Handbook of the Christian Faith, A [Paperback]

John Schwarz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

A Handbook of the Christian Faith is a one- volume overview of the Bible, church history, Christian beliefs and practices, other religions, and other issues of Christianity written in an easy-to-understand style. Organized in ten thematic chapters, the book is designed for use by individuals or study groups. "I cannot think of a more helpful resource for adults who are serious about their faith and the desire to understand it better," says Dr. W. Ward Gasque, President, Paci&supl;c Association for Theological Studies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Schwarz has academic degrees in business, law, and Christian studies. He spent 30 years in the corporate business world and took early retirement to go to Kenya as a missionary. A Handbook to the Christian Faith grew out of Bible study courses John developed and taught, and it was the study manual for the video course Word Alive! John and his wife live part of the year in Arizona and part in Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764229060
• ISBN-13: 978-0764229060
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #842,144 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An all-around excellent basic reference, November 5, 2004

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook of the Christian Faith, A (Paperback)

Author John Schwarz applies both his worldly experience, his degree in Christian studies and his years of experience as a teacher at a Christian college and local church to A Handbook of the Christian Faith, a condensed, foundational text that discusses basic scriptures, history, beliefs, and practices that distinguish Christianity from other religions. Briefly touching upon many variants of Christianity from Catholicism to Pentecostalism to Mormonism, A Handbook of the Christian Faith is at heart a didactic and instructional text, enthusiastically recommended to anyone looking for a solid overview of what Christianity is all about. An easy-to-follow, well-researched, neatly presented, and all-around excellent basic reference.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent handbook on the Christian faith, February 23, 2006

By 

moviemusicbuff (Walnut, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handbook of the Christian Faith, A (Paperback)

I picked this book up while browsing in a bookstore and it was perfect for an introduction to the Christian faith. It presents a concise yet comprehensive overview of both the Old Testament and New Testament, a good overview of Christian History, (which highlights the important figures in church history all the way from the 1st century until now), a chapter on understanding Christian doctrine, a section on comparing Christianity with other religions, and concluding chapters on spiritual growth, evangelism, and living the Christian life. The author presents a mainline evangelical viewpoint. This book is worth checking out, either for new believers or for a friend who is seeking to know more about the Christian faith. Highly recommended!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Information, May 14, 2005

By 

Lynne Chapman "lynnechapman.com" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handbook of the Christian Faith, A (Paperback)

"Who wrote the Bible?" "Why did the church divide into Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant, and then into so many Protestant denominations?" "What is the difference between Christianity and Mormonism or New Age religion?" If you have asked these questions or wondered anything else about the Christian faith, this book will probably have the answer.

A HANDBOOK OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH by John Schwarz, is a wealth of information with the answers to those questions and many more. The first half of the book covers the Bible - the Old Testament, life of Jesus, the gospels, epistles and other writings of the New Testament.
The second half discusses the history of the church, doctrines and beliefs and goes into other religions and beliefs. In these ten chapters you can find just about everything you ever wanted to know. As I read through it, I was impressed with how much usable information was contained in just 288 pages.

This is the perfect book for the new Christian who wants a `catch-up' course on what their new belief is all about and for those seasoned Christians who want to 'tie up loose ends.'

It is well organized, easy to navigate and easy to understand. I was happy to see that the detailed Table of Contents and excellent Index make it easy to find information and quick answers. It has already been a useful addition to my reference library.