• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In

MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission Matters
          • Members Only Feed
          • Missions Podcast DirectoryNew
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
          • UkraineNew
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Bible Certificate
    • Church Missions Coaching
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • ImproveNew
    • Mission Jobs
    • Missions DataNew
    • Publish
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission App
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Premier Events
          • Mission Leaders Conference
          • On Mission
        • Upcoming Events

          • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
            Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
          • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
            Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
          • From Harlem to the World - the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions
            Wed Aug 3 2022, 01:00pm EDT
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missions DataNew
          • Missiographics
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
    Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
  • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
    Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • From Harlem to the World - the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions
    Wed Aug 3 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • Innovation Leaders Discussion
    Mon Aug 8 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • Peer 2 Peer for Communications and Marketing Staff: Communications and the Mission of God: Aligning organizational communications with God's purposes
    Thu Aug 18 2022, 01:00pm EDT

View all events »

Topics

author interview CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Disciple Making Discipleship Focus Future Innovation Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Member Care Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 MLC2021 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Podcast Presenter Pursuing Partnerships Series Research Risk Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached Weekly Roundup Women Women in Leadership

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Lord and Saviour: Jesus of Nazareth

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Ted EslerApril 1, 2015

by Alister McGrath

SPCK

—Reviewed by George F. Pickens, professor, theology and mission; coordinator, Peace and Conflict Studies Program, Messiah College

Most studies of world Christianity focus on the Global South, where the younger churches are booming, and except for surveys of their swift and steady decline, the older churches in the Global North receive limited attention. While the recession of historic Christianity in old Christendom is widespread, in many places the faith remains dynamic and vibrant. In Western Europe and North America, signs of new life are emerging as churches confront mass Christian illiteracy.  

Lord and Saviour: Jesus of Nazareth illustrates this growing effort to re-introduce Christianity to the post-Christian North. Alister McGrath is one of the United Kingdom’s most prominent theologians and a master in connecting the academy and the church with the masses. The Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford, McGrath has written several influential volumes of academic theology. This small book, however, represents McGrath’s prolific efforts to introduce Christianity to popular audiences.   

This volume is the third in a five-part “Christian Belief for Everyone” series authored by McGrath. This collection follows the outline of basic Christianity introduced in the Apostle’s Creed; each volume focuses on foundational Christian tenets, from faith and the Creeds, to eschatology, to the Christian life, and to each member of the Trinity. This particular volume concisely introduces the nature and work of Jesus as narrated in the Gospels, and through five chapters a compelling portrait of Jesus emerges. After an inspiring first chapter which relates the author’s personal encounter with the relevance of Jesus, a convincing case for the deity yet humanity of Jesus is presented. Two elements of this presentation are especially valuable.  

Using the biblical texts and episodes from the author’s personal life, Jesus’ contemporary relevance is clarified. In a Christian landscape often characterized by shallow sound bites in hopes of achieving greater popularity, McGrath counters with substantial yet accessible Christology. His interpretations are drawn from solid theological scholarship, and he gently entices and directs the reader to greater depths of Christian faith that lay just beyond his presentation. Quoting heavily from C. S. Lewis and representing that popular author’s legacy, McGrath’s work is public theology at its best.   

The chapter on the Atonement is also masterful. Here again, McGrath demonstrates his rare ability to blend theological depth with broad accessibility. He faithfully summarizes the theories of Jesus’ work on the cross, yet his illustrations of each explanation appeal to a popular audience.  The section on Christus Victor is especially inspiring, and McGrath’s ability to explain and connect the profound mysteries of the cross for the masses is impressive.  

Lord and Saviour: Jesus of Nazareth may be used in basic courses in the academy, yet its most fruitful context is the local church, especially in small-group settings. Even though this volume was written to engage post-Christian illiteracy in the West, McGrath’s work is also valuable in other contexts where a basic introduction to Christianity is desired.  

….

EMQ, Vol. 51, No. 2 pp. 232-233. Copyright  © 2015 Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.  All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMQ editors.

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsBook ReviewsEMQSectionVolume 51 - Issue 2

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Home
  • Directories
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Join

  • Join
  • Benefits
  • Learn
  • Meet
  • Engage

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

About Us

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources
Missio Nexus Logo

© Missio Nexus. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate Missio Nexus earns from qualifying purchases.


PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

Annual Sponsors

ECFA Logo Brotherhood Mutual Logo

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks