A Good Introduction
August 16, 2012
There is always place for a good introduction to the Christian faith and this week another welcome addition to the genre landed on my desk: Michael Reeves' new book, Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith (IVP USA, in the UK The Good God). Mike and I were partners in crime years ago at Themelios at the end of the years of the Glorious Revolution, and he continues to work as the theological advisor for UCCF. He is the author of a number of stimulating and entertaining books on church history and embodies that Lutheran ideal of the theologian who is unstuffy, humorous and approachable -- traits which come through clearly in his writing.
This is a great little book. Where it makes a distinctive contribution is in the focus on the Trinity as key to undergirding and outlining the gospel. Mike has always been a bit 'eastern' for me; but I think I detect a certain growing sympathy herein for Hilary of Poitiers, the Westerner who anticipated and embodied the most important emphases of Eastern Trinitarianism.
Any introduction to the Christian faith which can reference, in addition to the usual theological suspects, Bach, Hilary, Chalmers, Thor and quote Dryden's beautiful A Song for St Cecilia's Day has to be worth a read. This is no dry tract but a book that the author clearly enjoyed writing and in whose content he clearly believes with an infectious passion. I shall be buying a few for the church, to keep on hand for new believers and those who are inquiring about the faith.
As a postscript, I might add that you might want to read it yourself. As Luther commented, no-one should ever think of themselves as having progressed beyond the basic catechetical elements of the faith.
This is a great little book. Where it makes a distinctive contribution is in the focus on the Trinity as key to undergirding and outlining the gospel. Mike has always been a bit 'eastern' for me; but I think I detect a certain growing sympathy herein for Hilary of Poitiers, the Westerner who anticipated and embodied the most important emphases of Eastern Trinitarianism.
Any introduction to the Christian faith which can reference, in addition to the usual theological suspects, Bach, Hilary, Chalmers, Thor and quote Dryden's beautiful A Song for St Cecilia's Day has to be worth a read. This is no dry tract but a book that the author clearly enjoyed writing and in whose content he clearly believes with an infectious passion. I shall be buying a few for the church, to keep on hand for new believers and those who are inquiring about the faith.
As a postscript, I might add that you might want to read it yourself. As Luther commented, no-one should ever think of themselves as having progressed beyond the basic catechetical elements of the faith.
