Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36618 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Synopsis
In the quest for the truth, you need to know what you believe and why you believe it. Who Made God? offers accessible answers to over 100 commonly asked apologetic questions. Bringing together the best in evangelical apologists, this guide is standard equipment for Christians who want to understand and talk about their faith intelligently. Part one answers tough questions about the Christian faith such as: * Who made God? * How can there be three persons in one God? * What is God's ultimate purpose in allowing evil? * Where did the universe come from? * How long are the days of creation in Genesis? * Did Jesus rise from the dead? * Are the records of Jesus' life reliable? * Does the Bible have errors in it? Part two answers tough questions about other faiths, including Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, Reincarnation, Buddhism, and Black Islam. Relevant stories, questions for reflection and discussion, and a comprehensive list of suggested resources help you dig deeper so you can be prepared to give careful answers that explain the reasons for your faith.

From the Back Cover
A reference tool with answers to the most common questions of faith

In an era when many people listen with their eyes and think with their emotions, Christians need to revamp the way they answer difficult questions about their beliefs. This book presents a summary of accessible answers to over 100 commonly raised apologetic questions. Bringing together the best in evangelical apologists, it is designed to be standard equipment for every Christian—whether he or she is behind the pulpit, in a classroom, or at a lunch table. It helps equip believers who want to be prepared to give careful answers that explain the reasons for their faith.

Part One answers tough questions about the Christian faith, relating to God, evil, science, Christ, and the Bible. Part Two answers tough questions about other faiths, including Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, Reincarnation, Buddhism, and Black Islam. The style of the book is practical, easy to read, and packed with facts. It includes relevant stories along with reflection/discussion questions at the end of each chapter as well as a listing of books and Internet resources for readers who wish to dig deeper.

Customer Reviews

Clear and easy to understand, although sometimes not detailed enough
I was reading this book from an atheist perspective, trying to understand how people have faith. The questions covered in this book are exactly the ones that would make me question my faith if I were a Christian. They are sensibly organised in this book, and the answers are very accessible.

In most cases, the answer starts by clarifying the question, which helps to make it clear exactly what question is being answered. The answer/explanation is then covered in some detail, but all the while remaining easy to understand, even for someone with little knowledge of theology. There will be some Christians for whom their own beliefs don't match the answers in this book - for example that evidence for the Big Bang supports the existence of a Creator God.

What I found was that often the book didn't quite go far enough - questions raised by the answers themselves often go unanswered. On the whole, the worldview presented by this book is internally consistent (which is a start) and easy to understand, but when I started looking more closely, I could still see cracks. However, the book served the purpose I had bought it for - to understand why others believe.

This book is aimed at Christians who want to be able to answer questions asked by non-believers. For that use, I do recommend it - but with a few notes of caution:
- Firstly, be wary of some of the scientific details covered in the "Science" chapter. If you engage an informed non-believer in debate without further reading on these topics you will come unstuck pretty quickly.
- If you use only the answers in this book, most intelligent people will come to understand your point of view but are unlikely to be converted to it. If this is all you are trying to do then this book is perfect for you. If ultimately you want to be making some more convincing arguments I believe you will need further study - but this book is a good place to start, not least because it gives you a good overview of what topics are likely to be covered in such debates.

Does the job
This is a good entry-level book on Christian apologetics. It is suitable for anyone interested to find short answers to a range of common questions raised against the evangelical Christian faith. The book is written in a crisp, easy-to-read style that even a new reader will find easy to digest.

A minor quibble is that the question-and-answer format tends to either leave gaps or cause overlaps in the material provided. Also, those interested in deeper and more thorough-going discussions of the questioned handled in the book (see the synopsis above) might find the need to look elsewhere.