Customer Reviews (2)

Wonderfully written
Harry Tennant is a master of prose and this books is wonderfully written. The beliefs of the Christadelphians are
outlined and explained. I loved reading this book.

Summary of Christadelphian beliefs
The Christadelphians (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) are a small Christian denomination numbering only around 5,000 members in the USA and consequently are not widely known there. The movement is much more widespread in Britain, Australia, Canada, Africa and India. Although the movement in its modern form dates back to the 1850s Christadelphians point to groups with the same characteristic beliefs (pacifism, adult baptism, death being sleep, physical resurrection at the second coming, non-trinitarianism) going back to the Reformation. In theological terms they not fully Unitarian, but are Socinian, believing in the virgin birth, but not the literal preexistence of Jesus in heaven, nor any role for him in creating Adam and Eve. As regards the Bible text they are fundamentalist (rejecting all other authorities) and mainly literalist (the exception being the devil which is taken as an extended parable).

Given the absence of any formal hierarchy or leadership among Christadelphians, this book is as near as one can come to a 'representative' introduction to Christadelphian beliefs by a middle of the road Christadelphian. The author, a retired UK Civil Servant, is well known as a speaker and writer in the church, and has served on several of the informal preaching and publishing committees which characterise the movement.

Contents as follows:

PREFACE
FOREWORD
1. THE FAIR EARTH
2. MAN: GOOD OR BAD?
3. DEATH: FRIEND OR FOE?
4. THE BEGINNING OF THE PROMISES OF GOD
5. GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM
6. WHO IS KING?
7. WHO WILL BE KING?
8. WHAT WILL THE KINGDOM OF GOD BE LIKE?
9. HOW CAN THIS BE?
10. THE LORD WHO BOUGHT ME
11. THE CHRIST: WHOSE SON IS HE?
12. THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH
13. A PRIEST FOR EVER
14. THE HOLY SPIRIT
Appendix I: Holy Spirit Gifts and Spirit Guidance
15. A WORLD OF EVIL
16. JESUS AND THE DEVIL.
Appendix II: "Fallen Angels" and Satan
17. DEMONS
18. ANGELS
19. RESURRECTION AND JUDGEMENT
20. REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION
21. WHY SHOULD I NOT BE BAPTIZED?
22. WALKING WITH GOD
23. THE DISCIPLE AND THE WORLD
24. FELLOWSHIP
25. THE ENIGMA OF ISRAEL
26. SIGNS OF CHRIST'S RETURN
27. FAREWELL
SUBJECT INDEX
SCRIPTURE INDEX

To this reviewer the book is a little dry and starchy, but anyone who is interested in finding out what this denomination believes really has no alternative book to go to which covers so many areas with such clarity. There are a few things in Appendix 1 and Chapter 26 which some Christadelphians might debate, but by and large this is as representative and straightforward a description of Christadelphian belief as you will find.

Since this book is published in the UK it may occasionally be more easily obtained from Amazon.co.uk than in the US.

A search on Amazon.co.uk shows 94 other titles in print from the same publisher. Authors include W H Boulton, J Thomas, R Roberts, J Carter, H A Whittaker, Peter Watkins, A D Norris, Islip Collyer, Dennis Gillett, L G Sargent, Neville Smart, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Christadelphian," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Christadelphian in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Christadelphian when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Christadelphian, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Survey of little known non-Trinitarian denomination
Christadelphians (Brothers and sisters in Christ) are barely known in the US. This is probably due to their small numbers and lack of any formal organisation. Their principal distinguishing belief is that Jesus is the Son of God, not God the Son.

The author, Charles H. Lippy, Professor of Religion, Clemson University, South Carolina is a graduate of Dickinson College, Union Theological Seminary, NY, and Princeton University.

This book (1989) remains one of only two surveys of Christadelphian history, belief and practice by a non-Christadelphian. The other is Sects and Society by Brian Wilson (1961). As the title indicates the book is heavily focussed on the 10,000 or so Christadelphians in the USA and Canada, just as Wilson's is on the 25,000 or so Christadelphians in the UK. The main difference between the two books is that Lippey does not indulge in the often questionable sociological observations recurrent in Wilson's thesis. Quote:

"I do not offer a social or economic portrait of the people who are Christadelphians. My sense is that Christadelphians in socio-economic terms are virtually indistinguishable from the bulk of the population of the United and Canada ¡ª they are essentially middle-class folk who work hard for an honest living.I have met Christadelphians who are medical specialists, social workers,college professors, corporate executives, motel owners, dentists, accountants, and homemakers. I know Christadelphians who are employed in a variety of other occupations and professions. Virtually all that distinguishes Christadelphians from other Americans is their commitment to their understanding of religious truth. And it is that truth that I seek here to explicate."

In introducing the table of contents, as follows, it is worth explaining two terms.An "Ecclesia" is the word by which most congregations describe themselves rather than church. However Lippey's use of the term "founder" relating to John Thomas M.D., while arguably the case in a historical sense, would not be used by Christadelphians themselves (due to 1 Corinthians 3:11) who tend to refer to Thomas and other early brethren only as "pioneers". Lippey, by taking a historical view inevitably overstates the relevance of Thomas, Williams, Roberts, Wilson and other early brethren to modern Christadelphians. Some of their writings hold interest, much as Luther's do to a Lutheran, or St. Augustine to a Roman Catholic, but they hold no authority beyond that of fellow Bible students.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. The Religious Ethos of the Early Nineteenth Century
2. Christadelphian Beginnings: The Life and Work of John Thomas
3. Christadelphians Since the Founder's Death.
4. Ideology: An Exposition of Beliefs That Constitute "The Truth"
5. Ideology: Relations and Links to Other Religious Traditions
6. Commitment and Cohesion: The Local Ecclesia
7. Commitment and Cohesion:Extra-Ecclesial Agencies, Organizations and Activities
8. Commitment and Cohesion: Behavior and Ethics
9. Assessing: Locating the Christadelphians on the American religious landscape
10. Assessing: Christadelphian contributions to Religion in North America.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

As to the content it is generally well written, well referenced, objective and accurate. The only reservation, inherent in the subject, is that 'the Christadelphians in North America' inevitably does not really give the reader a picture of the denomination worldwide.

... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative
Very well written and researched and most useful to anyone wanting to know about what various cults believe.

Val Waldeck's Books are Inspirational
I have read all of Val Waldeck's book and have to say that I find them so Inspirational & Spiritual.She is an amazing teacher and has special insight into everything that she writes.
I look forward to more of her wonderful books being published.

Val Mitchell
Durban, South Africa ... Read more

Product Description
A Manual For New Christadelphians, Young Christadelphians, and Prospective Christadelphians ... Read more

Product Description
Volume 1 (1885-86) of the Christadelphian Advocate.A monthly periodical devoted to the promulgation and Defence of ""The Things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ"", in opposition to the fables of so-called Orthodoxy, with a view of assisting in the work of ""taking out"" a people preparatory to the coming of the Lord.Editor: Thomas Williams (paperback cover) ... Read more

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Chapters: English Christadelphians, Scottish Christadelphians, John Thomas, Robert Roberts, Charles Curwen Walker, William Henry Boulton, Henry Sulley. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 30. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dr. John Thomas (April 12, 1805 - March 5, 1871) was the founder of the Christadelphian movement, a Restorationist religion with doctrines similar in part to some 16th century Antitrinitarian Rationalist Socinians and the 16th century Swiss-German pacifist Anabaptists. John Thomas M.D., born in Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, on April 12, 1805, was the son of a Dissenting minister, also named John Thomas. His family is reputed to be descended from French Huguenot refugees. His family moved frequently, as his father took up various pastorships including a congregation in London, a brief but eventful stay in northern Scotland, back to London, and then up to Chorley, Lancashire. John Thomas was a very disciplined student having taught himself Hebrew as a teenager. At the age of 16, in Chorley, he began studying medicine. His family moved back to London, but John Thomas stayed in Chorley. After two years, he returned to London to continue his studies at the Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals for a further three years. He trained as a surgeon and had a keen interest in chemistry and biology, publishing several learned medical articles for The Lancet, one of which argued in favour of the importance of the use of corpses for the study of medicine (it was illegal in England to dissect them at this time). Like many people of that era, in 1832 his father made the decision to seek fresh opportunities and emigrate to America. So it was that Dr John Thomas, having few ties, decided to go with his family, agreeing to go on ahead and prepare for the family. He took the opportunit...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1175768 ... Read more

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This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Bible Companion, Christendom Astray From the Bible, Elpis Israel. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: The Bible Companion (or Bible Reading Planner) is a guide developed by the Christadelphians to aid reading the Bible. It was first produced by Robert Roberts when he was just 14 years of age, in about 1853, and revised by him over a number of years into its current format. Christadelphians believe that reading the Bible is very important: they believe that it is 'essential if one is to discover -- and remember -- God's revelation of Himself and His purpose'; citing Bible verses such as Psalm 119:105, they believe the Bible gives moral direction for the life of a Christian - thus the Bible Companion is designed to aid the Christian in their Bible reading to this end. By following the Bible Companion the reader is led, in small portions, through the whole Bible in a year. The Old Testament is read once in the year, and the New Testament is read twice. The plan starts on January 1 in the Book of Genesis, Book of Psalms and Book of Matthew and works its way through the scriptures as the year goes along providing around 4 chapters per day. Here is an example of a section from the Bible Companion: - Although the Bible Companion was developed over 100 years ago by the Christadelphians it is still widely used, year by year, within the community. Some ecclesias (individual churches) read the allotted chapters of the Bible as found in the companion during their Sunday services. Many people have the Bible Companion printed on book marks so they can easily find and follow the days readings. Use of the 'Bible Companion' is down to the individuals choice. ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=3097135 ... Read more

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For worship and for witness. ... Read more

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Chapters: Anglican Liturgy, Book of Concord, Christadelphian Books, Christian Science Texts, Documents of the Catholic Church, Jehovah's Witnesses Literature, Latter Day Saint Texts, Works by Martin Luther, Nicene Creed, Authorized King James Version, Book of Common Prayer, Apostles' Creed, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, Gaudium et Spes, Liber Pontificalis, Dei Verbum, Athanasian Creed, Sacrosanctum Concilium, Dignitatis Humanae, Dominus Iesus, Christus Dominus, Perfectae Caritatis, Unitatis Redintegratio, Apostolicam Actuositatem, Ad Gentes, Optatam Totius, Agnus Dei, Presbyterorum Ordinis, Gravissimum Educationis, Orientalium Ecclesiarum, Inter Mirifica, Ablution in Christianity, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures, Sefer Hayashar, Crosier, Summorum Pontificum, Corpus Juris Canonici, List of Jehovah's Witnesses Publications, on the Jews and Their Lies, Book of the Law of the Lord, Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants, Augsburg Confession, List of Carols at the Nine Lessons and Carols, King's College Chapel, Compline, Crimen Sollicitationis, Ecclesiastical Letter, the Watchtower, Anglicanorum Coetibus, the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ-against the Fanatics, Jehovah's Witnesses Publications for Evangelizing, Holy Water, Lectures on Faith, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Voree Plates, a Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Evening Prayer, Gospel, Donation of Constantine, Syllabus of Errors, Roman Catechism, Book of Commandments, Jehovah's Witnesses Publications for Adherents, to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, Martin Luther Bibliography, Awake!, Actes et Documents Du Saint Siège Relatifs à La Seconde Guerre Mondiale, Jehovah's Witnesses Reference Works, Periculoso, Otto Fetting, the Ninety-Five Theses, Liber Censuum, Churching of Women, Dutch Catechism, the Word of the Lord, Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations With Regard to Persons With H...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=4953 ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: John Thomas, Charles Curwen Walker, William Henry Boulton, Henry Sulley. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 26. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Dr. John Thomas (April 12, 1805 - March 5, 1871) was the founder of the Christadelphian movement, a Restorationist religion with doctrines similar in part to some 16th century Antitrinitarian Rationalist Socinians and the 16th century Swiss-German pacifist Anabaptists. John Thomas M.D., born in Hoxton Square, Hackney, London, on April 12, 1805, was the son of a Dissenting minister, also named John Thomas. His family is reputed to be descended from French Huguenot refugees. His family moved frequently, as his father took up various pastorships including a congregation in London, a brief but eventful stay in northern Scotland, back to London, and then up to Chorley, Lancashire. John Thomas was a very disciplined student having taught himself Hebrew as a teenager. At the age of 16, in Chorley, he began studying medicine. His family moved back to London, but John Thomas stayed in Chorley. After two years, he returned to London to continue his studies at the Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals for a further three years. He trained as a surgeon and had a keen interest in chemistry and biology, publishing several learned medical articles for The Lancet, one of which argued in favour of the importance of the use of corpses for the study of medicine (it was illegal in England to dissect them at this time). Like many people of that era, in 1832 his father made the decision to seek fresh opportunities and emigrate to America. So it was that Dr John Thomas, having few ties, decided to go with his family, agreeing to go on ahead and prepare for the family. He took the opportunity to further his career and accepted an appointment as ship's surgeon...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1175768 ... Read more

Product Description
Volume 2 (March 1886-February 1887) of The Christadelphian Advocate. Editor: Thomas Williams (paperback cover) ... Read more