A Search for Authentic Christianity

"A Search for Authentic Christianity" asks the question, "Have we come dangerously near to missing authentic Christianity?" Authentic God-centered Christianity is compared to Man-centered Christianity. "Search" makes clear that the foundation for all reality is the Moral Character of God. Tracy and Manning delineate the underlying and motivational aspects of God's character as found in Exodus 34:6-7. The Character of Christ, as a reflection of God's character, is described as revealed in the New Testament. In light of the Character of Jesus, the book discusses the call that Jesus gives to all who would follow Him. The call is to choose Jesus for His sheer beauty and worth rather than any hope of reward or fear of punishment. His call is to a partnership rather than an agreement with some man-made doctrinal list. Just as relationships between persons must grow or deteriorate, our relationship with Christ is to be vibrant and transformational. Grace and Faith are defined in light of this understanding. "Search" defines what the goal of Christ is: the production of Christians who are like Him in their characters. The book answers the question of "How?" by discussing growing conditions for the disciple's journey toward Christlikeness. The Beatitudes are discussed as the foundational attitudes and values of the Christlike person. Strategies are presented to foster a truly serving Christlike community.