Description:
Christianity is the world's largest religion, but many non-Christians still find it confusing.
Understanding Christianity for the non-Christian is a clear, respectful, and practical guide for readers who want to understand Christian belief, history, worship, ethics, and global life without needing to become Christian.
This book explains Jesus, the Trinity, the Bible, the cross, resurrection, grace, salvation, church, sacraments, denominations, Christian ethics, and the Christian calendar. It also addresses hard questions about empire, colonialism, conversion, caste, science, politics, religious pluralism, institutional failure, and Christianity's relationship to power.
Written for a global audience, the book gives special attention to Indian and Chinese questions as well as American ones. Is Christianity Western? Why is conversion controversial in India? How does caste affect Indian churches? What are Chinese house churches? Why is Christianity regulated in China? Did Jesus spend time in India or Tibet? Did Dharmic traditions influence his teachings? Did Christianity succeed mainly because the Roman Empire adopted it?
The book also helps Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, atheist, secular, and culturally Christian readers understand what Christians mean when they speak about Jesus as Son of God, Savior, Lord, Messiah, and the risen Christ.
Part of the Understanding Religions series, this volume is designed for curious outsiders, interfaith families, students, travelers, coworkers, and anyone who wants clarity without polemics.