Centered in God: The Trinity and Christian Spirituality

by Mark E. Powell

Introduces Christianity's most central belief, the doctrine of the Trinity, by exploring how the Trinity shapes key aspects of Christian faith and spirituality. In the early church the Trinitarian vision of God was foundational for Christian identity, unity, and spirituality. For many Christians today, however, the Trinity is viewed as unreasonable and impractical. What exactly is the doctrine of the Trinity, and why is it so central to Christian faith and life? Centered in God is an accessible introduction to the Trinitarian vision of God and its implications for the Christian life. It not only presents the doctrine of the Trinity as formulated by the early church, but also leads readers to know and worship the Trinity, and live in light of the Christian understanding of God. Further, it proposes that recovering the central place of the Trinity could lead to theological and spiritual renewal in the church today. More than an introduction to the Trinity, Centered in God is a primer on Christian faith and spirituality that will deepen your walk with God.

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2014

Reviews

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powell's book manages to do several difficult things remarkably well:

1) It explains the doctrine of the Trinity in terms that the common Christian can understand and appreciate without sliding into heresy via oversimplification.

2) It takes what many Christians see as the most abstract of doctrinal ideas and demonstrates its powerful practicality and relation to prayer, service, worship, relationships, and a variety of other everyday aspects of Christian life.

3) It connects the history of Christian reflection on the nature of God to the lived experience of disciples trying to follow Christ in the twenty-first century.

I highly recommend this book for ministers, pastors, or teachers who are looking for resources for teaching. It could serve as the basis for a church Sunday school class or an undergraduate course in theology or spiritual formation. I can imagine ministers using it as the basis for a series of sermons or small group discussions. But I also think that this book will be enjoyed by individual Christians seeking to live lives "centered in God."

Though the book is orthodox and eccumenical, suitable for members of any Christian denomination, it should have special appeal for Churches of Christ and other Restoration Movement groups. Too often the doctrine of the trinity has been absent or misrepresented in our tradition, and Powell's work provides much needed guidance on this core doctrine of the Christian faith.

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good book that gives you a survey of the history of Trinity and current understandings on the Trinity. I did not find it to be extremely insightfulx but this is also my 4th class with Dr. Powell so I've heard a lot of this content in lecture form already. Overall it's worth the read since it's short and clear.

[Robbie Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was very helpful in our Sunday school class. It gave a good introduction to the history of the Trinity and had amazing quotes throughout the entirety of the book. Really resonated with some of the patristic thoughts on the Trinity. Particularly helpful or the sections trying to get the readers to say, what do I do with the Trinity in my own personal life.