Great is the Mystery of Faith Paperback

Great is the Mystery of Faith is an excellent introduction to Christian doctrine and theology. In fact it is a great introduction to the Christian faith!

Taking a traditional, if somewhat Anglican, format, Paul Ferguson leads the reader through a worship service pausing at each section to consider what lies behind the words and actions. This holistic approach enables the novice church attendee, or recent convert to the Christian faith, to not only grasp a basic understanding of how a worship service flows but also to understand the theology behind the process. Furthermore, Ferguson’s detailed explanation of each section of a worship service provides an excellent introduction to the basics of Christian doctrine.

As he leads the reader though the flow of the worship service Ferguson offers comment on everything from the act of confession to the nature of scripture, from the history behind the doctrine of the Trinity to the symbolism of baptism. Finally each section concludes with a question inviting the reader to think further about issues that have been discussed. This makes Great is the Mystery of Faith an excellent teaching tool for a post conformation/baptism course.

I enjoyed this title not only for the way worship is used as a context for discussing doctrine and theology but also for the way that many of the complex issues lying at the heart of Christian faith are clearly explained. For this reason Great is the Mystery of Faith has become a welcome addition to my library.