Endorsements for John Stott’s The Cross of Christ
Endorsements for John Stott’s The Cross of Christ
‘For the most lucid defence of substitutionary atonement look no further than this excellent exposition of one classical, evangelical understanding of the cross.’
Christina Baxter
‘The passion of Paul’s statement, “I am determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified”, resonates on every page of this classic book on the centrality of the cross. What’s more, Dr Stott has validated every word with a life spent in servant leadership.’
Michael Card
‘Rarely does a volume of theology combine six cardinal virtues, but John Stott’s The Cross of Christ does so magnificently. It says what must be said about the cross; it gently but firmly warns against what must not be said; it grounds its judgments in biblical texts, again and again; it hierarchizes its arguments so that the main thing is always the main thing; it is written with admirable clarity; and it is so cast as to elicit genuine worship and thankfulness from any thoughtful reader. There are not many ‘must read’ books – books that belong on every minister’s shelf, and on the shelves of thoughtful laypersons who want a better grasp of what is central in Scripture – but this is one of them.’
D. A. Carson
‘In our world of war and terror, there is nothing more important to contemplate than the cross of Christ. May John Stott’s reflections give us the courage to fight, with all the love within us, the war of the slaughtered Lamb. The cross teaches us there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for, that we can conquer evil without mirroring it. So grab this book and get ready to live real good and get beat up real bad. It is the story of our faith.’
Shane Claiborne
‘The cross of Christ changes lives! John’s Stott’s book explains how and why that happens. Any thinking believer in the twenty-first century will find his clear, incisive discussion just as relevant and helpful as others of us found it twenty years ago. Readers are left in no doubt as to why evangelicals see Christ’s work on the cross as absolutely central to our faith.’
Mary Evans
‘I have no hesitation in saying that this is the most enriching theological book I have ever read. I read it slowly and devotionally over a period of several months. I found that it edified and challenged me, thrilled me with the glory of the cross and equipped me to answer some of the questions non-Christians and sceptics ask about the cross. I am happy that a new thrust is being made to introduce this great book to a new generation of Christians.’
Ajith Fernando
‘Of the multitude of Christian books published in recent times only relatively few will endure as classics. Such a one is John Stott’s The Cross of Christ. The biblical understanding of the meaning of the cross is constantly under attack, and especially the notion of the substitutionary atonement. John Stott, with erudition and clarity, provides a defence and comprehensive exposition of the orthodox Christian understanding of Christ’s death.’
Graeme Goldsworthy
‘John Stott’s marvellous treatment of the biblical, theological and practical meaning of the cross is more needed today than ever, especially in light of its uncompromising defence of the heart of Christ’s death for us as a “propitiation”, a sacrifice that bore God’s wrath in our place and turned his wrath to favour for undeserving sinners.’
Wayne Grudem
‘For any book to be considered a “classic”, it must at the same time stand in continuity with the greatest thinking of the past whilst re-stating, in a fresh, original and contemporary way, time-tested truths for our own era. John Stott’s The Cross of Christ is, in every sense, a classic. Replete with scriptural depth, clarity of expression and profound theological insight, it constitutes an intellectual and devotional experience of the highest order.’
Greg Haslam
‘As relevant today as when it first appeared, The Cross of Christ is more than a classic. It restates in our own time the heart of the Christian message. Like John the Baptist, John Stott points us away from the distractions that occupy so much of our energies, announcing, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”’
Michael Horton
‘This is a great book on a great subject. John Stott brings together the capacity to inspire a devotion of mind and heart to the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that this book will be a continual reminder of the centrality of the cross for human life and hope.’
Peter Jensen
‘The symbol of Christianity is the cross of Jesus Christ – if you are unclear, uncertain or undecided about the reality and relevance of Jesus Christ today, then I urge you to read The Cross of Christ. John Stott carefully and clearly explains the heart of Christianity in this timeless classic, which is deservedly republished for a new generation of readers. If it is true that Good Friday is the drama of love by which our lives are sustained, then this theological gem is worth reading.’
J. John
‘For those who want an evenhanded and robust defence of the penal substitutionary theory of the atonement, John Stott’s The Cross of Christ is the benchmark. With a deft hand, John Stott has given us a classic articulation of this influential, evangelical doctrine that is both vigorous and readable. Books like this stand the test of time.’
Tony Jones
‘Outside of the Bible itself, this may be the best book I’ve ever read on the cross of Christ. It is thorough, thoughtful and timely. As I read it, my mind was challenged, my heart was warmed, my faith was strengthened, and my focus was sharpened on the cross. Praise God for just giving us Jesus with nail prints in his hands and feet!’
Anne Graham Lotz
‘John Stott rises grandly to the challenge of the greatest of all themes. All the qualities that we expect of him – biblical precision, thoughtfulness and thoroughness, order and method, moral alertness and the measured tread, balanced judgment and practical passion – are here in fullest evidence. This, more than any book he has written, is his masterpiece.’
J. I. Packer
‘John Stott is loved and revered in our home. We have all his writings, I believe, and in the honoured centre place in our bookshelf sits The Cross of Christ. My wife and I consider it one of the outstanding books of all times. We refer to it often. We have given copies away and recommended it widely. We take it out as we discuss the work of the Saviour and in preparation for preaching and teaching.’
Luis Palau
‘There is no more important theme than the cross of Christ, and there is no better book on the subject than John Stott’s timeless classic. I well remember the excitement of reading it when it was first published. It expanded my mind and warmed my heart like nothing I had read before or have read since, apart from the Bible.’
Vaughan Roberts
‘After twenty years The Cross of Christ is still the benchmark. In its scope and in the depth of its engagement with the history of theology, John Stott’s tour de force of classical evangelical theology remains the book to read if you want to understand the cross. Particularly refreshing is the fourth part, “Living under the cross”; for the gospel that centres on the cross is not only that by which we come to salvation, but is also that by which we live the saved life from first to last. Untold personal and societal benefit arises from living according to the gospel line and John Stott lays such benefits out with insight, creativity and wisdom.’
Dominic Smart
‘I read everything John Stott writes because I know it will be biblical, well reasoned and contextually applicable. The Cross of Christ is an intelligent, imaginative and timely exploration of the centrality of the cross, by a personal mentor I’ve come to appreciate for his scholar’s mind and pastor’s heart; he knows God deeply, understands the times clearly, and engagingly explains trust in a relativistic age.’
Dick Staub
‘Biblical, clear and cogent are the words that came to mind on first reading this book. The passing of time has also made it indisputable that this book is a classic which is profound in a way that few evangelical books have been in recent years. It is compelling in its simplicity and comprehensive in its grasp of the way in which God conquers our sin, our rebellion, our ghastly evil through the person of Christ. Here is truth which is true, not just because it works for me, but because it is grounded in the very being and character of God, revealed and authenticated by him, worked out in the very fabric of our history, and therefore it is truth for all time.’
David F. Wells