This remarkable book has many strengths and just one or two weaknesses. It is a well written and sympathetic account of five of the world's great religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, by someone who consciously identifies himself as a Christian. John Dickson succeeds in his intention not to let his Christian faith stop him from dealing with each religion on its own terms and presenting us with an attractive and sympathetic portrayal of what it is clear he does not agree with. This is quite an achievement.

Dickson's generous purpose is set out in his introduction. He writes, "I want to help the average person in the street to explore the big questions in a non-threatening way'. There is no religious "sell' here. It is not even a minor purpose of this book to criticise the different world faiths.

He is so convinced of the unique truth of Christianity that it can stand with other alternatives, just as an unequalled great painting in an art gallery doesn't need the lights to be dimmed on the other pieces to be appreciated for what it is.

As well as encouraging tolerance and understanding, Dickson also hopes to expose what he calls "a couple of the "chardonnay myths' about religion that have become popular in secular society'.

Does he succeed? I think so. The chapters on Hinduism and Buddhism particularly are clear, helpful and, if I may use the word, enlightening. As is the treatment of Islam. One of the special features of Dickson's style is to try to avoid approaching each religion with a pre-prepared grid of questions but to let them speak in their own terms to the issues that they address. It is refreshing.

One of the highlights of the book is his devastating critique of the "chardonnay' myth " the pluralistic view that all religions are basically the same.

A Spectator's Guide to World Religions is valuable simply for the way in which fashionable pluralism is comprehensibly refuted. Dickson's writing is a model of exemplary tolerance and respect without in any way even suggesting that "all religions are really saying the same thing.' Dickson shows that in fact they can't be. 

Does it have a weakness? Surprisingly I found the chapters on Judaism and Christianity the least satisfactory. I'm not quite sure why this is, but I think John Dickson does not adequately introduce the reader into the concept of monotheism and the Christian/Jewish understanding of God as the creator of heaven and earth and its importance to understanding life and religion.

In fact, having tried hard to understand the more exotic religions from a Western point of view sympathetically, the treatment of Judaism and also Christianity is just a little too historical and not sufficiently theological, if I may say so. Perhaps he was bending over backwards (too far perhaps) not to "favour' the Judeo-Christian viewpoint and so understated how revolutionary Biblical monotheism is.

These flaws, however, are overcome by the very interesting chapter towards the end entitled provocatively "What is wrong with Jesus?' where he allows each of the non-Christian religions to critique the Christian understanding of Jesus, thus putting the questions of who is Jesus in a very effective way at the centre.

I recommend this book. It is a bold and challenging model for a quite new way of talking about religious truth from a Christian point of view. I hope it sells well in the secular bookshops and indicates a new level of acceptance of Dickson's already wide-ranging literature on the Christian faith.

Robert Forsyth is the Bishop of South Sydney.