Die Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie Biblioteek

"Shortened version of the book first published in German under the title: Christ sein."

The question of what Christianity wants, what Christianity is, has become acute. Today others are not simply saying something different, but often the same thing. Non-Christians too are in favour of love, justice, a meaning to life, being good, humanity. And in practice they often go further than Christians in this respect. But if others say the same thing, what is the point of being a Christian? Today Christianity is involved everywhere in a double confrontation: with the great world religions on the one hand and with the non-Christian "secular" humanisms on the other. And today the question is thrust even on the Christian who has hitherto been institutionally sheltered and ideologically immunized in the churches: compared with the world religions and modern humanisms, is Christianity something essentially different, really something special?

The distinction: The horizon -- The other dimension -- What is special to Christianity? -- The program: The social context -- God's cause -- Man's cause -- The conflict -- The new life -- Practice: The practice of the Church -- Being human and being Christian.