Have you ever wondered how key Christian doctrinal statements have come to be? For instance, exactly how was the Nicene Creed agreed upon? Or the doctrine of the Trinity, a topic never specifically covered in Scripture? For that matter, how is it that we came to believe that Christ is both fully human and fully divine?
Jesus Wars by Philip Jenkins seeks to answer those questions, but he does so primarily from a historical perspective. The book is thick with theology — how could it not be? — but Jenkins weaves the threads of personalities, authorities, and historical circumstance into an explanation of how Christian theology was formed. I love the subtitle of the book: “How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1500 Years.” That’s an overstatement, but not by much.
By the way, Jenkins is not saying that Christian doctrine is incorrect. He’s merely explaining the very human influences that shaped it. The idea of Divine intervention that reveals doctrinal truths is given little attention in this book.
Jenkins is a fun writer. In the midst of some serious theological and historical thesis, he’ll throw in a line like, “That particular plot would scarcely carry conviction in a bad romance novel, and its only excuse is that it actually happened.” His down to earth style can be plodding at times so little snippets like this keeps the reader on his or her toes.
You would think that as a lover of history, an avid reader of books about the Roman empire, and an orthodox Christian … well, you would think that I would love this book. I didn’t. It was simply too deep and thorough for me to enjoy. At times it felt like I was reading a textbook.
That’s not to say this is a bad book. Many folks I know will enjoy it immensely because they have a better grasp of the theological arguments (and frankly, they care more). It’s a solid contribution to the conversation, and I recommend it if you want to dig into the issues. But for me … it’s a bit too much to digest.