Knowing Christ Today
Why We Can Trust Spiritual Knowledge

A Powerful, Thought-Provoking Guide to Living the Life Jesus Intends for Us

This book deals with the disastrous effects of divorcing the teachings of Jesus Christ and his people from the domain of human knowledge. Its aim is to reposition the substantial teachings of Christianity ("Mere" Christianity) as a body of knowledge in the contemporary world. In the process it explains what knowledge is, as compared to belief, commitment and profession, and clarifies the difference it makes whether or not an area of thought and practice is regarded as an area of knowledge. Then it proceeds to deal with some of the most basic points of Christian teaching from the viewpoint of knowledge.

It is Dr. Willard's hope that this book will put those who practice Christian discipleship in a different and much stronger position, and that it will be helpful for all areas of education, but especially for Christian schools, colleges and universities.

From the Preface:
I should alert the reader to the fact that this is not a devotional book, and that it will require considerable mental effort to understand. This lies in the nature of the problems to be dealt with. I have tried to ease the pain as much as possible. One effect of the displacement of faith from knowledge, which we are dealing with in this book, is that many people now believe you do not need to think deeply and carefully to follow Christ. C. S. Lewis has a very penetrating comment to make about this matter: "God has room for people with very little sense, but He wants every one to use what sense they have. The proper motto is not 'Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever,' but 'Be good, sweet maid, and don't forget that this involves being as clever as you can.' God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than of any other slackers. If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all…. One reason why it needs no special education to be a Christian is that Christianity is an education itself." (From Mere Christianity)

240 pages, hardcover. Available at ChristianBook.com, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com.

 

Chapter Titles :

Chapter 1: Can Faith Ever Be Knowledge?
Chapter 2: Exactly How We Perish for Lack of Knowledge
Chapter 3: How Moral Knowledge Disappeared
Chapter 4: Can We Know That God Exists? On the Way Back to Christ
Chapter 5: The Miraculous, and Christ's Presence in Our World
Chapter 6: Knowledge of Christ in the Spiritual Life
Chapter 7: Knowledge of Christ and Christian Pluralism
Chapter 8: Pastors as Teachers of the Nations

Look Inside the book at Amazon.com

Knowing Christ Today has been selected as "The Best of the Best" in the Leader's Inner Life category of Leadership magazine's Golden Canon awards: the ten books of 2009 most valuable for church leaders. It also received an “award of merit” in the Theology/Ethics category in the 2010 Christianity Today Book Awards.

 

The unabridged audio book (10 hours) is available from christianaudio.com, where you can also LISTEN to a 3 minute preview of the book.

The audio copy of "Knowledge of Christ in Today's World" mentioned in the acknowledgments of the book can be found at Heart, Mind and Soul.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dr. Willard's books are available at most bookstores and can be found on-line at Christian Book Distributors, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.com.