[.ca] Know What You Believe (ISBN 159644391X)

Classic "Portable Primer" on Christian Beliefs:
I first encountered Paul Little's "Know What You Believe" and "Know Why You Believe" about 12-13 years ago. Over the years, I have read many tomes of systematic theology, dogmatics, etc. In fact, I'd thought that I long "out-grew" these "Beginner" books on the Christian faith. Then my wife bought a new edition that contains both books and I read them through again over the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by the masterful simplicity in Little's presentation of the core truths of Christianity in such a clear, intelligent manner; yet without trivialising the whole thing with needlessly casual anecdotes or the feeling like he's "talking down to you". As a young Christian, I got the feeling that these books were simple apologetics that one used for evangelism and discipleship. On rereading them this round, I found them to be very scholarly works but presented in a very readable format (and believe me, that's quite a feat!). For me on a personal level, it's a return to the basics, the core truths - the vital stuff that makes Christianity so amazing and meaningful in the first place. These two books are modern Christian classics and should be on every Christian's bookshelf. Buy a dozen today and start rereading them and giving them out.

Simple elegance!:
Paul Little's book, KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE, provides an apologetic of the Christian faith in simple, yet elegant terms. Little provided a straight forward approach to understanding the faith. It is an excellent resource for learning about the Christian faith and can be used as an evangelism tool - either through a pre-Christian reading it, or by providing a Chrsitian the skills to share the faith. This book will enable the reader to draw near to God, as he or she learns about our Father, the glorious Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. A wonderful experience!

Nice intro for beginners:
This book is a beginners guide to Christianity. It covers all the basics: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, salvation, heaven and hellfire. If you're coming to Christianity for the first time, this book is a good one. I used to be able to believe what this book says, but now I can't. The more I learned about the world, the less plausible Mr. Little's brand of Christian theism became. It's like shedding a religious skin you can't grow back or crawl back into. I don't know what else to say. I used to believe it, but now I don't. I just lost it.

Christian Doctrine 101:
If you are looking for an explanation of what Christians believe stated in language that anyone can understand, and clearly supported by biblical texts, then this is very likely the book you are looking for. Little writes especially for college students who are seeking to understand the Christian faith; not for professional theologians. His goal is to explain what is central to Christian teaching, that which unites all Christians, not that which divides Christians into different confessions. His gift is clarity and precision. I have used this book ever since it came out over twenty five years ago in teaching basic Christian doctrine in both a local church and college class setting. It is still my preference as an initiation to Christian Doctrine.

A Firm Foundation:
If you are just beginning as a Christian, this book will help you to get a firm foundation for your faith. It helps you with your Biblical study of your new life. If you are a more mature Christian, this book helps you keep the simplicity of the Christian faith in mind. When you speak with people about our Lord, have this book readily available. It will not do the speaking for you, but will help you to express what the Bible says if you happen to need some help. And I have needed this type of help from time to time. If you are wanting to know what Christianity is about and don't want to go through the Bible yet or talk with a Christian, this book will help you to see what it is that we believe. I had a hard time putting this book down. I keep saying that I would put it down after I finish "just this one part". It helped me to get back to the basics of my belief. I was able to read the Bible with fresh eyes again. A wonderful book to read and great resource to have. I expect that I will need to buy several copies between giving them out and wearing mine out. I would recommend this book to anyone.