One Faith

Book excerpt: Jesus Christ promised a unity for his church. Are there now clear evidences of that within evangelicalism? Or are evangelicals fragmenting into ever smaller divisions?Renowned theologians J. I. Packer and Thomas C. Oden make the case that there is a significant theological consensus holding the evangelical church together. With copious citations from statements produced since 1950 that are widely representative of international evangelical faith, Packer and Oden let these witnesses speak for themselves.Packer and Oden survey several key documents of evangelicalism, particularly the Lausanne Covenant (1974), the Manila Manifesto (1989), The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration (1999) and The Amsterdam Declaration (2000). Charting sixteen different theological themes, they also include references to numerous documents produced by evangelical theological seminaries and societies, mission agencies, parachurch organizations and assorted special convocations. More than informational, One Faith arises out of the hope that it may not only edify the evangelical church but also provide a potential foundation for a new ecumenism that gives glory to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the good news of his gospel.