Christians believe many different things. Distinguishing the essentials from the nonessentials seems impossible. Is there any way to make sense of it all?
Essential Beliefs approaches the myriad of Christian beliefs from the Wesleyan perspective, setting apart and highlighting the most significant doctrines. From the outset, the book emphasizes that Christian theology must not only be informative but also transformative; it is, above all, a call to the love of God and neighbor. The theologians who contributed to this work do not lose sight of these distinctive features. From discussions about the Trinity to sanctification and the church, the idea that Christianity is relational and centered on a loving relationship with God through Christ by the Holy Spirit is always present.
Written by educators and pastors from different backgrounds and cultures, Essential Beliefs is an indispensable benefit for those wanting a deeper grasp of the Christian faith.
Mark A. Maddix is professor of Christian Education and dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministries at Northwest Nazarene University. He is the author of Discovering Discipleship and Spiritual Formation: A Wesleyan Paradigm. He has published several articles in Christian Education Journal and Wesleyan Theological Journal. Mark is a frequent speaker on topics of Christian education, spiritual formation, and online education.
Diane Cunningham Leclerc, PhD, is a professor at Northwest Nazarene University, where she also serves as director of the Graduate School of Theology. She has written numerous articles and several books, including Discovering Christian Holiness: The Heart of Wesleyan-Holiness Theology and most recently co-authoring The Back Side of the Cross: An Atonement Theology for the Abused and Abandoned. Leclerc has been the lead pastor of two congregations and has been associate pastor at Nampa College Church of the Nazarene for several years. She is a past president of the Wesleyan Theological Society and a participant in the Dialogue on Race and Faith—a funded, multi-year project of racially diverse theologians and historians.
