Commentary for Laymen)

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How to Live What You Believe: A Life-Related Study in Hebrews/Paperback Commentary/Pub Order No S411111 (Bible Commentary for Laymen)
Ray C. Stedman
Manufacturer: Regal Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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