Theology
Union with Christ and the Life of Faith Fred Sanders SOTERIOLOGY AND DOXOLOGY Kent Eilers and Kyle C. Strobel, series editors This volume addresses the key soteriological theme of union with Christ. Union with Christ and the Life of Faith provides substantive engagement with the doctrine of participatory union, including sections on the creeds, Scripture, the history of the doctrine, constructive dogmatics, and Christian praxis. Its biblical point of access is Paul’s theology of life “in Christ,” understood as an invita- tion to a theological reading of the four Gospels. Special attention is given to the trinitarian structure of union with Christ. This book shows students how to integrate theology into the life of faith and demonstrates how the practices of Christian worship influence theological thinking. A devotional interlude directing readers to a classic hymn, poem, or liturgy follows each chapter. FROM THE BOOK The invitation to consider union with Christ is an invitation to con- template Christ as our salvation. Carried out with proper attention to its due proportions, this kind of soteriology is mostly Christology. This kind of soteriology, properly centered on the sōtēr (savior), is the kind most fully open to doxology, because it is already focused not only on salvation but on the one who is to be praised for salvation. Nobody can do full justice to the doctrine of union with Christ, but the most insightful treatments of the theme throughout Christian history have in common a certain centripetal energy, a center- seeking tendency that strives to recognize union with Christ as the heart of soteriology. In this brief book, we will sketch out the main implications of that centrality. Our goal is to indicate how the reality of union with Christ shapes the entire doctrine of salvation. ABOUT THE SERIES The Soteriology and Doxology series consists of introductory text- books that cover key topics in soteriology, providing substantive treatments of doctrine while pointing to the setting of theology in doxology.
AUGUST 2025 • 160 pp. • paper • $22.99 • 9781540961723
Fred Sanders (PhD, Graduate Theological Union) is professor of theology in the Torrey Honors College at Biola University, where he has taught since 1999. He is the author of numerous books, including The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Every- thing, The Triune God, The Holy Spirit: An Introduction, and Fountain of Salvation: Trinity and Soteriology.
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