What do Christians believe? Many young Christians today cannot fully answer this question. In contrast to previous generations, today's believers were not taught the basic core beliefs of Christianity as children, but they want to know. They need to know. Common Ground by Keith Drury caters to this rising desire for doctrinal knowledge. Using the Apostle's Creed as its guide, the book beautifully describes the core beliefs that all Christians at all times and everywhere have believed God as Creator and loving Father, the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus, His death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit, the church, the second coming, final judgment, and eternal life.
Overall, well done. Written for laity esp. Protestant laity to familiarize them with the Apostle’s Creed and its meaning. Some issues: 1. “A few early Christians even argued that an inferior being created the physical world because a good God could not dirty himself with material things, which they considered evil.” (p. 45) that is a very generous use of the term Christian! That is basic Gnosticism, an early heresy that Christians fought against. 2. “Protestants cringe at the phrase ‘Mary, mother of God,’ but it is a core belief of Christians-Jesus is God and Mary was his mother.” (p. 69). Mary is the God-bearer. The eternal Son of God predates Mary by forever. She is the mother of our Lord and the bearer of God. 3. Page 158 details out a forgiveness without repentance or confession being required based on Christ’s request from the cross and the Lord’s Prayer. Forgiveness is required from us if they confess and repent, just as God forgives us if we confess and repent.
Overall, this is a good overview of the Apostles Creed. The only reason this gets 4 stars instead of 5 is that there are parts where he just doesn’t say much about aspects of the creed, instead opting for more general statements. While that is somewhat to be expected, I feel like he leave more unsaid than necessary at certain points. Still very much worth your time.