The Basics of Christian Belief

A concise explanation of the basics of Christianity. The author did a good job in explaining what Christianity is. A good book for anyone interested in the faith.

What do people believe? Why do they believe that manner? In understanding people, culture, and faith, it is essential to talk about the contexts of their beliefs. This is another way of saying that what they believe is linked to their worldviews. For Christians, understanding the basics of faith is tied to the biblical or Christian worldview. In order to ensure greater clarity, author Joshua Strahan uses two worldviews: Atheism and the Lord's Prayer to compare, contrast, and illuminate the basics of Christian faith. For Atheism, worldview is anchored on the belief that there is no god. Thus, everything is seen through this lens. This is of no surprise when atheists prefer naturalist explanations. The author writes, "when we take away the supernatural or spiritual, all that’s left is the natural." More often than not, such a view would gravitate toward a personal view, one that elevates self-professed worldview as the supreme view. Such a worldview is too liquid as it almost always moves from conscious thinking to feelings and biased reactions. What is necessary is for a foundational truth center. What the author aims to do are:

- Acknowledge we are thinking beings only in part;
- Discover any disconnect between what we think and how we live;
- Let the biblical metanarrative inform how we should live and believe.

Strahan then moves to the other view, which interestingly he calls it the worldview of the "Lord's Prayer." It begins with God, and continues with how allegiance to God orients our perspectives toward doing God's will. It leads to trust and abandonment of things that bring harm. It is acknowledging that there is God and we live because of Him. Part One is about the "Plotline of Scripture." Readers get a bird's eye view of the flow from Genesis to Malachi. The world was created good but sin came and turns the world upside down. Through different generations, God maintained His redemptive acts through the patriarchs, the law, leaders, kings, the prophets, the priests, and others. He describes the life of Jesus, and the Church as a continuation of Jesus' ministry. Part Two systematically uses the Apostles Creed as a way to describe God as Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On God the Father, Strahan describes the traits of father, God as Creator, and Almighty. He also contrasts Creation and Science, arguing that Genesis is neither a science text book nor a literal history text. It was written in a manner to convey truth rather than lab-based archaeological facts. In other words, the creation narrative is not a proof text to defend the creation narrative. It is a narrative that reveals that is is God as Creator who made heaven and earth. Part Three takes on a more apologetics angle in three ways. First, Strahan shows us the distinctiveness of the Christian faith; how the early believers would defy the ancient practice of "infant exposure," where unwanted babies were discarded without legal consequences; how they would focus on marital fidelity in an adulterous culture; and how Christian morality was expected on believers against a backdrop of immorality in society. Second, he helps us tackle some big questions such as:

- Is there a God?
- What is the nature of reality?
- What is the purpose of the universe?
- What is the meaning of life?
- Why am I here?
- Is there a soul? Is it immortal?
- Is there free-will?
- Why should I be moral?
- ...

Thirdly, he looks at the modern challenges to the Christian worldview. These challenges can be presented in four ways:

1) How can anyone believe in a good and powerful God when there is so much suffering?
2) How can anyone believe the Bible in a scientiVc age?
3) Can Christians really believe that their belief system is right and everyone else’s is wrong?
4) If Christians are right, then why is the church’s history so full of hypocrisy and evil?

Strahan then ends the book with a sturdy defense of the Christian faith.

My Thoughts
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The author has chosen breadth instead of depth when covering the basics of the Christian faith. He gives an overview of both atheist and Christian perspectives before jumping into the various doctrinal statements of the Christian faith. Many of the passages are brief and to the point. I can sense that he is writing for those living in an increasingly secular and atheistic world. Even Christians may become dislodged from their own faith. In particular, there are believers who may not understand the foundations of faith at all! It is to these believers who would benefit from this book of basic beliefs.

For those who are somewhat familiar with theological studies, Part One is Strahan looking at Christianity from a Biblical Theology angle; Part Two from a Systematic Theology angle; and Part Three from a Practical Theology angle. Thus, he combines the wealth of resources from all three disciplines to bring us a book of basics to cover as much essential tenets of faith as possible. For seekers, this would be a good book to explore the Christian faith, to at least see Christianity at a reasonable position. It is not true that faith in God equates to kissing our brains goodbye. On the contrary, books like this remind us that Christianity challenges us to seek truth even more. For instance, the last part of the book by Strahan is designed precisely to show us that, rather than to tell us. In the chapter of "distinctiveness of the Christian faith," Strahan argues that Christianity has a worldview that is far deeper and significant than what the common mind or critic would presume. Their ethic is worth acknowledging and the worldview deserves serious consideration. By tackling life's big questions one by one, Strahan shows us that while atheists like Alex Rosenberg would superficially dismiss them, Christianity does provide a strong case to address the questions with concrete responses. The biggest challenge remains the four major reasons for rejecting Christianity: Suffering, Science, Inclusivity, and Hypocrisy, which readers would benefit from learning how Strahan tackles the issues.

All in all, this is a book with a creative way to combined theology, apologetics, and Christian Education in one. A good resource for teachers, preachers, lay-leaders, and seminarians.

Joshua Strahan (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is associate professor of Bible at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he recently received an Outstanding Teacher of the Year award. He teaches courses in freshman Bible and New Testament and has a background in campus ministry.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Academic and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.