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Christianity Today, April (Web-only), 2008 |

REVIEW

Colson the Catechist

A culture warrior sets out to explain Christianity's essential doctrines.

Reviewed by Trevin Wax | posted 4/08/2008 08:53AM

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Some readers may notice the lack of Eastern Orthodox representation in The Faith. Despite their noble goal of including all three major branches of Christianity, Colson and Fickett leave little room for Eastern Orthodoxy to influence the "orthodoxy" presented in The Faith.

The Faith's critiques of Islamofascism and aggressive secularism are surely familiar to those who've read any of Colson's previously coauthored works. Indeed, much of the book echoes Colson's many other writings advocating a "Christian worldview." However, earlier books bearing his byline (How Now Shall We Live? for example), have concentrated on the philosophical underpinnings for the reasonableness of Christian faith. They have delved little into Christian doctrine, instead choosing to explain how Judeo-Christian values affect the way we live. I suspect that Colson has discovered this "worldview" teaching to be missing a crucial component — distinctly Christian theology that goes beyond values language to the core affirmations of our faith.

While it's never stated explicitly in the book, it seems that Colson and Fickett have moved from political and social commentary to catechesis because they realize that only a robust belief in Christian doctrine will provide the foundation for political and social engagement. "Would you give your life for a cause you didn't fully understand?" they ask in the preface. "Would you try to convince someone else to join you? No, neither would I. Which is why I decided to write this book."

And the book indeed works as both catechesis and as apologetic, a strong defense for traditional faith without sounding overly defensive. The Faith is more a celebration of orthodoxy than a circling of the theological wagons. Its primary message is that Christianity is true, Christianity is good, and Christianity is beneficial for the world. Its primary method is to do so by explaining what Christianity is.

Trevin Wax is minister of education and missions at First Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tennessee. He blogs at TrevinWax.com.

Related Elsewhere:

The Faith: Given Once, For All: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters is available from ChristianBook.com and other retailers.

Colson's columns are available on our site.

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Ephrem Hagos

Posted: April 15, 2008 7:30 AM

There is nothing whatsoever about Christianity which is true, or good, or beneficial for the world without firsthand knowledge of Jesus Christ as provided for in His ministry. This is the central focus of the new covenant as divinely committed (Jer. 31: 31-34), taught throughout in Discipleship Training and confirmed appropriately at Jesus' death on the cross (Matt. 26: 26-29). This can be verified in the end chapters of the four Gospels by one eye-witness (John), one trained but scared disciple(Matthew) and two reporters (Mark and Luke). More than any outside influence, what is undermining Christianity is its own great, obvious omission and literal consequence of the Parable of the Weeds (Matt. 13: 24-30). If we search the Scriptures for the hard evidence of the identity of Jesus Christ, "Christianity" will begin to make real sense. If not, it will continue to prove more and more worthless!!!!!!!!!

Charles

Posted: April 10, 2008 12:09 PM

Dear Kozak - Hmmm ... a theocracy perhaps? The implication of your comment is that you know of such a movement, which is independent of a nation state, with an organized agenda and the means with which to accomplish such ends, and are familiar with what they believe, and what they hope or plan to accomplish. Please by all means share your information with us, so that we can defend ourselves against these radical monotheists at our gates ready to plunder our Christian nation. Dear Ragamuffin - Undoubtedly you have a point, it's simply not apparent in your comment what it is. The point you seem to missed (or I missed it in your comment, which seems to be commenting on another comment, not the review) is that Colson's book is exactly the sort of thing you would it would seem, based on upon what can be discerned from your comment, find troublesome. A divisive polemic! Given that you are a fisherman, not incline toward clear commentary, perhaps you ought to stick to fishing.

Dave N.

Posted: April 09, 2008 3:01 PM

Colson's work was certainly among the best things ever to happen to Christian prison ministry. But like many ministers (understood in the broad sense) who gain notoriety--James Dobson is another example who springs to mind--they move to other areas to which they haven't been called and know very little about--suddenly becoming experts and authority figures on everything ranging from Bible translation, world religions and politics to ecclesiology and systematic theology. His facile adoption of the term "Islamofacism," while actually possessing very little knowledge about Islam itself, is certainly more than enough reason to steer clear of this book.

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