Complete Analysis of the Christianity's Dangerous Idea - Book Report/Review Example

Christianitys Dangerous Idea Alister Mcgrath Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 The Martin Luther Doctrine 3 Correction of Textbook Misrepresentations 4 ‘Manifestation’ and ‘Transformation’ Sections 6 Conclusion 7 Reference 8 Christianitys Dangerous Idea Alister Mcgrath Introduction ‘Christianity’s Dangerous Idea’ by Alistar McGrath amounts to an ambitious piece Through it, he seeks to provide interpretative segments of Protestantism history in one volume. For this reason, the main examination of influences and trends punctuated various examples and individual cases. McGrath cuts to Pentecostalism across Luther’s Wittenberg within the Global South through the attempt of identifying the idea lying at the core of Protestantism as well as people popular as Protestants. For this reason, dangerous ideas firmly embody themselves as integral parts of the Protestant revolution. This was because of having Christians embrace rights and freedoms to interpret the Bible independently. Immediately, the idea solicited root of the possible outcomes, as was an unprecedented innovation as well irresolvable conflict. New communities came to be, splintering and reforming across differing Scripture interpretations without an appeal for any of central authorities other than the Scripture itself. The process of Protestants remains unabated.1 Therefore, Protestantism cannot be a fixed component of practices or doctrines or affairs. Many ways of understanding the Bible exist while people continue reading it. The Martin Luther Doctrine McGrath sets a trace of the personal interpretation privilege all the way to the doctrine of Martin Luther. This is concerning all believers’ priesthood. Further, he continues to highlight the empowerment by Luther for the laity among the interpreters of scripture. The Christians on the other hand, are in a state of endowment with the appropriate aspects of reading and interpreting and hence questioning the teachings of the church. McGrath adds that Luther unintentionally feed the individualism beast as unleashed through growing humanist movements. This means that, the radical components of the doctrine of justification by Luther is the salvation conception as an aspect influencing the individual and God. Relationship with God by the individual is direct and established by faith in the promises of God against the salvation acquired through the death and resurrection of Christ. This way, no intermediaries are necessary for the intercession of the saints or Mary. It also waters down the relevance of the church, sacraments, and its priests across the salvation dynamism. Such an emphasis for the private and personal dimensions carries across the understanding by McGrath for the theory of universal priesthood by Luther.2 There is no illustration made of the insistence of Luther for the roles and responsibilities acquired with the priesthood birthright. Such an element for believers is the cause of the brother and sisters spiritual welfare in the faith. People are not priests for themselves, but priests for other persons. In addition, individuals cannot read and interpret independently the Bible on their own, but rather for the community’s gain. Priesthood is not responsible for turning one towards a self-status on to neighbors. While the theme of service and mutual care appears to continue eroding in the proliferation of Protestant faith, it is apparent in Luther and hence it is extensive recognition. Correction of Textbook Misrepresentations McGrath provides the necessary service in the correction of textbook misrepresentations that are most common. In it, John Calvin is not the Geneva tyrant or the predestination author any more. However, he is a serious and trustworthy scripture scholar. The attention directed towards the works by Martin Bucer is long overdue. Through shedding light to most of the lesser popular Protestant innovators, the author (McGrath) continues to expand the narrative past household names for purposes of illustrating the initial movement diversity. In the end, McGrath avails sympathetic interpretation that is away from the normal stereotyping. Here, he puts positive illustrations to the consumerist mentality dominating contemporary Protestantism. This way, the Protestants embrace an ability of quickly reacting to upcoming cultural and social realities.3 They can also proceed to protests through removing their leaders and switching denominations. However, this can also start with new congregations as they remain true to Protestant identities. While volumes of these are readable, they cover a comprehensive amount of ground through the sacrificial depth for focusing on the breadth and span. This is comparable to a ride on a train on high speed taking a quick stop. This is because it is in favor of travelers preferring a comprehensive scope of the experiences above those settling in single spots to stay for a while. Irrespective of all this, McGrath journey is worthwhile in case the questions developed by his Protestantism interpretation materialize. As a critique, being a reactive movement, Protestantism needs to have identifiable enemies to flourish and survive. In the event, Protestants focus on those reading and interpreting the Bible. A designation outdoes its overall usefulness. The outcomes in this case include the aspects the returned full understanding among all believers priesthood of Luther.4 The focus also shifts to serving one another, which the world insists on its right to interpret the scripture by itself. Maybe this is the main idea, which is relatively dangerous for the Protestants to into consideration. ‘Manifestation’ and ‘Transformation’ Sections The ‘Manifestation’ section, the author vividly explores the fundamental beliefs as well as positions assumed by the Protestants. A number of chapters address the theological views developed by the Bible, the main teachings with respect to man and salvation impact the church and sacraments. Further, the chapter offers insight into the relation of Christians to politics, culture, and society as well as the manner in which Protestantism interacts with the arts and science. The book is quick to summarize the detailed points. I my opinion, his Protestantism and science discussion were rather helpful5. The fact that Protestants involve a comprehensive range of on these aspects, it is difficult to establish a core to each of them. McGrath perceives unity in the scope of the theological methodology as compared to the individual judgments within the Scriptures. This is above the outcomes for each of the thematic areas. The ‘Transformation’ section makes emphasis on the recent Protestantism history across America. The “Global South” is popular as the Southern Hemisphere. The main importance of this case is the tremendous Pentecostalism growth where adherents outnumber other Protestants collectively. McGrath puts this development as one of the natural outcomes for the Protestantism genius. This comprises the Scripture’s reinterpretation by any of the generations through adaptation of its respective times and places. He also embraces bright focus on Protestantism development as viewed in its methodologies.6 Even with the decrease of older denominations, there are possibilities of growth. Protestantism is a position of doctrinally adapting to the new situations and more helpful in the strife towards adapting the structure as it influences the church’s worship for diverse times and cultures.  With review of previous information and happenings, McGrath focuses on the Protestantism relationship with Biblical authority. This offers insight on how it carries out its operations for diverse prospects of the church life. This element in the book has an excellent perception of the Protestant Biblical interpretation as well as Protestant controversies and their historical surveys. In this case, there is an excellent extension of options for the Protestant belief. In addition, McGrath also turns to shaping the culture of Protestants through detailed discussions of adequacy arts. It is with much relief to see due attention focused towards the Protestant opposition for the purposes of poetry within diverse elements in history.7 For the deliberation, there is an idealized and one-sided Protestantism team version of a necessary reality check. This includes various Protestant traditions tendencies towards believing in their respective pronouncements and personalities in solving perennial Protestant challenges. Conclusion For this reason, McGrath also looks into the present as well as future Protestantism prospects. This is precisely an evolution into a Pentecostal and globally south form of religion. The consideration is that of having Protestantism’s dangerous idea trigger this future or have it undermined. This also stretches to the ominous Pentecostalism morphing into the gnostic mysticism and the prosperity gospel through checking the doctrine of Biblical authority for Protestantism. In similar texts, this could amount to an answer to Protestantism as a confessionals’ kind or authority structure in curtailing its innovative energy (McGrath, 19). All interested parties in the evangelicalism nature, future, and history of finding this book fascinating. The others who have are part of conversations of the Protestant-Catholic/Orthodox forms, can benefit from the serious and accessible scholarship of McGrath. The work of McGrath also makes Protestants essentially informed on their nature and hence become humble for the aspects they handle each time the Bible is in use. Reference McGrath, Alister. Christianitys Dangerous Idea. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. Read More