Christian Living

The last thirty years have seen a great movement towards non-denominational Church unity. This series of five small books, mainly Protestant in tone and evangelical in appeal, makes a valuable contribution to this trend, by its almost total lack of denominational rancour, its lucid and practical moralising (we jib at the word – I wonder why); and its illumination of the scope and meaning of Christian love. Each writer has a deep, practical concern with human problems. Each explores, in his own way, the holy paradox of Christian living undertaken by weak, ordinary men in the world we know. I personally have found the first and fourth books in the series the most interesting and original. Alexander Miller writes: ‘The difference between the Church and the world is not that God rules in the Church and does not rule in the world: the difference is that within the Church it is known under Whose governance we stand.’

page 312

Edmond Cherbonnier goes out boldly to battle with Pelagian and Augustinian dragons on behalf of the inherent goodness of created human nature. It is not possible even to summarise the content of the series. But we have need of such writing, with its emphasis on freedom, moral choices, and its optimism founded on faith in God and chastened by a knowledge of human weakness.

1957 (153)