Families of Faith

Martinson provides some very interesting and insightful overviews of Buddhism and Hinduism (the Indic family, which focuses on self), Confucianism and Daoism (the Sinic family, which focuses on world), and Islam and Judaism (the Semitic family, which focuses on God). His emphasis is on the very distinctive goals and approaches of each of these groups. In the Christian approach to these religions both evangelism and dialogue are appropriate. No revelation of God is a substitute for God's saving act in Christ, but saving faith is possible as a response to lesser revelations of God This book is interesting both for its insights into the other religions and for its exposition of a form of the "anonymous Christians" approach.