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Holding Together: Gospel, Church and Spirit - The Essentials of Christian Identity
The long-awaited and timely new book from a highly regarded evangelical writer explores Christian identity in all its fullness - being and living in a way that holds together the gospel with the life of the church and the life of the Spirit.With the tendency for evangelical Christians to focus primarily on the gospel and catholic Christians to emphasise the importance of church, these traditions have sometimes been unnecessarily forced apart.
This bridge-building book explores the notion that biblical gospel, catholic church and powerful Spirit are the fundamental realities of Christian existence that all need to experience together.In different ways, each chapter of "Holding Together" attempts to hold the gospel together with the church, and to hold the gospel and the church together with the Spirit as it explores different approaches to key areas of doctrine and Scripture and tradition; Justification; Church; Mary; Worship; Baptism and Eucharist; and Mission.
Here, often sharply contrasting positions in evangelical and catholic theology face each other so that they can listen to each other in the Spirit and discover their fundamental complementarity.Its vision of a catholic evangelicalism in the Spirit is theologically exciting and spiritually compelling.
This bridge-building book explores the notion that biblical gospel, catholic church and powerful Spirit are the fundamental realities of Christian existence that all need to experience together.In different ways, each chapter of "Holding Together" attempts to hold the gospel together with the church, and to hold the gospel and the church together with the Spirit as it explores different approaches to key areas of doctrine and Scripture and tradition; Justification; Church; Mary; Worship; Baptism and Eucharist; and Mission.
Here, often sharply contrasting positions in evangelical and catholic theology face each other so that they can listen to each other in the Spirit and discover their fundamental complementarity.Its vision of a catholic evangelicalism in the Spirit is theologically exciting and spiritually compelling.
224 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 20, 2015
This book has an admirable intention. It tries to show that the Scripture, the Church and the Spirit are essential elements of being Christian which all churches must hold together if they are to be true to the core of Christianity. It is aimed especially at the evangelical wing of the church, but it also has challenging things to say to the Catholic wing especially about the place of Scripture.
There are very compelling arguments made , based on biblical and early church evidence. The works of the Protestant Reformers, such as Luther and Calvin are quoted too; and the principal source of evidence for an evangelical appreciation of the Eucharist is the work of John and Charles Wesley.
There is a very good chapter on the role of Mary in Christian spirituality. Whilst it may not persuade convinced believers in the Bodily Assumption or the Immaculate Conception to moderate their adherence to these dogmas; it may persuade evangelicals that they need to give fresh attention to Mary.
The large gap in the book is its failure to bridge the bigger yawning gulf in the Church, which is between the liberals or progressives and the conservatives, be they catholic , evangelical or charismatic. Liberal Christians will definitely be disappointed in this book if they had looked for fresh thinking on how to hold together with conservatives. Barack Obama might have more to offer them on this topic than this book.
Evangelicals and Catholics who are both in their own ways traditional in orientation have lived together in the same house in the Church of England like an old married couple whose love for each other has declined, but have decided its too expensive to get divorced. There are occasional , and sometimes fierce spats over territory, but on the whole they rub along without talking to each other more than they need to. Cocksworth's commendable hope is that they might learn to love one another again, and bring the house back to life.
The fierce arguments however are in the wider Anglican Communion, and especially within the United States, over how binding on the future church are traditional conceptions of Christian identity, personal and communal. So there are conflicts over homosexuality and gender issues.
I don't recall a single reference to homosexuality or women bishops in this book.
Finally the biggest difficulty with the book is its style. It is a very tough read. It can no more be digested in one sitting than a whole Christmas pudding!There is little to lighten the dense concentration of facts and arguments. It might be said that there are ten books in one here. Too much of the prose exposes its origins in theological college lecture or sermon. There is little likelihood that the book will be persevered with by those who might need to hear its message. It could be a useful source for Anglican ordinands in training; though the lack of a subject index limits this.
There are very compelling arguments made , based on biblical and early church evidence. The works of the Protestant Reformers, such as Luther and Calvin are quoted too; and the principal source of evidence for an evangelical appreciation of the Eucharist is the work of John and Charles Wesley.
There is a very good chapter on the role of Mary in Christian spirituality. Whilst it may not persuade convinced believers in the Bodily Assumption or the Immaculate Conception to moderate their adherence to these dogmas; it may persuade evangelicals that they need to give fresh attention to Mary.
The large gap in the book is its failure to bridge the bigger yawning gulf in the Church, which is between the liberals or progressives and the conservatives, be they catholic , evangelical or charismatic. Liberal Christians will definitely be disappointed in this book if they had looked for fresh thinking on how to hold together with conservatives. Barack Obama might have more to offer them on this topic than this book.
Evangelicals and Catholics who are both in their own ways traditional in orientation have lived together in the same house in the Church of England like an old married couple whose love for each other has declined, but have decided its too expensive to get divorced. There are occasional , and sometimes fierce spats over territory, but on the whole they rub along without talking to each other more than they need to. Cocksworth's commendable hope is that they might learn to love one another again, and bring the house back to life.
The fierce arguments however are in the wider Anglican Communion, and especially within the United States, over how binding on the future church are traditional conceptions of Christian identity, personal and communal. So there are conflicts over homosexuality and gender issues.
I don't recall a single reference to homosexuality or women bishops in this book.
Finally the biggest difficulty with the book is its style. It is a very tough read. It can no more be digested in one sitting than a whole Christmas pudding!There is little to lighten the dense concentration of facts and arguments. It might be said that there are ten books in one here. Too much of the prose exposes its origins in theological college lecture or sermon. There is little likelihood that the book will be persevered with by those who might need to hear its message. It could be a useful source for Anglican ordinands in training; though the lack of a subject index limits this.
February 20, 2013
The comprehensive study of various topics concerning the Gospel, Church and Spirit. Cocksworth is trying to reconcile and put together different views of the Evangelicals, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox on e.g. the Virgin Mary, on the teaching of predestination and justification, on Eucharist, etc.
I appreciate this book that is both rigorous and provocative, exploring and explaining some of the most controversial and dividing issues between various Christian denominations, albeit sometimes it was rather hard to catch up with the writer's pace and deep insight into all these areas.
I appreciate this book that is both rigorous and provocative, exploring and explaining some of the most controversial and dividing issues between various Christian denominations, albeit sometimes it was rather hard to catch up with the writer's pace and deep insight into all these areas.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews