Christianity's Family Tree Leader's Guide: What Other Christians Believe and Why

In my spiritual pilgrimage, I've journeyed with believers in many different denominations. I've enjoyed my Orthodox and Catholic friends' emphasis on history, God's transcendence, mystery, and the role of saints and martyrs. I've enjoyed my Lutheran friends' emphasis on grace, Scripture-only, and priesthood-of-all-believers. I've enjoyed my Presbyterian friends' emphasis on God before human experience, sin, systematic theology, and reason. I've enjoyed my Episcopalian friends' emphasis on prayer, tradition, and (in some cases) fellowship-before-doctrine. I've enjoyed my Baptist friends' emphasis on evangelism and assurance of salvation, the Bible, and personal holiness. I've enjoyed my Pentecostal/charismatic friends' emphasis on the Holy Spirit, miracles and spiritual gifts, and the Second Coming. I grew up United Methodist which at times felt like a "grab-bag" or "crazy-quilt," even "lowest-common-denominator." I really appreciated the author's description of the United Methodist Church as "people of the extreme center." That takes effort and is not a "default" position. With more and more tension between liberal vs. conservative, evangelism vs. social outreach, individual vs. corporate faith/identity/purpose, etc., I came away with a renewed respect for the believers who've chosen to stay with the mainline churches, most of which have been experiencing decline. This book could also be a "user-friendly" resource for individuals who are seeking a (new) church family, as well as for the many who (like me) have felt disconnected or disillusioned, but aren't quite ready to throw out the baby with the dirty bath water.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to better understand Christian beliefs and why they vary. I am impressed that the book is written in a positive manner. The author, Adam Hamilton, stresses the effective beliefs and customs of eight Christian denominations that will strenghten us and allow us to know and grow closer to God.

I just led a church study group based on this book and its related video series. Adam Hamilton presents the major denominational families respectfully and with insight. He gets at the theological core of each tradition and relates it to his own United Methodism (also the tradition of our group). Each description is enriched by an interview with a representative of that tradition. This is a great study for those who would like to get beyond "all churches are basically the same," as well as the common, often negative stereotypes people hold. While it is especially useful in a United Methodist context, I believe it would work well in other churches of the Wesleyan tradition and beyond. Those who enjoy this book would also appreciate Hamilton's study of Christianity and World Religions, which follows a similar format.

Written in an accessible sytle, Hamilton provides a general history and overview of eight mainline Christian denominations: Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican/Episcopalian, Baptist, Pentecostal and United Methodist. With each he provides a short (3-4 page) discussion into the beliefs and practices of that denomination and a model diagram of how that denomination might see itself in Christianity's history. Each chapter has footnotes and there is a bibiography at the end for more indepth reading into each denomination. He does not consider one denomination superior to another--rather that each is "nourished by the same sap, connected to the same trunk, anchored by the same roots." Recommended as a beginning overview of the plethora of Christian denominations.