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The Creed in Slow Motion: An exploration of faith, phrase by phrase, word by word
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth...
The Creed is the bones of our faith. In all our different ways, it makes us who we are. But when we stand up and recite the Creed in unison, we have no time to contemplate what it is that we are committing ourselves to. The words rush past, their meaning blurred by familiarity. If we could only slow them down and hear them properly, they would have the power to change worlds. That is what The Creed in Slow Motion aims to do.
This is a book for people who like to think things through from first principles. It will not tell you what to believe. (It is for you to engage your mind and discover that for yourself. And for unbelievers to learn what exactly they disbelieve, and why.)
In forty short chapters, with clarity and wit, The Creed in Slow Motion draws examples from real-life stories, history and even science to uncover the core claims of Christianity. By turns it is deep, heartening, startling, revolutionary and even, by the world's standards, outrageous.
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth...
The Creed is the bones of our faith. In all our different ways, it makes us who we are. But when we stand up and recite the Creed in unison, we have no time to contemplate what it is that we are committing ourselves to. The words rush past, their meaning blurred by familiarity. If we could only slow them down and hear them properly, they would have the power to change worlds. That is what The Creed in Slow Motion aims to do.
This is a book for people who like to think things through from first principles. It will not tell you what to believe. (It is for you to engage your mind and discover that for yourself. And for unbelievers to learn what exactly they disbelieve, and why.)
In forty short chapters, with clarity and wit, The Creed in Slow Motion draws examples from real-life stories, history and even science to uncover the core claims of Christianity. By turns it is deep, heartening, startling, revolutionary and even, by the world's standards, outrageous.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2022
76 people are currently reading
1134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 8, 2022
I love God and his creation, theology and other sciences. I love to think and talk about words. I enjoy the feeling of “I see what you did there!” when finding allusions here and there. I love intellectually satisfying humour and authors who are able to explain hard concepts with perspicuous analogies from everyday life experience. I love popular introductions to theology that cater to my taste. Martin Kochanski’s The Creed in Slow Motion was very much to my taste.
When I first learned that the author is about to publish a book with such a title, I immediately thought: oh, is this going to be an imitation of Ronald Knox’s collection of catechetical sermons with the same title. As I had, admittedly a good number of years ago, rather enjoyed that book, I was curious to see what Martin would come up with. I’m happy to have found in his book somewhat of the spirit of msgr Knox, but also of two other popular introductory treatises that I happen to like very much: a bit more serious spirit of Frank Sheed’s Theology for Beginners and the somewhat more lighthearted spirit of John Zmirak’s The Bad Catholic’s Guide To The Catechism. All in a good balance.
The Creed in Slow Motion is a book that you can, if you are inclined to do so, read quickly in one sitting in a day or two. A more fruitful approach, however, seems to be to take it bit by bit, perhaps one or two sub-topics at a time, and then let it all sink in, give yourself time to internalise the concepts, to see the implications and patterns etc.
I heartily recommend the book to all intellectually-inclined seekers of truth everywhere. (Indeed, I have already ordered a few copies of it as presents to some friends that I think would benefit from them.) As someone who began to see some sense in the Christian faith while reading C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity as a teenager, I can appreciate the value such books can have in helping one along the road towards the Truth.
When I first learned that the author is about to publish a book with such a title, I immediately thought: oh, is this going to be an imitation of Ronald Knox’s collection of catechetical sermons with the same title. As I had, admittedly a good number of years ago, rather enjoyed that book, I was curious to see what Martin would come up with. I’m happy to have found in his book somewhat of the spirit of msgr Knox, but also of two other popular introductory treatises that I happen to like very much: a bit more serious spirit of Frank Sheed’s Theology for Beginners and the somewhat more lighthearted spirit of John Zmirak’s The Bad Catholic’s Guide To The Catechism. All in a good balance.
The Creed in Slow Motion is a book that you can, if you are inclined to do so, read quickly in one sitting in a day or two. A more fruitful approach, however, seems to be to take it bit by bit, perhaps one or two sub-topics at a time, and then let it all sink in, give yourself time to internalise the concepts, to see the implications and patterns etc.
I heartily recommend the book to all intellectually-inclined seekers of truth everywhere. (Indeed, I have already ordered a few copies of it as presents to some friends that I think would benefit from them.) As someone who began to see some sense in the Christian faith while reading C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity as a teenager, I can appreciate the value such books can have in helping one along the road towards the Truth.
February 15, 2023
Martin Kochanski is responsible for the marvelous Universalis App (AKA Catholic Calendar on Amazon devices) that makes the Liturgy of the Hours accessible to those of us who can't juggle the book version. The Creed in Slow Motion is almost as good. It summarizes the Nicene Creed with warmth, wit, and lightly wielded scholarship. I disagreed with the author on a few small points, but for the most part this is a book I would offer to a curious noncatholic who wanted to read about the Church. Very well done!
October 6, 2022
Rich and substantial
The initial impulse is to engage in a reading frenzy and consume quickly...resist that temptation.
Read a chapter, reflect, ruminate, then repeat the process as you proceed.
I can't look at the Creed, much less say it, the same way.
I now know better and will do better.
This clever, well-planned and constructed guide has enriched my spiritual discipline and practice.
The initial impulse is to engage in a reading frenzy and consume quickly...resist that temptation.
Read a chapter, reflect, ruminate, then repeat the process as you proceed.
I can't look at the Creed, much less say it, the same way.
I now know better and will do better.
This clever, well-planned and constructed guide has enriched my spiritual discipline and practice.
December 7, 2023
I enjoyed the premise of the book but found it a hard read. There was far more philosophy than I was prepared to read. I was hoping for more theology. But I applaud the author for his ideas and writing.
April 20, 2023
A deep dive into the Creed. A deeper understanding bringing closer to the Father, The God.
October 23, 2025
in awe
What a fab brain! I love the way Martin thinks. His amazing mind makes me in awe of Almighty God. ❤️🔥
What a fab brain! I love the way Martin thinks. His amazing mind makes me in awe of Almighty God. ❤️🔥
August 10, 2024
Very good
It's kinda of a cross between a commentary and a devotional on the Creed. I enjoyed reading it and learned a few things but was also entertained by examples.
It's kinda of a cross between a commentary and a devotional on the Creed. I enjoyed reading it and learned a few things but was also entertained by examples.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews