Synopses & Reviews
"There are some occupations which tend to be real conversation-killers," writes William Harrison. "Being a theologian is not one of them: the moment that I mention my work, I get tossed a great many difficult questions. I have opted to put all of this material into a book. This is a book for people who live in today's busy society, but want to enter into the rich world of Christian theology."
The debate between the disciples of God and Richard Dawkins tends to assume a level of basic theological information which many people lack. Here are the answers to all those questions that people really do ask, about God, and evil, and the Bible and the Church. The conversational format is deliberately accessible; it is theology for the general reader. "This book is not the last word on anything", writes the Author - "I hope only that it is the starting word on some very important things for some interested people."
Synopsis
"There are some occupations which tend to be real conversation-killers," writes William Harrison. "Being a theologian is not one of them: the moment that I mention my work, I get tossed a great many difficult questions. I have opted to put all of this material into a book. This is a book for people who live in today's busy society, but want to enter into the rich world of Christian theology."
The debate between the disciples of God and Richard Dawkins tends to assume a level of basic theological information which many people lack. Here are the answers to all those questions that people really do ask, about God, and evil, and the Bible and the Church. The conversational format is deliberately accessible; it is theology for the general reader. "This book is not the last word on anything", writes the Author - "I hope only that it is the starting word on some very important things for some interested people."
Table of Contents
How to read this bookThinking theologically: what is the Bible? where does the Bible come from? how should we read the Bible? what sorts of questions do scholars ask about the Bible? what use is human intelligence? what use is tradition? why do Christian positions on moral issues change? what is a doctrine? why does Christian thinking change? how does theology relate to the physical sciences?can we know whether or not a religious claim is true? what sort of language do we use to talk about God?
God: who is the Christian God? why does the Bible show God doing things which appear to be evil? how did the Christian understanding of God develop? what do we mean when we speak of God as "eternal"? Why do we believe in the Trinity? who is God the Father? who is Jesus Christ? 1 Introduction: Jesus and the Trinity 2 what is the significance of Jesus' birth? 3 how can Jesus be fully divine and fully human? 4 how does Jesus' life serve the Reign of God? 5 why did Jesus die? 6 what is the significance of Jesus' resurrection? 7 what is the significance of Jesus' ascension? who is the Holy Spirit?
Salvation: what is salvation? what is God's grace? what is eternal life? what are justification and sanctification? what is redemption? what is freedom? what is heaven? what is the kingdom of God? what do we mean when we talk about "Christ's return"? can non-Christians be saved? what happens to people who reject God?
The Church: What is the Church? why go to church? why join the Church?
Worship and Prayer: Why do we pray? what is a sacrament? what is baptism? what is the eucharist? what are icons and why do people use them? why do we celebrate the Christian year?
The Problem of Evil: What is the good? what is evil? what is original sin? what is the Devil? can there be a just war?
Conclusion: What is the gospel?