Drawing its title from the end of the Gospel according to John - ‘that we might have life in his name’ (Jn 20:31) - this book explores many and varied aspects of the new life that opened up in the event of Jesus Christ. The editors, both professors at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, have gathered contributions for renowned scholars who believe the Christian life is one of faith and reason.

What comes across in this work is how much a ‘thinking’ faith is essential for Christians and never more so than in a secularised age. But not only is it a ‘thinking faith’, it is also a life that seeks spontaneously to ‘communicate’ what it has seen and touched, heard and lived. The chapters of this book are clearly divided under headings that suggest a vivid interplay of life in the name of Christ, thought shaped by Christian faith and the missionary communication of the Gospel in today’s world.

This book has been inspired by a number of factors. In recent times, with church scandals and the complex dynamics of secularisation, a serious crisis of the meaning of the Christian faith and of belonging to the Church has emerged. All of this calls for greater reflection on what Christian faith has to offer.