Why I Am Protestant - (Ecumenical Dialogue) by Beth Felker Jones (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Exploring the Strengths and Challenges of the Protestant Tradition

What does it mean to be Protestant? How can its strengths shape faith in the modern world, and how should its challenges be addressed? With clarity, warmth, and theological depth, Beth Felker Jones explores these questions in Why I Am Protestant. This book offers a positive, theologically grounded reflection on both the beauty and complexity of the Protestant tradition, inviting readers into a deeper understanding of the Protestant faith and its place within the broader Christian community.

In Why I Am Protestant, Jones:

• Demonstrates that Protestant ecclesiology is needed by the church
• Addresses critiques of Protestantism head-on
• Provides theologically grounded reflections on finding joy and spiritual nourishment in her tradition
• Highlights why Protestant theology is well-suited to addressing modern faith challenges
• Celebrates the Protestant tradition in both its beauty and its imperfections

Why I Am Protestant is a must-read for pastors, theology scholars, and anyone seeking to better understand what it means to be part of the Protestant tradition and to engage with those of other Christian traditions.

About the Series

The Ecumenical Dialogue Series seeks to foster ecumenical dialogue across theological differences. In each volume, contributors explore what it means to be Christian, what it means to identify with a specific tradition in Christianity (Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox), the challenges and benefits of their tradition, and how they can create dialogue and unity across historically tense divisions.

Review Quotes

"Beth Felker Jones is one of the most valued and trusted theologians of our day. In Why I Am Protestant, she pulls back the curtain to reveal the way in which her convictions as a follower of Christ and expert in theology meet her commitment to the Protestant tradition. What follows is written with her characteristic clarity, insight, and skill as she explores the particular faithfulness of the Protestant tradition as well as its bond to the global Christian faith. Highly recommend!"

--Jennifer Powell McNutt, Franklin S. Dyrness Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at the Litfin Divinity School at Wheaton College and author of The Mary We Forgot

"Why I Am Protestant provides a succinct but thorough account of Protestant Christianity, elevating Protestant gifts while valuing Christian unity. Beth Felker Jones writes with characteristic sincerity, charity, and creativity. This is a gift for students, pastors, and all Christians seeking to better understand their own theological inheritance."

--Kaitlyn Schiess, senior editor at Holy Post Media and author of The Ballot and the Bible

"Beth Felker Jones is one of the most important theologians writing today. Whatever your Christian tradition happens to be, her clear, wise, lyrical voice in Why I Am Protestant will feed your soul. Take and read."

--Timothy Larsen, Carolyn and Fred McManis Professor of Christian Thought and professor of history at Wheaton College

"In recent years, we have seen significant numbers of erstwhile Protestants swimming the Tiber to become Roman Catholics. This trend has sparked all kinds of soul-searching among the heirs of the Reformation. What are we to make of this? Is our faith sturdy enough to withstand honest questioning? Are the bold claims of Rome true after all? In her new book, which is part autobiography and part historical theology, Beth Felker Jones provides a welcome apologia for Protestant belief."

--Chris Castaldo, lead pastor of New Covenant Church of Naperville and author of Talking with Catholics about the Gospel: A Guide for Evangelicals

"My work has propelled me to engage with Catholic and Orthodox theology and so, also, to provide an answer for why I remain Protestant. Beth Felker Jones provides the reasoning and the words to give voice to my inarticulate senses. A perfect blend of her scholarly expertise and flair for warm and playfully stimulating prose, Why I Am Protestant, is for all Christians to appreciate the faith communities that have raised us and with whom we continue to journey. It is especially beneficial for Protestants, a gracious and honest, yet also bold, defense of our contributions to the unity of the body of Christ."

--Amy Peeler, Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College and author of Women and the Gender of God and Hebrews: Commentary for Christian Formation

"This kind of book could easily be polemical--'I'm right, you're wrong, let's fight.' Thankfully, Beth Felker Jones takes the higher way of offering a thoughtful, personal, and gracious invitation to Protestantism. Summarizing Protestant thought and spirituality is extremely difficult, and Jones presents a winsome and compelling summary. Here is a key takeaway from the book: Jones identifies how Protestantism helps me to see Christ more clearly, love Christ more dearly, and follow Christ more nearly, day by day. I learned a lot--about myself!--from this book."

--Nijay K. Gupta, professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary

About the Author

Beth Felker Jones (PhD, Duke University) teaches theology at Northern Seminary and loves to write for the church and the academy. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband Brian, four kids, two dogs, and Dwight, her theology cat.