Book Review:

Why Am I Christian? by John Stott; Inter-Varsity Press, 2003 ISBN 0-85111-407-5

Review by John Halford

If someone asks you if you are a Christian you probably find it easy to say ‘yes!’ But if you are then asked ‘why?’ it isn’t so easy, is it?  

It is not that you don’t know. There are many, many reasons to believe. But it can be hard to arrange those reasons into a coherent, convincing and logical argument. 

The veteran writer, teacher and pastor John Stott has written a book that may help. Why I am a Christian is short (141 pages) and an easy to read little book, in which Dr. Stott explains his personal reasons for his faith in Jesus Christ. He realised the need for something that went beyond an oversimplified and superficial introduction, but at the same time was not too heavy for a genuine enquirer who wanted to think through the implications of becoming a Christian.

Each of the seven chapters introduces the reader to a different aspect of faith. Dr. Stott begins by telling the story of several people who abandoned their skepticism and atheism and became committed to the Christian faith. He then explores the claims of Jesus and shows how they cannot be easily dismissed.  He faces up to the awkward questions, and never blinds his readers with theology.

Dr. Stott helps us analyze the often fuzzy feelings and emotions we have about our faith, and shows why to put one’s trust in Jesus is the only logical and sensible solution to the complex dilemma of being human: ‘Only Jesus knows God, so only he can make him known. This means, of course, that God is fully and finally revealed in Jesus Christ. It does not deny that there are other and lesser revelations. For example, God is partially revealed in the ordered loveliness of the created universe, in the moral demands of human conscience and in the unfolding developments of history.  But, although creation speaks of God’s   glory, conscience of his righteousness, and history of his providence and power, nobody tells us of his love for human beings in their alienation and lostness, or of his plan to rescue us and reconcile us to himself, except Jesus of Nazareth.’

Change the subject as quickly as possible. Others react

Why I am a Christian explains the Gospel message in the words that ordinary people use. As Dr. Stott explains: "Now freedom is a good modern word for salvation. To be saved by Jesus Christ is to be set free. Drop the word salvation into a conversation, however, and it gives off very different vibrations. Some react with embarrassment and with boredom. The yawn rather than blush, for to them the terms sin and salvation belongs to a traditional  religious vocabulary that is now obsolete and meaningless. A third group are covered with confusion, because they have no idea how salvation should be defined. Talk about ‘freedom’ however, and people’s interest is immediately aroused."

John Stott, although internationally respected as a scholar, remains at heart a very ordinary and straightforward man. Many a time in this book I found myself saying "Yes, that‘s exactly how I feel", but I had never thought of explaining it like that.  For example: 

"One might say that Jesus was introducing us to Freudianism centuries before Freud.  For what Jesus called the heart is roughly equivalent to what Freud called the subconscious. It is like a very deep well. Normally the thick deposit of mud at the bottom is unseen and unsuspected. But when the waters of the well are stirred up by violent emotion, the most evil-looking, evil-smelling filth bubbles up from the depths and breaks the surface - anger, malice, lust, hatred, cruelty and revenge-and we are horrified to glimpse the evils of which our heart is capable."

This is a thoughtful and considerate book, written for people who genuinely want to know the answers.  As such, it is very useful for those of us who have already made the decision, but need help in explaining why.