What do Christians believe and why do they believe it? What are the historical roots of modern Christian doctrines, and what logical connections link them together? Now expanded to incorporate discussions of the sacraments, the Church and the ministry, recent ecumenical movements and trends, and women's ordination, this concise introduction to Christian thought provides thorough, yet succinct, answers to these and other important questions. Avoiding a strict chronological approach, the author traces the development of each great issue that formed Christian theology. The text endeavors to show which issues in Christian thought constitute the 'common denominators' of Christian belief, and traces the roots of Christian doctrine to their sources, explaining why certain doctrines were adopted and which are logically essential to Christianity. By analyzing the significant issues in Christian thinking from their early formulations to contemporary re-examination, this book demonstrates that classical Christian doctrines are reasonable articulations of basic convictions and that Christian thought is relevant to the full range of human experience.
