The Christian faith is rich and complex, spanning thousands ofyears and reaching into the lives of people all over the globe.When studying this grand faith, one should begin with theessentials, like Christianity's historical roots and development,the distinctiveness of its worldview, and its response to toughcultural and ethical issues.

In this volume, author James Eckman first walks readers throughthe defining moments, theological process, and institutionaldevelopment of the church-from the day of Pentecost, through theReformation and Enlightenment, and to the modern age. He thenexamines a variety of popular belief systems such as Buddhism,Judaism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, and specific cults and thenoffers, in contrast, a compelling look at Christianity'sdistinctives. Finally, Eckman presents the important differencebetween ethics and morals and suggests a modern-day ethicalstrategy that views hot-button issues like abortion, euthanasia,bioethics, war, capital punishment, and the environment through thelens of Scripture.

With brief chapters and thought-provoking questions, this bookis perfect for personal or group study. It provides an introductoryunderstanding of the richness of the faith and the church for youor your small group.