A knowledgeable, forthright call to Christians to embrace their faith—not just their church.
An argument for a purely faith-based definition of Christian salvation.
The ancient debate between works and faith is as old as Christianity itself: do people achieve salvation through their faith in Jesus alone, or must they also show their faith through actions? This question is at the heart of Apostolic Church pastor Doherty’s (The Rising Church, 2016, etc.) slim but passionate nonfiction debut. In 15 chapters of accessible prose and copious biblical quotations, he seeks to convince fellow Christian readers to “cease trying to do what God has already done for us,” and he states repeatedly that any idea of gaining salvation through works is mere vanity. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, he asserts, was a complete gift of salvation for the faithful: “Religion says ‘do;’ the gospel says ‘done!’ ” He appears to see fallible human institutions as only serving to get in the way of true salvation, by making believers think they have to earn what they already have. He comments darkly on competition between churches over the nature and extent of their Christian work, drawing emphasis away from their faith and striving “to produce holiness through church life, rather than bear holiness through Christ life.” The book’s clear implication is that such rivalry can set unwary Christians on a path to hypocrisy by embracing man-made trappings, rather than divine salvation. In clear, insistent text, the book aims to remind Christians that they require no outside help to forge a relationship with Jesus: “The gift of a life with God is freely given,” he says. “The only thing required of us is to accept the gift.” Doherty is certainly thorough and convincing in his argument—although some readers may find that equally thorough books could also be written on the other side of this ongoing debate.
A knowledgeable, forthright call to Christians to embrace their faith—not just their church.Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5127-7383-5
Page Count: 134
Publisher: Westbow Press
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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