Bringing Theology to Life: Key Doctrines for Christian Faith and Mission

by Darren C. Marks

In this engaging text Darren Marks provides a refreshing introduction to Christian faith that will be of special interest to university and seminary students. Innovative in his organization, Marks explores seven key doctrines and highlights the profound interconnections among them in a way that points us beyond the mere theological formulations to the living God of the Bible. Engaging academic discussions of the past and the present, Marks contextualizes these doctrines and shows their meaning for the day-to-day life of a faith community. Including illustrative narrative callouts and study questions, this book ultimately aims to inspire, illuminate and encourage Christians toward a vital and relevant life of worship, discipleship and mission.

Genres: Theology

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Peter]

Bringing Theology to Life is an attempt to “maintain the strenuous pleasures of precision, clarity, and lively confrontation that are mutually empowering and that keep us accountable to one another, to the responsible reading of Scripture, and to the God we serve.” Darren Marks recognises and understands that theological distinctions are part of a growing spiritually. “We are impoverished when we speak and act without a substantive knowledge of what we are doing.”

The book is obviously not intended to be an exhaustive book of systematic theology - its scope is limited to just 7 major doctrines which the author believes every Christian should be familiar with as concepts to “live and serve the gospel fully.” Marks does succeed in being clear and precise and confronting with his interpretation of the truth behind these doctrines, seeking to empower and make each of us accountable to one other.

Marks clearly displays a conviction that academic theology is largely divorced from the needs and concerns of members of the community of faith. And he seeks to redress that imbalance by clarifying that Christian theology should be the content of the life of the Christian community in terms of its worship and therefore its understanding of Christ. . One thing that I do appreciate in this work is that Marks continually relates everything back to the Church, rather than focusing on the individual. He reminds us that we are called to community, something our highly individualized society finds hard to accept.

Each section ends with a bibliography that is grouped into introductory, intermediate and advanced levels, which allows me to, even when I disagree with Marks’ outcomes, further my thought and clarify my own position with the help of other thinkers and writers