The God of Christianity is a loving God. Yet at the heart of the Christian message stands, paradoxically, the cross, a symbol of death and despair. And "it was the Cross on the Hill rather than the Sermon on the Mount which produced the impact of Christianity upon the world."

The Cross of Christ is what gives Christian faith and theology its identity and its relevance. Even though the message of the Cross was not popular, the early church held on to it. But the church today has found other values and ideals to serve as its focus, from health and wealth to social and political action, largely ignoring the cross.

Dr. McGrath refocuses our attention on the message of the Cross. When writing his Lather's Theology of the Cross he was captivated by the remarkable power and relevance of that theology. He decided to "try to present these ideas in a form suitable for our own times." The result is eminently successful.

"Alister E. McGrath is one of the abiest clergymen in the Church of England. First, he is orthodox in belief and teaching. Second, he is powerful and origmal in argument. Third, he is encyclopedic in learning. Fourth, he is a must prolific writer.. Finally, he is becoming a brilliant communicator to ordinary people a gift that is rarely found in masor theologiems"

Michael Green, Regent College