cover image Christianity for Beginners

Christianity for Beginners

Ralph Milton. Abingdon Press, $10 (224pp) ISBN 978-0-687-03469-7

In this simple little introduction to the Christian faith, Milton (The Family Story Bible) covers all the basics of the faith, including God, Jesus, the Bible and the church. In his chapter on God, Milton describes the God of the Christian traditions in terms that roughly parallel the activities of the Holy Trinity: Creator (Father), Redeemer (Son) and Sustainer (Spirit). For example, writes Milton, the redeeming action of God is the life, the death and the continuing presence of Jesus Christ. Milton also says that the only way we know God is by experiencing Jesus, who, as he puts it, is ""God with skin on."" In Milton's view, the Bible is a compass-like guidebook that points to God, and he describes the church as universal, holy and apostolic. Far from simply an apologia for the Christian faith, Milton's book is designed as a handbook for readers with little or no religious background who are nevertheless curious about the foundations and the multi-faceted nature of the Christian faith. (May)