Book Review:The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel
This was another Christmas present, from my parents. It actually fits into my bookshelf nicely, along with Josh McDowel's "The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict", Alister Mcgrath's "The Twilight of atheim" and the CS Lewis Collection I've been working on.
In this book, the author adresses eight of the primary objections to Christianity. The are:
1. If there is a God, why is there suffering?
2. How can any rational person believe in miracles?
3. How could a loving God kill children, as is written in the old Testament?
4. How could God send people to Hell?
5. How could Jesus be the only way to heaven?
6. Why does the evidence of science seem so compelling?
7. What about all the bad things the church has done?
8. If I still doubt, how can I be a Christian?
These 8 were picked specifically because of an interview with Charles Templeton. Templeton is Billy Graham's former right-hand man, a man who later in his life lost his faith and became an agnostic.
The author interviewed people who are known to be outspoken and knowledgable on the relevant subjects, and posed one question to each of them. In the end I think he did a terrific job in getting these questions answered.
The most important thing, I think, is that he very clearly explains how it is possible for a rational man to still have faith. I would say he did such a good job that the above questions, used as an argument to disprove the existence of God, has been successfully answered. Or to put it differently, you'd have to read this book and come up with something better before you can use any of the above in an argument against Christianity.
Yesterday I considered buying Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" to get a counter argument, but that will have to wait a little (I can only spend so much on books every month). With the exception of Mcdowel's book, the book is a little more expensive than the others I've bought on the subject and reviews arround the book (similar to McDowel's book) are mixed. I spent some time reading selected pieces in the bookstore. I got the impression that he is playing a defence attorney: more interested in poking holes in theories than in providing alternative explanations. He is almost too critical at times, and so strongly biased against religion that one has to wonder if it will prove to be a honest counter argument rather than just a emotional response. I'll obviously also have to make time to actually read it, which isn't going to be easy.
In this book, the author adresses eight of the primary objections to Christianity. The are:
1. If there is a God, why is there suffering?
2. How can any rational person believe in miracles?
3. How could a loving God kill children, as is written in the old Testament?
4. How could God send people to Hell?
5. How could Jesus be the only way to heaven?
6. Why does the evidence of science seem so compelling?
7. What about all the bad things the church has done?
8. If I still doubt, how can I be a Christian?
These 8 were picked specifically because of an interview with Charles Templeton. Templeton is Billy Graham's former right-hand man, a man who later in his life lost his faith and became an agnostic.
The author interviewed people who are known to be outspoken and knowledgable on the relevant subjects, and posed one question to each of them. In the end I think he did a terrific job in getting these questions answered.
The most important thing, I think, is that he very clearly explains how it is possible for a rational man to still have faith. I would say he did such a good job that the above questions, used as an argument to disprove the existence of God, has been successfully answered. Or to put it differently, you'd have to read this book and come up with something better before you can use any of the above in an argument against Christianity.
Yesterday I considered buying Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" to get a counter argument, but that will have to wait a little (I can only spend so much on books every month). With the exception of Mcdowel's book, the book is a little more expensive than the others I've bought on the subject and reviews arround the book (similar to McDowel's book) are mixed. I spent some time reading selected pieces in the bookstore. I got the impression that he is playing a defence attorney: more interested in poking holes in theories than in providing alternative explanations. He is almost too critical at times, and so strongly biased against religion that one has to wonder if it will prove to be a honest counter argument rather than just a emotional response. I'll obviously also have to make time to actually read it, which isn't going to be easy.
posted by ispburger at 5:33 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home