Customer Reviews

Bitesize Theology: An ABC of the Christian Faith

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This book could have also been entitled "Theology for Dummies," and I say that as a great compliment. Having received seven years of seminary training, I have waded through my fair share of deep, hard-to-read theological works. From Emil Brunner to Dale Moody, I have covered a spectrum of authors. I cannot remember one of those theological titles that I would recommend to the average church member in my congregation.

This work however, I recommend wholeheartedly. People in our churches today are starving for straightforward, biblically based, easy-to-read theology. Jeffery here speaks to the layperson as he outlines key doctrines of the Christian faith. Among the doctrines explained are: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Sin, Grace, Regeneration, Justification, Sanctification, and the Second Coming. I'm recommending this book to my church librarian as an addition to the materials available to our congregation. It is simply a superb primer on Christian theology!

This book is a great intro to theology for christians. Jeffery begins the book with two chapters on why we need theology and then proceeds systematically through key doctrines. The doctrines that he covers are God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, The Trinity, Sin, Atonemnet, Grace, Regeneration, Repentance and Faith, Reconciliation, Redemption, Justification, Adoption, Union with Christ, Sanctification, Election, Eternal Security, and The Second Coming. Jeffery is brief and to the point on these doctrines, and ends each chapter with a thought-provoking quote from historic defenders of these doctrines, and with questions to think about, and a book recommended for further reading. A must read for Christians!

If you are looking for a simple, effective, biblical and practical book, this book is for you. I have brought this book into my church and used in Sunday School and translated it into Turkish language and it is about to be published in Turkey. This book is a short summary of 'Systematic Theology'. I would recommend another book which would contribute to this book called 'God's Big Picture'.

Weighing in at 109 pages (approximately 90 pages of reading), this "bitesize" book excels at clearly and concisely presenting key Christian doctrines without watering them down. Each section concludes with a relevant quote, a couple questions for reflection and application, and suggested further reading.

Although written from a reformed perspective, it takes no stance on spiritual gifts (but emphasizes the necessity of Holy Spirit empowerment for ministry) or the Millennium (but emphasizes the significance of being heavenly-minded/ future-glory-oriented). It also avoids going into a "camp" mentality of Calvinism/Arminianism steering around not only the attitude but the terms.

Baptism is not included in this book. I would guess the reason has to do with making it amenable to a wider audience but it's a glaring omission in light of quoting Hebrews 6 regarding the elementary truths of the faith.

Particularly helpful for those who are just entering into grappling with the essentials of the Christian faith and/or the theological vocabulary of the NT.

The first two chapters tackle the need for a grasp of the elementary truths of the faith and the common objection to the distinctive vocabulary of the faith. These two are nearly worth the cost of the book alone for the target audience.

Target audience: immature Christians. If you're a bible major, seminarian, pastor, etc. skip this book unless you're in a position where you might be able to utilize this book for the benefit of the target audience.

For what it is, the book does well.

Book arrived in a timely manner. It was as described. Am very satisfied with purchase. This is a great little book and worth the 'read' for teenagers as well as adults.

For such a small book, this is outstanding. Brief chapters provide enough information to get the thought processes working, and questions at the end of each chapter get you digging into the Bible to learn more. Whilst the quality of the questions varies, it is still very helpful. We initially worked through this book with a couple of young guys in our church, and changed some of the questions to suit our situation. We have since rolled it out as a study for the rest of our church with excellent results.
"Bitesize" is appropriate, as you can bite off as much as you are able to chew, according to your level of growth and understanding. As you work through the book, you will find you are able to bite off more, and digest more with each chapter. I particularly valued the way it dealt with so many different aspects of Salvation, such as Atonement, Reconciliation, Adoption, Justification, and more. It really does give a much deeper understanding of what it means to be saved, and a much greater appreciation for the grace of God.
As someone who loves theology, I appreciated the simplicity of the presentation, but also the depth and breadth of understanding that it leads you into. I was regularly humbled by the awesomeness of God as we talked about each chapter. Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to get a handle on what the Bible teaches on some of the most important doctrines.
You are welcome to make use of the modified questions and extensive summary notes on our City Edge Church website if you plan to work through this excellent book.