Book Critique on Alister McGrath's “Christianity's Dangerous Idea”

Introduction1

Brief summary1

Critical interaction with the author's work3

Conclusion6

Bibliography8

Book Critique on Alister McGrath's “Christianity's Dangerous Idea”

Introduction

In this paper, the writer aims to provide a critique on the book named “Christianity's Dangerous Idea” written by Alister McGrath. The paper is to critically evaluate the notion discussed by the author in order to elucidate that this book is an exceptional piece written in a comprehensive way however, there are certain concepts which are not considered in depth as they need to be accounted. This book presents the complete and interpretative history of Protestantism from sixteenth to twenty first century, which is described to be a dangerous idea in Christianity by the author since it is based on the conviction that all Christians have the right to interpret Bible for themselves. The author Alister McGrath was initially an atheist and later on he turned out to be a theologian. He holds numerous degrees in various disciplines and is actively involved in teaching and researching on a range of Christian values.

Brief summary

The central point that the author strives to provide in this book is to maintain that Protestantism is a dangerous notion in Christianity. The main idea of this book is to provide an interpretative history of “Protestantism” which looks for elucidating its distinctiveness and portraying the underlying dynamics of the described dangerous idea that is “Protestantism”. The author McGrath has divided this comprehensive and all encompassing book into three main sections. These sections are named as “origination”, “manifestation” and “transformation”. These three parts in a go smoothly explain the history of the dangerous idea in Christianity from the time of sixteenth century to that of recent twenty first century.

The opening major section of the book that is “origination” cascades light on how the idea of Protestantism was instigated. This part of the book lays down how the idea that the author has indicated as the Christianity's dangerous idea was activated by Luther and other prominent people that all and any Christian can interpret what is said in bible for themselves and that every Christian have the authority to do so. This opening section of the book is mainly based on the origin, history, diversity and dynamics of the Protestantism. It provides a summary of the French, Swiss, German, and English reformers, with particular thought to Luther and Calvin, and carries on all the way through the nineteenth century.

In the subsequent section of the book that is “manifestation”, the main idea is to discuss about the main beliefs of the believers of Protestantism. The author strives to take into consideration various essential enquiries related to the distinctiveness of the idea of Protestantism. The particular attention is on the relationship of the believers of Protestantism to the bible. The author stresses in this section on the need that the Protestants feel to continuously turn to bible in order to reassess their existing beliefs and prevailing practices. In the same section, author also provides an association of Protestantism to the ...