Includes bibliographical references (pages 265-268) and index.

Knowing the God of the bible in the contemporary world -- The God whom we know -- Our identity as God's creatures -- Our human failure -- Jesus Christ : "God with us" -- Jesus's mission in the divine program -- The Holy Spirit : the author of life -- The Holy Spirit and our salvation -- The pioneer community -- Participating in the pioneer community -- The climax of our story -- God's community : our eternal home.

This revised edition of a classic college-level introduction to theology presents the core doctrines of the Christian faith, encouraging readers to connect belief with everyday life. Stanley Grenz, one of the leading evangelical scholars of his era, and Jay Smith, an expert on Grenz's theological legacy, construct a helpful theology that is biblical, historical, and contemporary. The third edition includes a foreword by John Franke, a new preface and afterword, resources for further study, and updated footnotes. The book's easy-to-use format includes end-of-chapter discussion questions and connects theological concepts with current cultural examples.