'It takes not only a searching mind but also a good sense of wit to write intelligibly about sin from a Christian perspective. In this excellent primer on sin, Derek R. Nelson accomplishes both goals. His typologies of old and modern classics are revealing, but Nelson also knows that that talk about sin is only good news if God comes into picture. Rich in examples, his analysis of the many sin-nonyms of sin is particularly penetrating.' - Niels Henrik Gregersen, Professor of Systematic Theology at Copenhagen University, Denmark.

Niels Henrik Gregersen

'It is an odd fact that the language of sin is widely used in contemporary cultures and yet also widely misunderstood. Derek Nelson's book, Sin: A Guide for the Perplexed, helpfully address this situation by deftly showing the indispensible contribution Christian theology makes to clarifying sin as a moral vocabulary and also perplexity about sin. Learned and yet artfully written, this book is an aid to anyone interested in the evil that stalks human life and the Christian response to it. This book deserves careful reading.' - William Schweiker, Edward L. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor of Theological Ethics The University of Chicago, USA.

William Schweiker

[The book] provides a fine survey interpreting the meaning of sin and its meaning in modern theology... College-level collections will find this an excellent starting point for discussions of sin and its interpretation and spiritual applications.

California Bookwatch

...Nelson offers a powerful contemporary exposition of the nature and results of sin in spite of the topic's unpopularity in wider culture.

Mark Mattes, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, Lutheran Quarterly