The Christian Faith: A Quick Guide to Understanding its Inter-Workings
By Reid A. Ashbaucher
Normally, I do not review non-fiction of any genre—but especially of the Christian genre. That might sound harsh since I’m an open Christian and owner of a Christian blog. This has nothing to do with religious debates or political correctness, I don’t review Christian nonfiction because I simply don’t enjoy Christian nonfiction. But I agreed to read this book because I wanted to break up the monotony for once. So here is a one-of-a-kind review for a book I found to be rather informative and enjoyable.
The title for this book says it all, even the blurb gets right down to the focus and main goal of the writing. Its to alleviate any confusion surrounding the Christian faith and to give followers and inquirers a clear understanding of just what Christianity is all about. I personally enjoyed the book because it was true to the blurb and title. The Christian Faith is a really quick and simple read; Ashbaucher is careful with which words he uses and he is sure to break down and explain the subject matter for everyone to understand.
When I was in college I took a course on American history, I think Christianity and US History go hand in hand and that thought was proven as fact when I began my studies. I learned pretty much all of what’s in the pages of this book, as far as the history of Christianity in the West. It felt refreshing to take a look at history from a religious perspective, you certainly learn a different lesson and things, in faith and in history, begin to make much more sense.
Western history is not mentioned in this book as much as I may make it seem but I think everyone will recognize the bits centered on Martin Luther and what his role plays in bringing Christianity to the US.
I think the best part of this book was its simplicity. Anyone, a new or mature Christian can pick this up and follow along. New Christians will be enlightened and intrigued by the material provided while mature Believers will take a refreshing and unique look at their faith.
My favorite section in this book was the part on Legalism, meaning the teachings of the Laws of the Bible. It just so happens, I’m currently doing a Bible study on Grace and The Law so this portion of the book had me the most intrigued. Ashbaucher puts an emphasis on ATTITUDE, highlighting that, yes, the Laws of the Word are important, but its also important to know that it is God’s grace which allows us to have the will, power, and attitude to remain loyal to the teachings of the Bible. A lot of people criticize Christianity for its ‘don’t do this’ attitude but Ashbaucher breaks down that critical barrier, and plenty more, with his quick guide to understanding our faith.
I would recommend this book to Christian readers and those with an interest in Christian non-fiction. If you enjoy study-guides or Biblical study books, then this would be a great pick for you. Those who are new to the faith will definitely benefit the most from this book.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*