A spiritual introduction to Christian theology

Christian belief can be understood neither entirely through doctrine nor entirely apart from it. Doctrine is the starting point, the seed of faith, from which springs forth flourishing life in the fellowship of the church. But that growth occurs only when theology and spirituality are held together in a relation of reciprocal influence.

With decades of combined experience in both the church and the academy, Mark McIntosh and Frank Griswold prioritize the life-giving relationship between theology and spirituality in this immersive introduction to the Christian faith. Drawing inspiration and guidance from Christianity’s greatest mystical theologians—including Augustine, Maximus the Confessor, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, and Catherine of Siena—McIntosh and Griswold unfold essential doctrines and illuminate the transformative power of Christian belief. The result is a book that propels readers beyond abstract knowledge to an experience of the living mystery who is God.

Table of Contents

Introduction: As We Begin

1. The Hidden Presence of God in All Things

2. Faith and Fear

3. Revelation

4. The Mystery of the Trinity

5. Creation

6. Suffering and Evil

7. Jesus as the Incarnate Word

8. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

9. Salvation

10. Grace and Human Flourishing

11. The Church and the Sacramental Life

12. The Spirit of Prayer

13. Death and the Life to Come

14. The Communion of Saints and Mary