Christianity Today

CHRISTIANITY TODAY: AN INTRODUCTION . By George D. Chryssides . New York : Continuum International , 2010 . Pp. xii + 170 . $24.95 . Chryssides' Christianity Today contributes to Continuum's Religion Today series along with such complementary contributions as Hinduism Today, Islam Today, and Judaism Today (all 2010). The book provides a detailed account of Christian theology, the context regarding the development of its creeds, and segments of significant movements throughout Christianity's history. Both Christian and non-Christian readers alike can expect to have their assumptions regarding the faith challenged. The author acknowledges a few alternative perspectives through comparisons between evangelical, mainline, and on occasion feminist thoughts regarding the intersection between Christian doctrine, hermeneutics, and praxis. Yet the book falls short of capturing the essence of Christianity's diverse forms of religious expression, such as the contributions of the more progressive branches, process and liberation theology, and their critical role in significant twentieth century social and ecclesiastical movements. The author strictly adheres to a race-neutral narrative throughout the text, at the expense of omitting the key role that race played in the overall Christian heritage, especially in North America and the Caribbean. Like most religious literature within the same genre, the conventional story of Christian mission prevails through describing missionary organizations as “propagating the gospel in non-Christian lands.” Beyond the Hellenist movement, the author's sole reference, Christianity also had spread east and south of Jerusalem during the first century C.E. Overall, Christianity Today serves its purpose of providing an overview of the religion, the significance of some of its creeds, sacraments, and ethical concerns in an easy to read fashion. This book best suits persons in search of Christianity's background, beyond mere assertions from religious services or propaganda

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