Christians in the Twenty-first Century

Christians in the Twenty-First Century presents a new approach to understanding the Christian faith. While many introductions seek to encompass Christianity's history and theology, this new book treats Christianity as it is understood and practised by its present-day followers. The book explores what it means to be a practising Christian in a variety of traditions and countries, as well as the way it is expressed in cultural and commercial Christianity. After addressing traditional issues: the Jesus debate and Paul's impact on Christianity, the authors explore a number of key Christian concepts: the Bible, the Creeds, the Church and the sacraments. After outlining the major traditions--Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism--a number of recent movements and issues are examined: the effects of the European Enlightenment and the rise of science, new approaches to biblical scholarship, and the fundamentalist movement. Present-day issues include the ecumenical movement; the ordination of women, secularisation, the inter-faith movement, and the impact of the electronics revolution. Although aimed initially at students, Christians in the Twenty-First Century is of interest to any layperson who seeks to understand the Christian faith. It presupposes no prior knowledge of Christianity, but nevertheless presents the complexity of the world's largest faith.