Reviews for Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics

The average rating for Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-04-02 00:00:00 Amanda Rhodes Considering how many books the 'New Atheists' sell, I think it's an absolute crime how few Christians even know about this guy, let alone his work My first experience with the author's work was watching a youtube video of his debate with Frank Zindler on 'Does God Exist?' After hearing WLC's opening speech in the debate where he laid out his five main arguments for the existence of God (all covered in this book), my jaw actually dropped. His case sounded too solid, too full-proof to be valid. I was certain his opponent had counter arguments to put everything he just said into question. To my surprise though, Mr Zindler could offer nothing in rebuttal. He avoided addressing any of the points Dr. Craig brought up, he offered no reason to believe God doesn't exist, and resorted to a feeble attack on Biblical passages that showed his understanding of the Bible to be equivalent to a toddler's understanding of M-Theory. I then found myself watching numerous other debates (including Hitchens and Harris), I wanted to find Atheists' answer to Dr. William Lane Craig. The short answer is: they don't have one. He just annihilates his opponents every time. I've heard some people argue "he's just a professional debater". Well this book has been out for 17 years and includes all his major arguments for God and Christianity in detail. It's not like his attack plan in these debates are a secret now are they? That would have to mean that either his opponents are ALL ignorant laymen on the given topic (which they aren't), or that his apologetics really are that strong. So what then can a reader get out of this book? Well as I said it includes all of the major arguments he brings up in debates involving the existence of God and the truth of Christianity by successfully arguing the validity of the gospels and Christ's resurrection. Each chapter starts by going over the history of the issue, trends in philosophy that shaped and developed the argument, where the debate on the issue stands right now, his professional exploration on the matter, objections that have been raised and their refutation, and then of course his conclusions. Now some might classify this as a 'popular book' rather than say a 'textbook', but I think that's a little misleading. First, WLC has two PHDs (Philosophy and Theology), which means he knows the subject exceptionally well and is within his educational right to be considered an authority on the matter. Second, the book contains far more concrete information per paragraph than plenty of textbooks I had in college, I actually had to give my brain a rest when I read too much in a sitting. Third, the book's fluidness and consistency (a trait I wouldn't attach to most textbooks) is a testament not to his 'elegant prose' but to his solid understanding of the subject matter. In other words this is an exceptional Christian Apologetics 101 textbook that won't put you to sleep. Who should read this book? Well obviously anyone interested in Christian Apologetics. I strongly recommend this to Christians who are at a point where they're questioning their faith, wondering if it's a blind one. Though, to be sure, every Christian should be familiar with this material, you may not need it for assurance, but it equips you with answering some very tough questions like the historical reliability of the gospels to a skeptic. I would also recommend it to an agnostic, someone who is legitimately inquiring as to what each side of the argument has to say and is able to read the material objectively without rolling their eyes at the mere mention of 'God' - a lot of the material presented here is available on the reasonablefaith.org website in the Q&A section, he also covers a LOT in podcasts. I would not simply hand this to a 'devout atheist' friend and tell them to read it in the hopes they'll somehow drop to their knees and convert. The old saying "no one gets argued into the kingdom of God" is still true. You're better off studying this book and having an intelligent discussion with them on the issues which will lead them hopefully to the conclusion that your faith isn't irrational but rather, it's 'reasonable'. Friends at work were surprised the other day when they found out I was Christian (in my defense, I thought they knew) They both assumed I was an atheist because "well you're like...smart...not uptight" There's this misconception today that ALL Christians subscribe to a 'blind faith' mentality and are judgmental prudes. Well to the latter I say that lies on a believer practicing scripture rather than just reading it. To the former I would say "Reasonable Faith" as the title entails is an excellent place to start in dispelling that perception of 'blind' faith in Christianity today.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-05-22 00:00:00 Lori Meehan Craig's own quotes demonstrate his dearth of reason. He has claimed, repeatedly, that the internal witness of the holy spirit is enough to quench any evidence that opposes his religious views. How is that reasonable in the slightest?! If that wasn't enough, he insults all non-Christians by accusing them of loving darkness rather than light. And all this IN THE INTRODUCTION! According to Craig, nothing has any meaning unless it lasts forever. Besides being patently condescending and just plain wrong, it implies that an eternity of repetitive and wearisome kowtowing would somehow be enjoyable. "When they say that Christian beliefs about Jesus are derived from pagan mythology, I think you should laugh. Then look at them wide-eyed and with a big grin, and exclaim, 'Do you really believe that?' Act as though you've just met a flat earther or Roswell conspirator. William Lane Craig, "Question 90: Jesus and Pagan Mythology", Reasonable Faith, 2009" How ignorant does one have to be to spew such drivel!? 1. But the argument is still unsound, because the first premise is false: there are other unmentioned alternatives, for example, that Jesus as described in the gospels is a legendary figure, so that the trilemma is false as it stands. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 39.] 2. What, then, should be our approach in apologetics? It should be something like this: 'My friend, I know Christianity is true because God's Spirit lives in me and assures me that it is true. And you can know it is true, too, because God is knocking at the door of your heart, telling you the same thing. If you are sincerely seeking God, then God will give you assurance that the gospel is true. Now, to try to show you it's true, I'll share with you some arguments and evidence that I really find convincing. But should my arguments seem weak and unconvincing to you, that's my fault, not God's. It only shows that I'm a poor apologist, not that the gospel is untrue. Whatever you think of my arguments, God still loves you and holds you accountable. I'll do my best to present good arguments to you. But ultimately you have to deal, not with arguments, but with God himself.' [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 48.] 3. Therefore, when a person refuses to come to Christ it is never just because of lack of evidence or because of intellectual difficulties: at root, he refuses to come because he willingly ignores and rejects the drawing of God's Spirit on his heart. No one in the final analysis really fails to become a Christian because of lack of arguments; he fails to become a Christian because he loves darkness rather than light and wants nothing to do with God. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), pp. 35-36.] 4. Should a conflict arise between the witness of the Holy Spirit to the fundamental truth of the Christian faith and beliefs based on argument and evidence, then it is the former which must take precedence over the latter, not vice versa. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 36.] 5. The Bible says all men are without excuse. Even those who are given no good reason to believe and many persuasive reasons to disbelieve have no excuse, because the ultimate reason they do not believe is that they have deliberately rejected God's Holy Spirit. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 37.] Pure disingenuous drivel. The man is a professional liar. And to add insult to injury, Christianity has caused his compassion to implode on himself. He has defended genocide in the bible on his website: [...] "So whom does God wrong in commanding the destruction of the Canaanites? Not the Canaanite adults, for they were corrupt and deserving of judgement. Not the children, for they inherit eternal life. So who is wronged? Ironically, I think the most difficult part of this whole debate is the apparent wrong done to the Israeli soldiers themselves. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to break into some house and kill a terrified woman and her children? The brutalizing effect on these Israeli soldiers is disturbing."