I grew up in a semi-credal Protestant church. We sang the doxology after the offering, received a benediction to close the service, and followed a fairly strict order of worship. But we did not recite the creeds. Thankfully, I had Rich Mullins to get me through wedding masses or visits to the churches of my Presbyterian and Methodist friends. Although my home church was by no means "low church," the Apostles' Creed was not part of our liturgy (nor was the word "liturgy" part of my vocabulary). Since my days in seminary, though, I've not only come to appreciate the creeds of the Church, but see their necessity.
As my teenagers inch closer to jumping out of the nest, it has become more and more apparent that I have done a woeful job in articulating the doctrines of the Church to them. We have had conversations, and I try to make it a point of speaking theologically to them when opportunities arise, but they have had no systematic training in Church doctrine (which is why I am now also now a strong proponent of some form of catechesis). So, when I saw Michael Bird's new book, What Christians ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Through the Apostles' Creed, I immediately ordered it from Amazon, and quickly read through it. I thought, "This could be just what I need to fill the gap in my kids' theological education!" And I was right.
But, I really underestimated the value of Bird's book. Maybe it's because he's an Australian, or maybe it's because he's a New Testament scholar rather than a theologian. Regardless, What Christians ought to Believe does an outstanding job of using the Apostles' Creed to explain the Christian faith from a biblical and historically theological perspective. Bird naturally discusses the Creator, the Virgin Birth, the suffering of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the life everlasting. After all, these are mentioned quite explicitly in the Apostles' Creed. But, he also takes the opportunity afforded by the Creed to discuss the Trinity, the life and ministry of Jesus, and atonement, among other critical doctrines of the faith.
What I love most about this book is that Bird makes a strong effort to be ecumenical in his approach. He does not take pot-shots at various denominations; rather he lauds each of them for their contributions to the catholicity of the Church.
Diversity, even theological diversity, can mean riches for the body of Christ since we are forced to expand our horizons beyond our own faith and practices. Other traditions can help us overcome the blind spots in our own tradition. Catholics remind us of the ancient roots of the church. Baptists remind us that Christians are Bible people and the church is for believers. Methodists remind us about the importance of piety and personal holiness. Presbyterians remind us about God's sovereignty and God's covenant promises. Pentecostals remind us that God's Spirit is still with us and not on sabbatical. Anglicans remind us to hold together the catholicity of our ancient faith with the protest of our Protestantism. Lutherans remind us to remain true to justification by faith. Even among these diverse fellowships, the fact that they can all recite the Apostles' Creed is proof that there is still one church professing a common faith in one God, through one Lord, in the power of one Spirit. (p. 198)
So, how did I underestimate the value of this book? It's not just for my teenagers who are lacking formal theological education. It's for pastors, needing a refresher on why they do what they do. It's for church small groups and Sunday School classes. It's for church membership and baptism classes. It's for Christian high school students AND teachers. It's for Christian college faculty and staff who know the four spiritual laws, but not the three persons of the Trinity. Finally, What Christians ought to Believe, is the perfect book for College freshmen and sophomores majoring in business, music, education, psychology, or underwater basket-weaving who are forced to take an Intro to Theology course. The book is easy to read (and often fun!), and guides them through the doctrines they need to learn, love, and live.
As my teenagers inch closer to jumping out of the nest, it has become more and more apparent that I have done a woeful job in articulating the doctrines of the Church to them. We have had conversations, and I try to make it a point of speaking theologically to them when opportunities arise, but they have had no systematic training in Church doctrine (which is why I am now also now a strong proponent of some form of catechesis). So, when I saw Michael Bird's new book, What Christians ought to Believe: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine Through the Apostles' Creed, I immediately ordered it from Amazon, and quickly read through it. I thought, "This could be just what I need to fill the gap in my kids' theological education!" And I was right.
But, I really underestimated the value of Bird's book. Maybe it's because he's an Australian, or maybe it's because he's a New Testament scholar rather than a theologian. Regardless, What Christians ought to Believe does an outstanding job of using the Apostles' Creed to explain the Christian faith from a biblical and historically theological perspective. Bird naturally discusses the Creator, the Virgin Birth, the suffering of Christ under Pontius Pilate, and the life everlasting. After all, these are mentioned quite explicitly in the Apostles' Creed. But, he also takes the opportunity afforded by the Creed to discuss the Trinity, the life and ministry of Jesus, and atonement, among other critical doctrines of the faith.
What I love most about this book is that Bird makes a strong effort to be ecumenical in his approach. He does not take pot-shots at various denominations; rather he lauds each of them for their contributions to the catholicity of the Church.
Diversity, even theological diversity, can mean riches for the body of Christ since we are forced to expand our horizons beyond our own faith and practices. Other traditions can help us overcome the blind spots in our own tradition. Catholics remind us of the ancient roots of the church. Baptists remind us that Christians are Bible people and the church is for believers. Methodists remind us about the importance of piety and personal holiness. Presbyterians remind us about God's sovereignty and God's covenant promises. Pentecostals remind us that God's Spirit is still with us and not on sabbatical. Anglicans remind us to hold together the catholicity of our ancient faith with the protest of our Protestantism. Lutherans remind us to remain true to justification by faith. Even among these diverse fellowships, the fact that they can all recite the Apostles' Creed is proof that there is still one church professing a common faith in one God, through one Lord, in the power of one Spirit. (p. 198)
So, how did I underestimate the value of this book? It's not just for my teenagers who are lacking formal theological education. It's for pastors, needing a refresher on why they do what they do. It's for church small groups and Sunday School classes. It's for church membership and baptism classes. It's for Christian high school students AND teachers. It's for Christian college faculty and staff who know the four spiritual laws, but not the three persons of the Trinity. Finally, What Christians ought to Believe, is the perfect book for College freshmen and sophomores majoring in business, music, education, psychology, or underwater basket-weaving who are forced to take an Intro to Theology course. The book is easy to read (and often fun!), and guides them through the doctrines they need to learn, love, and live.
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