The Faith: What Christians Believe, Why They Believe It, and Why It Matters (Hardcover)

by Charles W. Colson (Author), Harold Fickett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Longtime collaborators Colson and Fickett address the very tenets of the Christian faith in order to renew ourselves as Christians and the Church as God's people. Generally they do this well, first offering an overview of challenges facing the church and then moving on to specific core issues. Chapter builds on chapter, from God Is to He Has Spoken to Truth and so on to Last Things. Especially thought-provoking is the question of why so many people accuse the Christian faith of being dry and brittle. One answer, the authors say, is the church's failure to teach what the faith is. Colson and Fickett call the church to rediscover the joy of orthodoxy, to renew the surrounding culture and to rethink how we live out faith. If there's ever been a time in which renewal was essential, it is today, they say. Those who know Colson's work will appreciate his pointed statements and bold words, while those looking for subtle shadings of doctrinal issues may be aghast at the lack thereof. The book's strength lies not in minutiae but in opening the discussion on orthodoxy and what living as a Christian means by going back to faith's beginnings. (Mar.)
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Review
"…a winning combination of Christian apologetics and Christian doctrine -- a manifesto for looking at the world in a distinctly Christian way….'The Faith' is moved along by stories more than by systematic theology (though there's plenty of the latter in the book as well). Colson and Fickett bring together stories of courage and martyrdom from the annals of Christian history as well as riveting accounts of personal transformation from Colson's Prison Fellowship ministry. The contemporary stories help readers see what the Christian life looks like today. The ancient stories remind us that we are not the first generation of Christians to live this way. The stories aren't just inspirational. They're informative….[T]he book indeed works as both catechesis and as apologetic, a strong defense for traditional faith without sounding overly defensive. 'The Faith' is more a celebration of orthodoxy than a circling of the theological wagons. Its primary message is that Christianity is true, Christianity is good, and Christianity is beneficial for the world. Its primary method is to do so by explaining what Christianity is." — Christianity Today

(Christianity Today )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310276039
• ISBN-13: 978-0310276036
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,433 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Faith Matters..., January 30, 2008

By	Robert W - See all my reviews

If you're going to read one book this year about the Christian faith, read the Bible. If you're going to read more than one book, then I'd strongly recommend The Faith. Mr. Colson, along with Harold Fickett, have written an accessible, yet profound, treatise about what Christians believe, why they believe it and why it matters. They have also written it with a palpable sense of urgency as they delve into issues of justice, God's existence, holiness, salvation, the sanctity of life and, of course, a topic near to Mr. Colson's heart, the topic of truth. This book will be an encouragement to all who read it and it's celebration of the Faith - given once, for all.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book to help you choose the right hills to die on., February 1, 2008

By	John C. Schimmel "Centurion '07" (St. Anne, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Based on the Jude 3 admonition to "vigorously defend the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints", this a great read to help all Christian discern and distinguish truth from opinion. The call for us to, as Gordon Pennington states it, "engage our culture rather than abandon it", permeates the text throughout. But not only that, the book helps us to identify THE TRUTH uncompromised.
We are thus challenged to not only winsomely be salt and light in a culture desperately looking for answers and finding none, but we are also reminded that engaging that culture is mandated by Jesus Christ himself (Matt 25: 34-40). "The Faith", faithful to scripture, identifies the right hills to die on, and encourages us that to engage our culture is a matter of obedience and not simply "polishing brass on a sinking ship".

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read book for influencing 21st Century Culture, January 16, 2008

By	Brett C. Fischer (Straughn, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a must read book for everyone who claims to follow Jesus Christ. It is very well thought out and logically defends the Christian Faith and the importance of engaging our culture at such a time as this.

For those who don't believe the Christian Church should be involved in transforming culture, "The Faith" by Charles Colson provides a fresh perspective to why it is essential for Christians to remain engaged in culture. "The Faith" calls people of faith to be united in Christ and to love as Jesus loved.