On Being a Christian

An international bestseller by one of this century's most prominent theologians, On Being a Christian is a work of exhaustive scholarship, born of the author's passionate belief in Jesus Christ as the center of existence. Hans Kung here assesses the impact of other world religions, humanism, science, technology, and political revolutions; and sifting through the theological controversies within the Christian community itself, he affirms the vitality and uniqueness of Christianity by tracing it back to its roots -- the reality of the historical Christ.

But more than history or theology, On Being a Christian reexamines what it means to be a Christian today: the role of Christian ethics in a social and political context, the relationship between Christians and Jews, the organization of a community of believers, and practical suggestions for dealing with personal crises of faith. This Image Books edition will reach even larger segments of the population for whom the book was written. Kung defines his audience as those: who do not believe, but nevertheless seriously inquire; who did believe, but are not satisfied with their unbelief; who do believe, but feel insecure in their faith; who are at a loss, between belief and unbelief; who are skeptical, both about their convictions and about their doubts; who are Christians and atheists, Gnostics and agnostics, pietists and positivists, lukewarm and zealous Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox.

A landmark work, for both scholars and educated laity, On Being a Christian has become a small "Summa" of the Christian faith. "This is not another gospel," Kung contends, "but the same ancient gospel rediscovered for today!"