Introduction
Welcome to Part 2 on my “What is Mere Christianity?” series. This entry comes courtesy of leading Canadian theologian and public intellectual, John Stackhouse. Dr. Stackhouse is the Samuel J. Mikolaski Professor of Religious Studies and Dean of Faculty Development at Crandall University in Moncton, New Brunswick. Previously, he was the Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology and Culture at Regent College. Stackhouse is a prolific writer: he’s the author of ten books including Why You’re Here: Ethics for the Real World (Oxford University Press, 2017), editor of several more, and author of several hundred articles, book chapters, and reviews. Whew!
Stackhouse also rides a Kawasaki Vulcan (but we Honda-guys won’t hold that against him). And he drives a Volkswagen Golf R (in short, the perfect blend of practicality with Nürburgring-shredding performance).
And now, without further ado …
John Stackhouse on Mere Christianity
“Mere Christianity would be, of course, the doctrinal core of the gospel, but also piety and practices that are mutually implicated along with that theology. Christianity, of course, is centrally about relating properly to God through Jesus Christ in the Spirit, so ‘mere Christianity’ is the life of worship, church membership (in Paul’s strong sense of ‘member’), and mission. Specifying what belongs under those heads, and how they relate organically to each other, is what specifying ‘mere Christianity’ would be. But I’ve written too much already…!”