Basic Christianity (IVP Classics) [Paperback]

John Stott (Author), Rick Warren (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 30, 2006

In 2006, Christianity Today voted this title to be one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals! Who is Jesus? "If Jesus was not God in human flesh, Christianity is exploded," writes John Stott. "We are left with just another religion with some beautiful ideas and noble ethics; its unique distinction has gone." If Jesus is not who he said he was, and if he did not do what he said he had come to do, the whole superstructure of Christianity crumbles in ruins to the ground. Is it plausible that Jesus was truly divine? And what might this mean for us? John Stott's clear, classic statement examines the historical facts on which Christianity stands. Here is a sound, sensible guide for all who seek an intellectually satisfying explanation of the Christian faith.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There are a few landmark books that everyone in the world should read. This is one of the rare few. In the twenty-first century, you cannot afford to ignore this book! Whether you are a skeptic, raised in another faith, spiritual seeker or Christian believer, you need to know why 2.3 billion people call themselves 'Christians.' You need to know what they believe and why they believe it. This book is especially essential for leaders in business, government, academics, media, entertainment, journalism and other fields that work directly with people. To be able to have an intelligent conversation with one-third of our world's population, you need to understand their worldview. This is the classic introduction to the faith that has transformed billions of lives." (Rick Warren, author, The Purpose Driven Life, pastor, Saddleback Church )

From the Publisher

Features & Benefits

*A new edition of an IVP classic

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 180 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (November 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830834036
• ISBN-13: 978-0830834037
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( W ) > Warren, Rick
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Evangelism > General
  • #14 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Theology > General

More About the Author

John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Helpful Book for Christians New and Old, October 25, 2000

By 

A. Wolverton (Crofton, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Christianity (Paperback)

Stott's Basic Christianity is a very practical, easy-to-read introduction to the Christian life. Who is God? Who is Christ? What is sin? What does being a Christian mean? These are all very basic, fundamental questions that are answered in a no-nonsense, straightforward way. For those who have been Christians for some time, it is always good to review the basic fundamentals. Sometimes you see things possibly in a way that you never did before. Stott's explanation of the Ten Commandments and their application is by itself worth the price of the book. Basic Christianity is a small book, but loaded with helpful information.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basis Christianity...the foundation of a dynamic Christian experience, October 12, 2005

By 

Lt. Rhoades "Army Chaplain Branch, Staff Spec... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Basic Christianity (Paperback)

Stott, John R.W. Basic Christianity. Downers Grove: IVP, 1971. 142 pages.

Dr. John R.W. Stott was born in London in 1921. Dr. Stott holds a multitude of educational degrees, including French, theology, and various doctorate and honorary doctorates in theology. He has written over thirty books on various theological and religious topics and eight biblical expositions for the Bible Speaks Today commentary series. He has attended All Souls Place (home church) in London since his childhood. He has currently held the position rector emeritus since 1975. He continues to preach at the church several times throughout the year. Billy Graham has stated that Dr. Stott is "the most respected clergy man in the world today." One of his earlier publishing's, Basic Christianity, was first written in 1958 and has sold over two and a half million copies and has been translated into more than 63 languages.

Dr. Stott shows the reader that there is much hostility towards the `institution' of the church. It is not that this hostility is geared toward Christ Himself, but against the structure or the organization called `the church' and its fallible managers. The younger generation that is growing up, whether organic to the church or implanted from other religions, is seeking less and less the credentials that make Christianity true and valid.

He feels that many are making too much of the mind knowledge of Christianity and identifying less and less with the actions of Christianity. In essence, it seems he is stating that the culture at large is living a static or nominal Christianity where its participants are just identifiers and not spokesmen. The believers of the movement are only passively wearing the title Christian and not living a life of dynamism for Jesus. You see this by what he calls for in the theme-the return to basic Christianity:

"We must commit ourselves, heart and mind, soul and will, home and life, personally and

unreservedly to Jesus Christ. We must humble ourselves before him. We must trust in

him as our Saviour and submit to him as our Lord; and then go on to take our place as loyal members of the church and responsible citizens in the community."

So with this vivid life that humanity is to envelop, Dr. Stott has essentially written a book that is to encapsulate the foundations of what the followers of Christ are to stand firmly upon. His structure is thus centrally based on four movements through his book: (1) Christ's Person: His claims, His character, and His resurrection; (2) Man's Need: The fact and nature of sin and the consequence of sin; (3) Christ's Work: The death of Christ and the salvation of Christ; and lastly, (4) Man's Response: Counting the cost, Reaching a decision, and being a Christian.

Dr. Stott has written the book so that the present culture/generation can learn to hopefully establish themselves in identity with a revolutionary leader, Jesus Christ. If it is the church where this generation sees the hypocrisy, they it is this generation that must respond to the initiative of God by becoming foundational Christians and creating biblical structure within the Church.

"Our purpose," Dr. Stott says, "is to marshal the evidence to prove that Jesus was the Son of God." So in section one, the three pillars of evidence concretely set around the person of Jesus-claims, character, and resurrection.

He unfolds through the study of scripture for the reader that there are four different kinds of claims Jesus makes. (1) Jesus teaches in a very `self-centered' manner, yet insists a deep set humility in others; (2) Jesus teaches in `direct' manner concerning his divinity, such as claiming to be the `I am' which identifies himself as the God of the Old Testament; (3) Jesus teaches in a very `indirect' manner concerning his divinity, which is seen through the actions of His ministry-forgives sins, bestows life, teaches as if authority, and claims to eventually judge the world; and lastly, (4) teaches through his `dramatized' claims, which were his supernatural miracles.

Dr. Stott's second pillar of evidence for Jesus is His character, which he divides into four areas. (1) What Christ thought about Himself, especially His identification of being without sin; (2) What Christ's friends said about Him, such as Peter's reference to Jesus as `a lamb without blemish or spot'; (3) What Christ's enemies conceded about Him, such as Pilate's declaration of Jesus being innocent; and lastly, (4) What the contemporary audience can see of Jesus themselves, which in essence consists of the readers validation of the first three items.

The last pillar of evidence for Jesus is His resurrection. Again, Dr. Stott uses a cubed structure to show the strong evidence that Jesus had indeed raised from the dead on that Easter morning. (1) The body was gone from the tomb; (2) The grave clothes were undisturbed; (3) Jesus was actually seen after the resurrection by multitudes of witnesses; and lastly, (4) The disciples were changed-from dark grief to joyous belief.

The second movement of his book speaks about the needs of man. Dr. Stott states that, "we must understand who we are as well as who he was." He emphasizes that Jesus just did not come to the earth in a passive manner, but for a specific purpose...to become `the Saviour of sinners.'

The fact is that all humanity is born into the grasps of sin. There is nothing naturally good to mankind because the reaches of sin are universal. Thus man being destitute to perfection, we need someone to bring us out of this eternal death grip of condemnation and alienation from God.

As Dr. Stott had shown the reader the foundation of Christ's identity; he then moved into showing where all men are as they are born into this world. Man has an immense flaw because of the decisions of human choice. And so understanding that fallible man can not possibly create an infallible solution, Dr. Stott moves into the third movement of his book by showing Jesus' action on the Cross by death and the salvation that is imparted to humanity. As Dr. Stott wrote it so eloquently, "Christianity is a rescue religion. It declares that God has taken the initiative in Jesus Christ to deliver us from our sins. This is the main theme of the Bible."

The last section of the book deals specifically with man's response. As mankind understands who they are, sinful creatures, and then they acknowledge the divinity within Jesus, man must make a response to Jesus' death and plan of salvation. Man can only make two decisions to Jesus: reject or accept. There is no neutrality when it comes to religion. Dr. Stott leads the reader through, if it might by systematized, the process of how to come into the realm of Christianity and what it takes to daily live out the Christian existence.

Dr. Stott completes his book by speaking about the Christian's duty to the world. If this generation is rejecting the hypocrites of the institutions, namely the church and the `people', then it is this generation's responsibility to become biblical Christians and rebuild its foundations upon Basic Christianity.

The reviewer believes that Dr. Stott has accomplished his stated objective of calling mankind into action. He clearly stated that the foundations of Christianity were not mere understandings of factual information concerning Jesus, but must be held deeply within what the individual does with the information. He shows the reader that we must do-commit ourselves, humble ourselves, trust and submit to Him, and rightly/loyally take our places among the community of the body.

The reviewer believes that Dr. Stott has lain out a very strong apologetic for dynamic Christianity. This book could most definitely be read by the pagan and quicken them to new life. This book could most definitely be read by the Christian and be quickened to renew their spiritual walk with new power. And most assuredly, what he writes could also hit the disease of nominal Christianity dead in the face. Those that only passively bare the name of Christ could be called into repentance by Dr. Stott's demands of committed Christians. As God Himself is the initiator of all in our reality, so we must be the responders to God's call...either accept or reject.

The reviewer has not read any other books by Dr. Stott in their entirety, but after reading this thoroughly logical and fundamental view of Jesus, there will be many more books digested in the view near future. Dr. Stott is very thought provoking and makes an immense contemporary connection (even though he has been writing for over fifty-one years).

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is rich nourishment for the doctrinally starved!, January 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Basic Christianity (Paperback)

For those skeptics who desire to have a purpose in life and who turn to Christianity for possible answers, but who don't want to "compromise" their intellect by believing in the "impossible," John Stott's book, "Basic Christianity," is an absolute MUST READ! Our God is one of intellect and logic as much as He is one of miraculous splendor. He gave us a thinking mind as well as a feeling heart, and he intends us to use them both when seeking Him. If one truly opens his/her mind and heart, the God of the Holy Scriptures will satisfy both. John Stott is a very well-educated man who wants to communicate the gospel in its entire intellectual and spiritual truth, and he will not leave one with unanswered questions.