Everyday Christians need practical and accessible theology. In this handbook first published in 1890, Charles Octavius Boothe simply and beautifully lays out the basics of theology for common people. "Before the charge 'know thyself,'" Boothe wrote, "ought to come the far greater charge, 'know thy God.'" He brought the heights of academic theology down to everyday language, and he helps us do the same today. Plain Theology for Plain People shows that evangelicalism needs the wisdom and experience of African American Christians. Walter R. Strickland II reintroduces this forgotten masterpiece for today. Lexham Classics are beautifully typeset new editions of classic works. Each book has been carefully transcribed from the original texts, ensuring an accurate representation of the writing as the author intended it to be read.

2020 Facsimile of the 1890 First Edition. "Charles Octavius Boothe was born a slave in Alabama in 1845. He learned the alphabet as a preschooler from letters stamped on a tin plate. Working as a clerk in a lawyer's office while still in his teens, he read widely and deeply. He went on to become pastor of First Colored Baptist Church in Meridian, Miss., and founding pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. Many of his church members were sharecroppers or common laborers with little formal education. Boothe believed all Christians needed a solid theological foundation on which to build their understanding of God and his plan for their lives. 'The doctrines of our holy religion need to be studied in order, according to some definite system; but simplicity should prevail--simplicity of arrangement and simplicity of language, ' he said. So, he wrote a theological handbook for common Christians, Plain Theology for Plain People, first published in 1890....Boothe follows the admonition of one hymn writer who urged, 'Make the message clear and plain.' The author's theological overview is straightforward but not simplistic, concise but not condescending. He cites Scripture to support every assertion he makes. Sad to say, the "plain" language of the late 19th century may seem lofty and elevated to 21st century readers accustomed to tweets and sound bites. Even so, whether readers want to gain a perspective on theology as seen from the viewpoint of disadvantaged and marginalized people, or whether they simply seek a solidly biblical and Christ-centered introduction to systematic theology, Plain Theology for Plain People is a treasure." Baptist Standard, March 9th, 2018. Eventually retiring from his work in the 1900s, Boothe died in 1924 in Detroit, Michigan.

In Plain Theology for Plain People, first published in 1890, Charles Octavius Boothe simply and beautifully lays out the basics of theology for common people. Walter R. Strickland II reintroduces this forgotten masterpiece for today.

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection by John Wesley is about the theory of perfection according to Christian theology. Excerpt: "1. WHAT I purpose in the following pages is, to give a plain and distinct account of the steps by which I was led, during the course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian Perfection. This I owe to the serious part of mankind; those who desire to know all the truth as it is in Jesus. And these only are concerned with questions of this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as it is, endeavoring all along to show, from one period to another, both what I thought, and why I thought so."

—What is black theology? —What can black theology teach the evangelical church? —What is the future of black theology? These are the questions Bruce Fields addresses in Introducing Black Theology. Defining black theology as a theology of liberation offers insights into the history, future, and nature of black theology. Black theology developed in response to widespread racism and bigotry in the Christian church and seeks to understand the social and historical experiences of African Americans in light of their Christian confession. Fields discusses sources, hermeneutics, and implications of black theology and reflects upon the function and responsibilities of black theologians. This concise, accessible introduction to black theology draws upon history, hermeneutics, culture, and scripture and will create a dialogue of respect and reconciliation between blacks and whites within the evangelical church.