This title explores Christian doctrine as a dynamic teaching process or communicative practice. It incorporates a running dialogue with modern European philosophy, and contains a discussion of the cultural context of Christian teaching, with references to the visual arts and film.

"highly original, erudite, and passionate work, which, in its 180 pages, causes you often to pause for breath before setting out down some unexpected route that turns out to offer new views on how faith has developed, and is expressed. (...) By the end, you know you have had a rich feast of reflection." DR Peter Selby, Bishop or Worcester, Church Times, 28 October 2005. "Pattison is offering an important thesis here. His approach is to see doctrine as conversation, and the task of exploring doctrine as participation in a living tradition. (...) I hope that it will be widely read so that we can have a richer mix of ways of doing doctrine today that often occurs." Clive Marsh, University of Nottingham, Epworth Review, April 2006. "It holds some intriguing insights and prescriptions, and may benefit more discerning readers who want a sampling of modern trends in theology and philosophy". Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, Spring 2007