To Confess The Faith Today

Discusses the implications of each section of the Presbyterian Church's new Statement of Faith

Can Christians be spiritual and religious? Do they even know the difference between the two? Through a guide for guardian angels entering into basic training for service to "womankind," Bound, an Earth Walker's handbook overhauls Western Christianity with integrity and clarity.

With the understanding that confession is a witness to the gospel, Confessing the Faith Today investigates how a sixteenth-century Reformation confession, the Belgic Confession, can assist contemporary Christians testify to the truth of Gods gracious turn toward creation and do so in the context of the twenty-first century's competing claims. A close examination of the internal coherence of the Belgic Confession, along with an exploration of how that confession might engage contemporary life, offers fresh insight into how Christians might articulate what is at stake in the gospel. Janssen encourages the church to enter a conversation with the forebears of the faith, acknowledging the historical nature of not only the confession but of God's involvement in all creation.

Today, too many Christians are followers of novelty, religious fads, and strange new doctrines unheard of in the history of the church. On the contrary, to be a Christian is to join the great "cloud of witnesses" (Heb 12:1) through the ages, confessing with the Body of Christ the "faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). This is what Paul called the "good confession" (1 Tim 6:12). This workbook will lead you in a study of what it means to be a Christian from the vantage point of the Bible, the ancient Christian creeds, and the Protestant confessions of the sixteenth century.

Visible unity means that churches recognize in one another a witness to the fullness of the apostolic faith which they profess. Will Christians be able one day to declare together before the world, in common confession and praise, their faith in who God is and what God has done? This text-growing out of many years of study and consultation, involving theologians from various Christian traditions and from all parts of the world-is a unique instrument for drawing the churches toward such a common confession. As a contemporary explication of the creed that emerged from the ecumenical councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381) and is used in both Eastern and Western Christian liturgies, Confessing the One Faith relates the subject matter of those ancient affirmations to the challenges of today's world-in which the language and philosophy of the fourth century sound alien to many, and the basic affirmations of the Christian faith are widely questioned. This new edition includes an introduction written by Dame Mary Tanner, a president of the World Council of Churches.

Fourteen Presbyterian scholars enter into conversations with the confessions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and examine the major theological themes that make the confessions such foundational commitments of faith. This collection of insightful essays provides readers with a clear understanding of the confessions from different periods of the church's life. These conversations with the confessions found in the PC(USA)'s Book of Confessions include some illuminating commentary on why they were written and demonstrate how they can be used to address major theological issues. This important work will help scholars, pastors, and church leaders interested in studying the Reformed tradition appreciate the role of the confessions in shaping Christian life and faith today.

Rowland S. Ward's guide has served as an invaluable resource for many wishing to understand the rich theological tapestry of the Westminster Confession. In this revised and expanded volume, Ward has sought to bring further clarity to, and appreciation for, this great summary of doctrinal truth. If you are looking for an easy to read exposition of the Confession with sharp analysis of its contents and relevant discussion questions -- look no further.