I
am very impressed with this book. I grew up in a church with a narrow
view of faith. Questioning any part of it was discouraged. But times
have changed. New discoveries in science and the awareness of other
faith traditions suggest we need to revisit what it means to be a
Christian. Kristian has done an excellent job of identifying
essential Christian beliefs and then those in which there has always
been diversity.
Kristian
explores seventeen theological issues and explains the various major
beliefs Christians have historically held on them. She is wonderfully
objective in her presentations and clearly identifies a view when she
feels strongly about it. She ends each chapter on an issue with good
questions for personal thought or group discussion and a list of
resources for further study. She has several interviews with
contemporary people, introducing us to a variety of faith
experiences. There are also articles about several historically
important people, such as Anselm.
I
have to admit that, though I have studied theology a great deal, I
really understood postmortem evangelism for the first time by reading
Kristian's section on it. And I was introduced to the Eastern
Orthodox view of hell, something I had not considered before. Her
explanation of amillennialism, the tradition in which I was raised,
may be the best concise one I've ever read.
I
like the humility with which Kristian addresses these topics. Her
writing style does not have an overly authoritative voice but is
rather more like I was having a conversation with her. I felt
comfortable and non-threatened, even when reading viewpoints with
which I disagree. I felt I was being informed, not trying to be
convinced. I especially liked her section on church denominations,
introducing them as they developed, historically.
I
highly recommend this book to readers who have been troubled by the
very narrow path of Christian belief some demand. This book explores
the rich and broad historical road of Christian belief within
orthodoxy. The essentials of the faith are preserved while those
areas open to interpretation are explained well. This book would be a
great choice for a small group study.
Food
for thought: “In a time of divisive and downright nasty public
debate, Christians, of all people, ought to be able to disagree
without hostility.” (Loc 3076/3184)
My
rating: 5/5 stars.
Bonnie
Kristian is a theological and political writer with a national
following. She has written for a number of national publications. She
is on the teaching team at her church, a Mennonite community where
she leads a Bible study group and preaches regularly at Sunday
services. She has an MA in Christian thought from Bethel Seminary.
Her thesis on atonement theology won the 2016 Zondervan Excellence in
Theology Award. She and her husband live in St. Paul, Minnesota. You
can find out more at http://bonniekristian.com/.
FaithWords,
272 pages.
Unlike many of my reviews, I read this book through my local public library.
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