On being a Christian [antikvár]

Translator's Foreword At the request of the author, footnotes (apart from an occasional explanatory note by the translator) have been relegated to the end of this book. The same applies to Scripture references. In this way it is possible to read on without being distracted by an array of footnotes which otherwise might well have occupied in some instances more than half a page. But the reader who wishes to pause in order to examine more closely the author's argument or his sources can easily turn to the notes at the end. Scripture quotations—also at the author's request—are not taken directly from any published version of the Bible, but are translated from the author's own fairly free German renderings in the light of the original texts and contexts and the more important and up-to-date commentaries. Edwabd QtnNN Those for whom this book is written This book is written for all those who, for any reason at all, honestly and sincerely want to know what Christianity, what being a Christian, really means. It is written also for those who do not believe, but nevertheless seriously inquire; who did believe, but are not satisfied wdth 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. It is written then for Christians and atheists, Gnostics and agnostics, pietists and positivists, lukewarm and zealous Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox. Even outside the Churches, are there not many people who are not content to spend a whole lifetime approaching the fundamental questions of human existence with mere feelings, personal prejudices and apparently plausible explanations? And are there not today also in all Churches many people who do not want to remain at the childhood stage in their faith, who expect more than a new exposition of the words of the Bible or a new denominational catechism, who can no longer find any final anchorage in infallible formulas of Scripture (Protestants), of Tradition (Orthodox), of the Magisterium (Catholics)? These are all people who will not accept Christianity at a reduced price, who will not adopt outward conformism and a pretense of adaptation in place of ecclesiastical traditionalism, but who are seeking a way to the uncurtailed truth of Christianity and Christian existence, unimpressed by ecclesiastical doctrinal constraints on the right or ideological whims on the left This is not to say that what is offered here is merely a new adaptation of a traditional profession of faith or even a miniature dogmatic theology with