Foundations of the Christian Faith

In one systematic volume, James Montgomery Boice provides a readable overview of Christian theology. Both students and pastors will benefit from this rich source that covers all the major doctrines of Christianity.With scholarly rigor and a pastor's heart, Boice carefully opens the topics of the nature of God, the character of his natural and special revelation, the fall, and the person and work of Christ. He then goes on to consider the work of the Holy Spirit in justification and sanctification. The book closes with careful discussion of ecclesiology and eschatology.This updated edition includes a foreword by Philip Ryken and a section-by-section study guide. Both those long familiar with Boice and those newly introduced to him will benefit from his remarkable practicality and thoroughness, which will continue to make this a standard reference for years to come.



Philip Ryken (DPhil, Oxford) is the eighth president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He formerly served as the senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He is the author or editor of more than forty books, including The Message of Salvation, Art for God's Sake, and When Trouble Comes.



James Montgomery Boice was, until his death in 2000, the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, the teacher on The Bible Study Hour radio program and chairman of the board of City Center Academy. He held a BD from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Theology from the University of Basel in Switzerland. In addition to authoring numerous journal articles, he was a consulting editor for the Expositor's Bible Commentary. His books and commentaries include Foundations of God's City and the five-volume work The Gospel of John.

Foreword by Philip Ryken


Preface
Book 1: The Sovereign God
Part I: The Knowledge of God


1. On Knowing God


2. The Unknown God
Part II: The Word of God


3. The Bible


4. The Authority of the Scriptures


5. The Proof of the Scriptures


6. How True Is the Bible?


7. Modern Biblical Criticism


8. How to Interpret the Bible
Part III: The Attributes of God


9. The True God


10. God in Three Persons


11. Our Sovereign God


12. Holy, Holy, Holy


13. The God Who Knows


14. God Who Changes Not
Part IV: God's Creation


15. The Creation of Humanity


16. Nature


17. The Spirit World


18. God's Providence
Book 2: God the Redeemer
Part I: The Fall of the Race


1. The Fall


2. The Results of the Fall


3. The Bondage of the Will
Part II: Law and Grace


4. The Purpose of God's Law


5. The Ten Commandments: Love of God


6. The Ten Commandments: Love of Others


7. The Wrath of God


8. Salvation in the Old Testament
Part III: The Person of Christ


9. The Deity of Jesus Christ


10. The Humanity of Jesus Christ


11. Why Christ Became Human
Part IV: The Work of Christ


12. Prophet, Priest, and King


13. Quenching God's Wrath


14. Paid in Full


15. The Greatness of God's Love


16. The Pivotal Doctrine: Resurrection


17. Verifying the Resurrection


18. He Ascended into Heaven
Book 3: Awakening to God
Part I: The Spirit of God


1. Personal Christianity


2. The Work of the Holy Spirit


3. Union with Christ
Part II: How God Saves Sinners


4. The New Birth


5. Faith and Repentance


6. Justification by Faith: The Hinge of Salvation


7. Justification by Faith: The Place of Works


8. The Tests of Faith


9. A New Family


10. The Upward Way
Part III: The Life of the Christian


11. Embrace the Negative


12. Freedom, Freedom


13. Knowing the Will of God


14. Talking to God


15. God Talking to Us


16. Serving
Part IV: The Work of God


17. Called by God


18. The Keeping Power of God
Book 4: God and History
Part I: Time and History


1. What's Wrong with Me?


2. The March of Time


3. Christ, the Focal Point of History
Part II: The Church of God


4. Christ's Church


5. The Marks of the Church


6. How to Worship God


7. Salvation's Signs and Seals


8. Spiritual Gifts


9. Equipping the Saints


10. Church Government


11. Body Life


12. The Great Commission
Part III: A Tale of Two Cities


13. The Secular City


14. The Secular Church


15. God's City


16. Church and State
Part IV: The End of History


17. How Will It All End?


18. Home at Last


Study Guide


General Index


Scripture Index

"For decades my ministry has been greatly impacted by the expository excellence, shepherding care, and gospel-centered teachings and writings of James Montgomery Boice. Written with a pastoral tone, Foundations of the Christian Faith is a beautiful and timeless systematic volume that provides a comprehensive education on biblical doctrines with clarity and practicality. This is a most helpful theological resource for all readers, as it elevates Christ and Scripture."



"Republication of Foundations of the Christian Faith by James Montgomery Boice, the superlative minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church, will surely be welcomed by scholars and serious students of the Bible. This classic overview of Christian faith is a masterful balance of often opposing qualities. It is simultaneously comprehensive yet readable. It is accessible for serious believers, seeking college students, and newcomers to the faith. It is warmly pastoral yet theologically rich. It is theologically Calvinistic and trinitarian but above all focused on Scripture. Herein, ancient truth illuminates contemporary life. This monumental harvest of Dr. Boice's ministry belongs in every serious Christian's study."



"James Boice was the best preacher I've known, but he was also a major figure in the defense of the faith against liberalism. Widely educated, he was always consumed with a passion to proclaim God's word rather than flatter the academy. This is a learned but also pastoral theology, practical because it feeds the sheep with the rich pastures of Scripture. I'm so glad that this one-volume edition is being made available to a new audience! Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest this feast of the soul."



"Foundations of the Christian Faith is one resource that every church and family should own. It's one of the best summaries of Christian doctrine—with a highly accessible format and pastoral tone—that modern Protestantism has ever produced. Dr. Boice left a theological legacy in this volume that will endure for generations to come as a deep dive into the theology of grace and one that encourages us all to remain committed to 'the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.'"



"My original copy of James Montgomery Boice's Foundations of the Christian Faith is worn out. It was extremely helpful to me as a pastor not simply as a reference book but as a rich readable theology, the fruit of his own preaching ministry. I am delighted to see this volume reissued. It is Boice at his best."



"I miss his voice. As a pastor headed home from my own church service, I would many times have the privilege of listening to James Montgomery Boice on the radio. Through his wise and pastoral teaching, I knew that Dr. Boice desired to bring glory to God and also draw people to Christ. Foundations of the Christian Faith is a significant one-volume resource that weaves biblical material, orthodox theology, and pastoral insights for all those interested in rooting their faith in God's revelation. This revised and expanded edition of his classic work allows Dr. Boice's voice to be heard again and invites us into the conversation with a trusted friend by way of new study guides that will help individuals, groups, and churches deepen their understanding of God and this world that he so loves. Through this volume, you and I can still hear the voice of Dr. Boice and be blessed by this servant of God."



"The proper home of theology is not the classroom but the church, and theologians serve the church best when they help its members think and speak about God rightly. James Montgomery Boice understood the importance of theology, and this book bears witness to a life spent in service to the church. Boice presents complicated doctrines with clarity, and he always pays close attention both to Scripture and the Christian tradition. His writing is accessible and pastorally sensitive, and he displays a deep concern for the needs of everyday believers. This book should be in every pastor's study. It would make an excellent graduation gift, could serve as the basis for rich small group discussions, and would enrich the work of academics from a variety of disciplines. It has endured the test of time for good reason, and it will continue to enrich the church wherever it is read." weniger anzeigen expand_less