Families of Faith

By Paul Varo Martinson

Book Overview

The major world religions once seemed far away, but now are in our neighborhoods. How can Christians understand them? How can we respond in a way that is faithful to Christianity while being respectful of the other religions?

Martinson writes from his experience as a missionary and as a teacher of world religions. He approaches world religions as families of faith:

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

Hinduism and Buddhism

Confucianism and Taoism

He provides authoritative information and helpful perspectives on the world religions, showing how we can best engage in dialogue with their followers. Questions for discussion are included.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0800632222
• ISBN13: 9780800632229
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishing
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Families of Faith

Martinson provides some very interesting and insightful overviews of Buddhism and Hinduism (the Indic family, which focuses on self), Confucianism and Daoism (the Sinic family, which focuses on world), and Islam and Judaism (the Semitic family, which focuses on God). His emphasis is on the very distinctive goals and approaches of each of these groups. In the Christian approach to these religions both evangelism and dialogue are appropriate. No revelation of God is a substitute for God's saving act in Christ, but saving faith is possible as a response to lesser revelations of God This book is interesting both for its insights into the other religions and for its exposition of a form of the "anonymous Christians" approach.