Newcomers to the church community need tools to navigate the Christian faith and a guide for connecting doctrine to real life. In a world that's increasingly relative, author Andrew Petiprin helps readers discover unchanging truth based on God's Word.
Truth Matters shows how core tenets of the Christian faith were affirmed over the centuries by faithful biblical scholars. Petiprin helps readers flourish in their faith by discovering the true answers to age-old questions like, "Who is God?" and "Who am I?"
Walking readers through many important doctrines of the Christian faith, Truth Matters supports those doctrines with Scripture and shows how they were developed carefully over the centuries by those who studied the Bible. As he engages with great thinkers of Christian tradition, including C. S. Lewis, T. S. Eliot, and others, Petiprin guides readers to put on the mind of Christ, leaning in to challenging questions.
Mirroring the structure of traditional creeds, Truth Matters helps readers better understand truths about themselves by understanding the truth about God and his desire for a relationship with us. As readers learn more about how doctrine was debated and decided, they will also see that Truth never changes, and that the purpose of doctrine is to make Truth clearer than before.
As it champions the authentic teachings of the Christian faith, Truth Matters points to doctrine, liturgy, and tradition as a way to discover not just the truth about God, but to find God himself.
"In Truth Matters, Andrew Petiprin has woven an extraordinarily rich tapestry of hope, ideally suited for our perplexing times. Abounding in vibrant intellect and grounded in deep conviction, the book expertly weaves together the Creeds, the stories of the Israelites and the early church, and reflections from history and literature. An excellent and wide-ranging introduction to the beating heart of the faith."
David Zahl, Director of Mockingbird Ministries; Editor-in-Chief of the Mockingbird blog.
"We live in an uncertain and constantly changing world, where we need stability of the deep truths of the Christian faith and the promise of God's guaranteed grace more than ever. With insight, joy, clarity, wit, and wisdom, Andrew Petiprin guides us through the ancient doctrines that have served Christ's church for centuries and shows how these truths connect to our lives."
Justin S. Holcomb, Episcopal priest; seminary professor; author
"Deeply personal, intellectually acute, biblically rooted, and spiritually passionate, Truth Matters is a conversionary primer of the Christian faith for all stages of belief. Petitprin writes with ease and seriousness, drawing the reader into the high stakes of God's life and work in Christ, bringing them to bear on common life, but without sacrificing the profundity of their substance. An uncommonly good book for personal reading and group teaching."
Ephraim Radner, Professor of Historical Theology, Wycliffe College, Toronto
"American Christianity often seems locked in a primordial struggle between experience and particular truth claims. Andrew Petiprin does not make the Christian choose. It is through the particular truth claims of the Creeds that Christians learn what it means to live and to die. Through careful theological analysis and personal reflection, Petiprin has written a book that should be required reading for those seeking to understand the close link between truth and discipleship."
Timothy P. O'Malley, Managing Director, McGrath Institute for Church Life; author of Bored Again Catholic: How the Mass Could Save Your Life
"Andrew Petiprin has written a book that shows us, as we reach out for truth, that truth itself is a person who reaches back to us with the hands of Christ."
James Matthew Wilson, Author of The Vision of the Soul: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in the Western Tradition
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Truth Matters: Knowing God and Yourself Truth Matters! I am 70 years young, and I have been in church all of my life. One sad truth that I have discovered is that few Christians really know what they believe. They are Christians because their parents brought them up to be Christians. This faith acceptance is admirable; however, people today are bombarded with all kinds of ideas and belief systems. NO longer do many young people accept Christianity because their parents did; they want to know why they should or should not embrace any and all proposed ideas. This need is fulfilled with Truth Matters by Andrew Petiprin. In this compact and readable book, he uses scripture and The Apostles’ Creed to point by point “navigate the Christian faith.’ His work transcends denominational differences and deliberately focuses on the core elements of the creed that tie all believing Christians together. Truth Matters is, therefore, relevant for all: non-believers, new believers, and old believers who want reassurance that belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the World is, in fact, credible. I believe that this book is a useful tool for individual and group study. I understand that the author is available for teaching and presenting the material in person or by skyping if so desired. What an opportunity for an excellent church-wide Bible study! I love how he ends the book: “God wants you to be transformed, healed, and saved by his grace…. God is waiting. And that’s the truth.”
Relative and irrelevant. That is how much of the culture views truth. Truth is no longer viewed as authoritative or absolute. Where tolerance is viewed as king, the ultimate reality of truth no longer matters. It is precisely in this context we need an instructive word on what truth is and why it matters. We find it in Truth Matters: Know God and Yourself by Andrew Petiprin. Truth for Today Taken from sermons and various teachings, Truth Matters teaches the truth of the Christian faith and the importance of the Christian faith for today. The book is informed by church history and instructive by showing truth is not merely a private matter but a public marker. Using creeds and statements like the Apostles’ Creed, Petiprin observes foundational doctrines of the Gospel in God, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, salvation, and the return of Christ as they are found in Scripture. Along the way, he highlights why such doctrines matter. He makes the case truth is not relative but is based on the revelation of God’s Word and is relevant for real life. Andrew Petiprin does an exceptional job of showing Christians and non-Christians alike the relevancy of knowing truth and why truth matters. He opens the book by sharing his own pursuit for the knowledge of truth. To properly understand truth, Petiprin correctly asserts, “theology always precedes anthropology” (Petiprin 25). The structure of the book backs up this claim, reflecting its subtitle, to first know God and then to know ourselves. In other words, we can only rightly understand and know ourselves once we rightly understand and know God. From its substance to its structure, Truth Matters is a book on showing why knowing God matters for today. What? about the What While the strength of the book may be in answering why such doctrines and truths matter for today, the book does have its moments where what specific doctrines and truths matter are in view is not clear. The author does admit this resource is meant to be more ecumenical than some but he is less than clear about distinctions when it comes to speaking about Protestants and Catholics. This begins in chapter 1 as the author encourages Protestants along with Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians to examine their faith more closely (Petiprin 8). In chapters 6 and 7, the book examines the topic of salvation and grace, with the biblical truth laid out. Yet, there is not an elaborate explanation on how this biblical position Protestants hold to differs from a Catholic view. The same issue with baptism comes up in chapters 2 and 5. Based on the overall content of the book, I believe I am in agreement with the author’s doctrinal stance for the most part, but there are areas where he is unclear and leaves the reader either wondering or wanting. Informative and Instructive For skeptics inquiring about the Christian faith and intrigued about church history, this book may be a good fit. For newer Christians, this book can be a valuable resource to be discussed in community with Christians more informed on the creeds and matters of the Christian faith. Criticisms and qualifiers aside, if you are a Christian who wants to better be informed on how church history has handled the truth and instructed on why the truth matters for today, consider purchasing Truth Matters: Knowing God and Yourself by Andrew Petiprin. I received this book from New Growth Press in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.
Petiprin believes “the authentic teachings of the Christian faith are the best means of human flourishing.” (Loc 133/2183) It is important to understand the truth about God and relate to Him rightly. How do we find that truth? The documents resulting from strife aim to present a right view of God so that we might be in right relationship with Him. Petiprin uses the frameworks of the historical Apostles' and Nicene Creeds to identify the truths of the Christian faith. He also looks at the heresies as he explores the development of doctrine. This is a good book to learn about the history of the development of doctrine. Petiprin also explores the expression of Christianity worldwide. He offers a broader view of the many aspects of doctrine than one would find from a typical author. For example, he explores theosis, becoming like God, seen more in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions. He also has an interesting section on icons. I found Petiprin's style of writing suitable for readers intellectually inclined. For example, when was the last tine you read the word eponymous? (Loc 336/2183) He delves into some Greek and historical situations that scholars may appreciate more than the typical lay person. I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.