Christian Faith: the Basics - Book Review

Currents in Theology and Mission, August, 2003 by Karen Yakimow

By Walt Kallested. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1999. 96 pages. Paper. $6.99.

Walt Kallested, Senior Pastor of Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Arizona, consolidates the main tenets of the Christian faith into one small, easy-to-read book oriented toward Christians and those who might be interested in exploring Christianity.

The thesis of Christian Faith: The Basics is that God exists, is knowable, and wants to be known by us. Kallested briefly states some general arguments for the existence of God and a description of God's character as posited by the Bible as viewed through a relatively flexible evangelical frame of reference. He centers his argument around the understanding that a relationship with Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the way to know God.

The book is written in a self-help-manual style and offers information about the Christian worldview as well as directions the reader can use to move into the Christian faith. It has clarity of structure, well-chosen subtopics, and specific guidance for growth as well as sets of questions with accompanying answers. These questions are followed by open-ended discussion questions that would facilitate use of the book in small groups, a bibliography, and suggested Bible readings at the end of each chapter.

This book would be a good library addition or education material for persons new to the faith.

Karen Yakimow

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago