Christian Theology in a Sudanese Context.
A primer in Christian Theology:
with examples throughout drawn from
Sudanese life and culture.
Copy deposited with British Library
978 0 9559549 0 0
published by:
Weefour Publications
4 Adelaide Road, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 2HQ
Email: saltinstudy@colinsalter.net
printed in England and Sudan
copyright Colin Salter 2004.
(this 3rd edition – July 2009)
also available in Arabic.
Acknowledgements.
My family, special friends and colleagues, have all helped in
producing this book. Without their specific contributions it would be a much weaker work. I say a sincere ‘thankyou’ for their perspectives, expertise, and their encouragement.
Of course, the final responsibility for the views presented here is
mine, and not theirs. Their graciousness is a lesson to me.
In Sudan:
• Dick Brogden – lecturer at Sudan Theological College
• Gerald Donker – lecturer at Nile Theological College
• Mufid Farid – principal of Faith Theological School
• Peter Ford – lecturer at Mekane Yesus Theological Seminary,
Ethiopia
• Nagi Konagi – SPEC pastor at large, who introduced me to
Sudan in 1979
• Khartoum International Church members and friends
1999 - 2003
• Madut Tong Ngor – lecturer at Gereif Bible School
• Reinhold Straehler – lecturer at Gideon Theological School
• George Taban – former director of the Fellowship of Christian
University Students
In England:
• John Gillespie – pastor of Grace Community Church, Morval,
Cornwall
• Sharon Lindo – my daughter, who proofread and made
corrections on the computer
• Ray Main – retired elder of Blenheim Free Church, Maidenhead,
Berkshire
• Colin Richards – pastor of Scorrier Chapel, Cornwall
• Brenda Salter – my wife, who brought me through many times of
despair
• John Salter – my son, who gave me my English dictionary!
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed”.
(Proverbs 15:22).
© Colin Salter, Redruth, Cornwall, England. June 2004.
Contents:
Section 1. Theology is to be considered and experienced
1. Introduction
2. Is the God of Islam the same as the God of Christianity?
3. Hungry to get to know God better
4. What comes into your mind when you think about God?
5. A helpful exercise
6. Why study theology?
Section 2. The essential nature and character of God
7. God perfectly exists in a different life form from us
8. God is One complete God
9. One God in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
10. God is apart from and above time
11. God is everywhere present at the same time
12. God is a living being Who can think, feel and decide
13. God is able to do anything His character allows Him to do
14. God knows everything
15. God is purely God
16. God’s heartfelt and active care for our well-being
17. God’s fair treatment of everyone while being true to His
character
18. God does not give us what we deserve
19. God can always be trusted
20. God always agrees with the mind of God
Section 3. God’s word written down and published
21. God’s purpose for the Bible
22. The truth of the Bible
23. God breathed the Bible
24. How our Bible is like it is
25. How the Bible came to Sudan
26. Translating the Bible
27. Interpreting and applying the Bible
Section 4. The beginning of the story of God and humankind
28. Starting where the Bible starts
29. God’s creation of man
30. Mankind’s sin against God
Section 5. God’s chosen Saviour – Jesus!
31. Jesus, the Man Who is God
32. Jesus, the God Who is man
33. Jesus, past, present and future
34. A ‘just peace’ with God
35. The unique Jesus
36. “Another One like Me”, Jesus said
Section 6. God the Holy Spirit and our Christian experience
37. A living Person: God the Holy Spirit
38. An Old Testament pattern of the Holy Spirit
39. A New Testament presence of the Holy Spirit
40. Recent controversies concerning the Holy Spirit
41. Testing and discerning for truth
42. Spiritual warfare
Section 7. How God saves His people from their sins
43. Explaining a mystery – how God saves His people from
their sins
44. Extracts from ‘Statements of belief’ from different churches
of Sudan
45. Definition of key ‘salvation’ words
46. Explaining how salvation is experienced
47. Taking care in our evangelism
Section 8. God lives in the church
48. The Old and New Testament church
49. Christian worship
50. Christian ministry
51. Church ordinances
52. Leadership and membership of the local church
Section 9. Conclusion: our need to put theology into practice
53. What God wants His people to be and to do
Section 10. Appendices
One-line Dictionary of English words and their usage for this book
Asking and Answering Questions – a suggested Catechism