Ari-Pekka Palola | The Voice of Zion January 2023 --
In 2018, the SRK, our sister organization in Finland, published Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever: Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine. The articles from this book were translated into English and published by LLC in The Voice of Zion in 2019 and 2020 and in book form in 2022.
In 2020, the SRK published a companion volume to Christ is the Same called Miten minä uskon, How I Believe. The latter volume contains writings on the same topics as the former, with the intent of presenting the topics in a brief and understandable way, accessible to readers of all ages. Beginning with this issue of The Voice of Zion and extending into 2024, we will publish a writing from How I Believe each month. Our prayer is that these articles on topics of faith and doctrine will edify God’s children and help each one’s endeavor all the way to heaven’s home.
How I Believe
Brief Writings on the Basics of Faith and Doctrine
Editor: Ari-Pekka Palola
Published by SRK, 2020
To the Reader
It is good for every Christian to know the basics of faith, even if knowledge is not a prerequisite for faith. The need for information has become more and more evident in recent years. Both young and grown-up Christians have pondered how we actually believe and teach.
This book aims to answer questions. The book’s purpose is to clearly and understandably describe how we believe and teach, and to share briefly what our understandings are based on. At the same time, the book aims to open to readers the meaning of key concepts related to questions of faith.
This book is based on articles published in 2018 in the book Christ Is the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever. In this book, the main contents of those articles are gathered into a short and easy-to-understand format. The book works best when read as a whole, in which case the texts complement one another. To make reading easier, the number of references has been reduced to a minimum. The most important Scripture references are marked in the margins, and at the end of the book there is a bibliography of the most important sources.
This book is intended to find its way into the hands of every Christian to provide information on the basics of faith and to raise interest in them. This book can certainly also be used in mission work and youth work in our Christianity. For readers who are not Conservative Laestadians, the book offers a basic overview of our understanding of faith and doctrine.
Authors and Their Subject Areas
Helén, Aimo
Faith, Morals and Ethics
Lecturer, Kärkölä
Juntunen, Viljo
Original Sin and Its Fruits
ThD, Dean, Oulu
Kallunki, Hannu
The Law and the Gospel
Director of Joint Municipality Authority, Raahe
Kivioja, Pauli
Work of the Holy Spirit
Acting Vicar, Simo
Kiviranta, Jorma
Jesus Christ
Dean, Oulu
Kopperoinen, Juho
Final Events
Vicar, Länsi-Turunmaa
Kupsala, Jari
Creation and Humankind
Lecturer, Oulu
Niemelä, Pauli
The Bible – Highest Authority of Faith and Life
ThD, Vicar, Oulu
Nissilä, Keijo
Theology and Faith
ThD, Oulu
Ottman, Hanna
By Faith Alone
ThD, Director of Communications, Helsinki
Pelkonen, Ari
God’s Grace in Christ
Chaplain, Hollola
Rentola, Pentti
Faith and Culture
Principal, Alajärvi
Sallinen, Martti
God
Dean, Iisalmi
Soronen, Mauno
God’s Revelation
Vicar, Haapavesi
Särkiniemi, Seppo
Fundamentalism
Chaplain, Espoo
Taskila, Matti
The Christian Congregation and the Kingdom of God
Principal, Kannus
Tervo, Pekka
Life in Faith
Classroom Teacher, Espoo
Österberg, Raimo
Repentance and Justification
Lecturer, Nivala
During the editing work, sections of text and ideas have been transferred from one article to another, because the discussion of each topic has been combined into one chapter of the book. All the text under one main heading is not necessarily produced by the same author. That is why the writings are not published under the authors’ names.
In working on these texts, the editor has been supported by a committee consisting of Valde Palola (chair), Johannes Leppänen, Olli Lohi and Markku Seppänen.