What's So Great about Christianity Book

I worry this book might be more harmful than positive. But let's start with the stuff that was terrific:

1) A beautiful effort to re-unite Christian thinking with scientific thinking. There are not many contemporary Christians who enjoy endorsing science, but D'Souza welcomes science as a natural fit within the Christian worldview. It's a restoration that is needed. Very refreshing.

2) When his chapters dwell on history, they are very engaging: learning about Copernicus, Galileo, and even some early shifts that occurred around civil rights movements, the Enlightenment, and more, was great. (I love learning about history.)

But where it's not-so-good:
1) If this book was written with an agnostic or atheist audience in mind, it would be very off-putting. D'Souza is sometimes an articulate, patient and passionate communicator. Other times, he strikes a rather condescending tone, and it is not very endearing or respectful at all. I almost quit reading after the introduction. The tone is extremely "us vs them," and is unnecessarily divisive.

2) If this book was meant for Christians, it DOES help provide some historical and scientific segments that could enrich a person's perspective. However, it also serves as a congratulatory back-pat: "Congrats, you are on the winning side, keep doing what you're doing." And what good is that?

D'Souza reminds us that many of the great restorative movements that happened throughout history were launched by Christians, after significant spiritual awakenings. But he leaves it at that, content to provide proof that Christianity help spawn some important movements. But I wanted to hear D'Souza call us BACK to that.

I wished D'Souza had written something like this: "Christianity is not great. It is compromised of foolish, mistake-prone humans who are just as self-centered as anyone else. Only Christ is great, and his greatness must shine forth in what we choose to DO now. To not loiter, but to lead. To use our minds and our time and our vocations to help advance civilization."

So, if you read this book, not matter your background, keep moving forward. Don't rest on past accomplishments. Don't be defensive. Don't be arrogant. Christians, don't look down on seekers, agnostics, atheists; they are brave enough to ask questions Christians should have been asking earlier. Stay humble, engaged, leaning-forward, showing love, solving hard problems the world needs solved, and seeking Jesus.