Understand, ponder and nourish your faith

Bill Salier

The Life of Faith: An introduction to Christian doctrine

by Peter Jensen Matthias Media

It is an interesting experience to return to material that was encountered in a distant past and find it has had so much influence.

At so many points in The Life of Faith I came across an idea or a way of explaining a point of doctrine that I thought I had come to myself (and had maybe even claimed as my own). I found that it was first encountered during doctrine lectures at Moore College, or through subsequent engagement with Peter Jensen in a variety of teaching contexts.

This is both embarrassing and humbling. It is never easy to find out that you are not as clever as you thought. However, this soon gives way to a sense of gratitude for being able to stand on the shoulders of giants and see things more clearly... especially the things of God. And this is a book that will help you do that.

As the cover says, this is an introduction to Christian doctrine and, in 27 concise chapters, it ranges across the list of topics that would typically fill a doctrine survey course. But as the old song goes, “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it” – and that makes this account of Christian doctrine so valuable. I was impressed by the book’s structure, focus and voice.

Dr Jensen begins with the gospel as the way we know God and embeds that in the Bible’s storyline. In this context he discusses the various topics you might find in a systematic theology overview. This makes the content at once familiar and fresh.

Chapters are regularly introduced with a recap of the narrative of Scripture, beginning in Genesis and working through the nation of Israel to fulfilment in Christ. This, along with the many references to Scripture, grounds this work in the Bible and gives a real sense that we are hearing the Scriptures on all the topics discussed and not the reflections of various theologians in a historical survey, as can sometimes happen.

Because it works with a biblical theology focused on the person and work of the Lord Jesus, there is a focus to the book that also means it is a model of how to think from the gospel, focused on the cross, outwards. It is a profoundly Christ-centred and Christhonouring account and therefore nourishing to faith as well as informative. with general religious and Special Religious Education in public schools, ethics education and religious freedom. This book tackles an amazing smorgasbord of burning issues. Pages are set out clearly with headings for easy reading and future reference.

The voice is that of a teacher and a communicator. Ideas are distilled into evocative and memorable phrases. Thoughts are expressed simply but never simplistically. Strengths and weaknesses of positions are discussed, the limits of knowledge acknowledged, and positions are stated firmly when firmness is required. It is clearly a voice that is respectful of the past but not anchored there – numerous observations are made that engage with the most contemporary of issues.

A frustrating element of the book is that the material clearly began life as classroom lectures. Regularly, tantalising threads and comments are thrown out, discussions started and not developed –all of this clearly begging for a response from a listening audience. I often found myself wishing to hear more in the discussion with the author. It is a book that says something about everything and not enough about many things, although I guess it is better to finish a book wanting more than being glad it is finally over!

There are helpful summary lists of main concepts at the beginning of each section, stimulating quotes, suggestions for follow-up reading and penetrating discussion questions to take things further at the end of each chapter.

All of this makes The Life of Faith a terrific book for individual, group, or classroom study. It communicates so clearly that it is also well suited to the thoughtful new Christian seeking to understand their faith better. And while it is an introductory survey, that does not mean it is only for “beginners”. There is plenty here for a believer at any stage of maturity to revisit, ponder and find nourishment.

Not everyone will agree with all the opinions expressed, but Issues in Education: A Christian Perspective is an extremely important and interesting contribution to education today and deserves to be on your bookshelf, as well as the library shelves of all state and independent schools and university education faculties.