This section contains the outline of the book Living Faith used in the course, along with links to related EmailMeditation blogs. The book provides the overview, the EmailMeditation links provide supplementary readings.
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Living Faith is the book reproduced on this website at THE BOOK(s) tab above. The below outline is from What’s Christianity All About? and is not exactly the same as Living Faith. The ten chapters are on the same subjects, but the titles are different for chapters seven, nine, and ten. Living Faith contains only about 25% of the content of What’s Christianity All About? so the outline below contains items that, though related, are not covered in Living Faith.
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CHAPTER ONE: THE STORY AND MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE
The Bible: The Unknown Book
217) Reading What Has Been Written for Us
The Bible’s Structure and Formation
The Old Testament
The New Testament
The Apocrypha
Stories from the Apocrypha:
325) ‘He said, she said:’ Susanna and the Elders (part one) (326; part two)
139) The Wisdom and Courage of Judith
Stories from the books of Maccabees: 441) / 463) / 464)
The Theme and Message of the Bible
728) Cleo and John (part one) (729; part two)
The Formation and Translations of the Bible
Revelation, Inspiration, and Authority
Reading the Bible
878) How Reading the Bible is Like Eating Fish (879; part two)
Popular Bible Translations
CHAPTER TWO: THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
The Two Testaments
The Pentateuch: Creation, Fall, Election and Covenants
The Prologue to the Biblical Story
Abraham: Israel’s Founding Father
“Calls” in the Bible
Moses: Israel’s Deliverer and Lawgiver
The Historical Books: The Rise and Fall of Israel
The Voice and Message of the Prophets
The Wisdom and Devotional Literature
“Your Majesty, the Jews!”
Judaism and Christianity
CHAPTER THREE: THE WORLD, LIFE, AND MINISTRY OF JESUS
The Gospels’ Sitz im Leben
The Intertestamental Period
The House of Herod
The First-Century World of Jesus
The Coming of Jesus in the “Fullness of Time”
Jesus’ Birth
618) A Savior Has Been Born For You
981) Too Ordinary? (982; part two)
991) Christmas Every Day (992; part two)
Brief Outline of Jesus’ Public Ministry
687) “Who Do You Say That I Am?”
Jesus’ Baptism, Testing and Disciples
635) Was Jesus An Obedient Son? (636; part two)
Jesus’ Threefold Mission
964) Speak Softly, and Carry a Big Stick (965; part two) (966; part three)
829) The Robe (830; part two) (831; part three)
Jesus’ Death
717) Palm Sunday, 150 Years Ago
Jesus’ Resurrection
The Names and Titles of Jesus
CHAPTER FOUR: THE GOSPEL TESTIMONIES TO JESUS
The Gospels: Then and Now
The Canonical Gospels
The Historical Jesus
The Synoptic Gospels
Mark: The Foundation Gospel
Matthew: The Jewish-Christian Gospel
Luke: The Universal Gospel
John: The Fourth Gospel
The Gospels: Four Stories, One Jesus
CHAPTER FIVE: PAUL AND THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT
The Outward Movement
The Acts of Peter and the Travels of Paul
The Apostle Paul: Life, Writings, and Theology
Galatians: The Epistle of Christian Freedom
The Corinthian Correspondence
Romans: Paul’s Magnum Opus
Paul’s Other Letters
Hebrews and the Seven General Letters
The Book of Revelation
Was Jesus the Messiah?
CHAPTER SIX: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
The Patristic Period: Creeds, Constantine, and Augustine
The Middle Ages: Papacy, Schism, and Crusades
The Reformation: Wycliffe, Luther, and Calvin
936) Martin Luther and the Reformation
180) Martin Luther on Holy Communion
364) The Apostle’s Creed in Luther’s Catechism
408) Martin Luther’s Prayers for Pastors
175) Martin Luther on Contentment
803) Prayers of Confession by Martin Luther
The Enlightenment
Christian Missions
806) Abraham and Adamou (807; part two)
673) Going to Faraway Lands… Then, and Now
347) Eaten by Cannibals? No Problem.
809) The Worst People on Earth (810; part two)
895) “If We Didn’t Know Jesus, We Would Be Cooking and Eating You”
578) “To Bring You to God” (579; part two)
692) Bruchko and Jesus (693; part two)
675) How Missionaries Have Changed the World
Christianity in the World
Christianity in America
798) New Life for an Old Church
CHAPTER SEVEN: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND BELIEFS
Christian Theism
God Our Father: All-Mighty and All-Loving
The Doctrine of Creation
Sin: Origin and Universality
Jesus Christ: Birth, Death, and Resurrection
The Holy Spirit: The Third Person of the Trinity
The Church: Marks, Sacraments and Polity
752) What is the Purpose of the Church?
892) Believing in the Communion of Saints (893; part two)
767) “Look for a Building with a Cross on Top; There You Will Find Help”
875) Why Are Preachers Always Asking for Money?
176) Give These Young Folks What They Want
164) Getting Excited About Church?
The End Times: Heaven, Hell, and the Hereafter
859) Looking Back; Looking Ahead
856) “I Can’t Wait to Get Out of Here!”
CHAPTER EIGHT: OTHER RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS
Eastern Religions
Hinduism: The Religion of India
Buddhism: The Middle Way
Shintoism, Sikhism, and Other Religions
Islam: Submission to Allah
Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other Religions
Do All Roads Lead to God
CHAPTER NINE: PRAYER, STUDY, AND EVANGELISM
A Place to Stand
753) Abide in Me (754; part two) (755; part three)
718) “I Know Just How You Feel”
Growing in Christ Through Prayer
Growing in Christ Through Study and Service
531) Schindler’s List and His Regrets
454) Who is Doing What for Who? (455; part two)
Obstacles to Growth: The Seven Deadly Sins
870) Church Ladies Learn About Temptation
Christian Apologetics: God, Suffering and Miracles
The Message of Evangelism: Jesus Christ
865) The Problem of James (866; part two)
The Mechanics of Evangelism: Sharing the Good News
777) Does the Money Really Get There?
815) Using Your ‘But’ (816; part two)
Pascal’s Wager
CHAPTER TEN: BIBLICAL GUIDELINES FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING
The Christian Worldview
884) Peace in the Midst of Trouble
The Ten Commandments: Rules for Christian Living
698) I. Rules, Excuses, Forgiveness (699; part two) (700; part three)
48) The Old Man and His Grandson
780) “I Will Never Lie Again!”
The Sermon on the Mount: The Christian Manifesto
The Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son, and Other Parables
Jesus’ “I Am” Statements
Habits of Godly Living
612) Obeying God in All Things
913) Why Should I Obey? (914; part two)
864) Helping Yourself By Helping Others
781) It is the Lord You Are Serving
782) Seeing Others as Jesus Sees Them (783; part two)
847) C. S. Lewis’s Essay on Forgiveness (848; part two)
976) Tookie, Mickey, Santa, and Jesus (977; part two)
A Summary of the Good News
Epilogue: The Essence of Christianity