Thread: One Book to prepare Christians for skeptic attacks

I have a friend who is at college and comes back every day with a new story about how the professor attacked his faith, yet I know that he isn't going to be down for reading a lot, so I'm looking for one book that can prepare him to deal with the different objections raised against Christianity.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

He has to read a lot... no, even more than that, if he wants to be able to deal with the different objections. I have a whole bookshelf of books on Apologetics and yet keep on ordering more and more. (Just this morning I placed an order for The Historical Reliability of the Gospels by Craig L. Blomberg.) And if you want to debate with a University Professor, you've got to be prepared accordingly.

Originally Posted by christianyouth

I have a friend who is at college and comes back every day with a new story about how the professor attacked his faith, yet I know that he isn't going to be down for reading a lot, so I'm looking for one book that can prepare him to deal with the different objections raised against Christianity.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

From my experience, reading books give you the right theoretical knowledge but the ability to spot faulty arguments and unjustified assertions quickly only comes through experience.

Presuppositional apologetics is the way to go.

If he won't be able to read a lot, CARM has some quite quick&easy examples of how to respond to atheists

CARM - Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

Presuppositional apologetics are only going to work for your friend if he is willing to attack back, and that is typically not a good idea in a university setting for someone untrained in rhetoric and philosophy. It requires you know the position of your opponent quite well as well as your own so that you can show that your position is consistent while theirs is not.

Classical apologetics can be used to show sufficient warrant for belief without needing to know the other persons argument, its forms are relatively easily memorized and have been well developed over the ages. He should grab Sproul/Gerstners Amazon.com: Classical Apologetics and leave presuppositionalism to real apologists or he can move into it once he has gotten his feet wet with classical.

Actually, the best book that I can suggest is this...

Amazon.com: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (9780199263479): Brian Davies: Books

I would suggest (in addition to a working knowledge of classical argumentation) that he read up on his church history, particularly the first five centuries of Christianity. The point on which I am most often attacked is the historical reliability of the scriptures.

Originally Posted by Christoffer

Originally Posted by christianyouth

I have a friend who is at college and comes back every day with a new story about how the professor attacked his faith, yet I know that he isn't going to be down for reading a lot, so I'm looking for one book that can prepare him to deal with the different objections raised against Christianity.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

From my experience, reading books give you the right theoretical knowledge but the ability to spot faulty arguments and unjustified assertions quickly only comes through experience.

Presuppositional apologetics is the way to go.

If he won't be able to read a lot, CARM has some quite quick&easy examples of how to respond to atheists

CARM - Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

Hey Christoffer, thanks for the tips.

I'm kinda worried about the presuppositional apologetic method, not because it doesn't make great points but because it takes a lot of intelligence to use effectively(especially to use it against specific objections toward Christianity). But I love the CARM idea! Nothing too extensive, nice and easy to read articles; this is exactly what I was looking for.

I've enjoyed this book a lot. It may not be technical enough for higher learning but I think it gives a pretty good base to work from.

Amazon.com: Without a Doubt: Answering the 20 Toughest Faith Questions (9780801064692): Kenneth R. Samples, Ronald Nash: Books

I've heard Ken Samples teach and also support Bob's recommendation.

Originally Posted by beej6

I've heard Ken Samples teach and also support Bob's recommendation.

I took a class from Prof. Samples last semesters (on World Religions). The man knows his stuff and is Reformed (he's a member at Kim Riddlebarger's church). The book Bob recommended was one of our textbooks. I suggest checking it out.

Also, I highly, highly recommend an essay by the late German neo-Thomist philosopher Josef Pieper, titled "On Faith: A Philosophical Treatise." By way of wiping the floor with David Hume's "On Miracles" -- an ever-popular canonical atheistic text -- Pieper outlines the nature of faith and the supreme reasonableness of, and humanity in, the act of religious faith.

It is the first essay in the book Faith, Hope, Love, published by Ignatius Press.

Amazon.com: Faith, Hope, Love (9780898706239): Josef Pieper: Books

Originally Posted by Igor

He has to read a lot... no, even more than that, if he wants to be able to deal with the different objections. I have a whole bookshelf of books on Apologetics and yet keep on ordering more and more. (Just this morning I placed an order for The Historical Reliability of the Gospels by Craig L. Blomberg.) And if you want to debate with a University Professor, you've got to be prepared accordingly.

I agree. One book isn't going to do it, but Doug Wilson, Greg Bahansen are good starts. Thomas Morris: Making Sense of it all: Pascal and the Meaning of Life & Kreeft's, Christianity for Moden Pagans, are two good books that explore Pascal's helpful insights from his Pensees. I have Ravi Zacarihas books, Van Til books, John Frame. The List could go on and on. No one book will answer all the arrows shot your way...

-----Added 8/20/2009 at 12:20:46 EST-----

Originally Posted by P. F. Pugh

I would suggest (in addition to a working knowledge of classical argumentation) that he read up on his church history, particularly the first five centuries of Christianity. The point on which I am most often attacked is the historical reliability of the scriptures.

Good Point! Philip Schaff is VERY readable and his 8 volume history on the church can be had very cheaply these days. I learn a lot anytime I sit down with those books.

Originally Posted by caddy

No one book will answer all the arrows shot your way...

Besides Scripture itself, of course.

Well, perhaps this would help (but only for the beginning!) since it does try to cover a lot of issues: The Christian Combat Manual: Helps for Defending Your Faith : a Handbook for Christian Apologetics
I mysel liked it very much.

Originally Posted by Igor

Well, perhaps this would help (but only for the beginning!) since it does try to cover a lot of issues: The Christian Combat Manual: Helps for Defending Your Faith : a Handbook for Christian Apologetics
I mysel liked it very much.

Great! This is the kind of book I had in mind. Thanks Igor.

Originally Posted by christianyouth

Great! This is the kind of book I had in mind. Thanks Igor.

You're very welcome! Just in case, look inside, the table of Contents and an excerpt: here.

Reinventing Jesus is a helpful book, although like others have said I don't think there is one book that does it all.

It deals with Jesus seminar, Bart Ehrman, DaVinci code type skeptical arguments. It is a good introduction to evidential apologetics which answers lots of questions. Although I now believe presuppositional is the better method.

I found Tim Keller's The Reason for God to be very helpful. His approach isn't to end the conversation with a winner/loser but rather points out the reasonableness of Christianity and the faith claims that many skeptics make.

I have just fetched from my local post office a new book - Unshakable Foundations: Contemporary Answers to Crucial Questions about the Christian Faith It's just excellent. I guess this is exactly what you friend needs, perhaps along with "The Christian Combat Manual".

Do skeptics attack?

Originally Posted by Tim

Do skeptics attack?

Haha, Tim. As a grad student and someone who inhabits the modern world with the rest of us, I KNOW you know the answer to this.


Igor, these are some great suggestions you made, but here in the US, my generation doesn't read, So I just think the Christian Combat Manual and the book Bob suggested will have to do, and Lord willing I can continue to help my friend out with some of the skeptic's attacks(with the help of people on the PB, of course, who always answer my questions, thanks guys).

Actually, I wasn't being sarcastic!

But isn't skepticism by nature a defensive position rather than offensive? The reason why I made that comment is to explore whether Christians might rather go on the offensive in their approach.

I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about this, but it just occurred to me that perhaps we might view our position differently - by forcing the skeptics themselves to be on the defensive.

They are the ones who say that they can't be sure - the burden of proof is upon them.

Originally Posted by Tim

But isn't skepticism by nature a defensive position rather than offensive?

Ahhh, this makes sense. Good point.

No, skeptics do attack things, and quite commonly. While a person who is being skeptical about something in the common vernacular may or not be aggressive in their own position, Skepticism is a viable scholastic general position and will normally attack any position it does not favour. And so I present to you the latest Discovery channel movie!

I've found the presuppositional approach easier to apply even when dealing with the pseudo-intellectual professors one meets in college. You don't need answers to every objection an unbeliever throws at you, because the premises of the questions are usually poorly thought out.

Remember that the Bible calls the unbeliever a "fool" and his thinking is "futile".

Your friend can turn the tables on the professor and make him account for his beliefs. Most often the unbeliever's belief system will be merely a construction by own intellect. Therefore, if everyone is free to construct their own belief system, then your friend may point out that it is the epitome of intolerance the professor ridicule Christianity.

Check out some of Greg Bahnsen's videos on YouTube.

-----Added 8/21/2009 at 02:27:28 EST-----

[QUOTE=Hungus;676005]No, skeptics do attack things, and quite commonly. While a person who is being skeptical about something in the common vernacular may or not be aggressive in their own position, Skepticism is a viable scholastic general position and will normally attack any position it does not favour. And so I present to you the latest Discovery channel movie! /QUOTE]

Hmmm. You can ask the skeptic if he is skeptical of his Skepticism and how does that comport with an ability to argue anything.

I'm lazy, I just fall back on Romans

Originally Posted by sastark

Originally Posted by caddy

No one book will answer all the arrows shot your way...

Besides Scripture itself, of course.

Of Course! Good Catch sastark!

I'm not sure how much can be accomplished if your friend doesn't like to read, or won't force him- or herself to do so. Perhaps his/her time would be better spent talking to someone like you (who is well read) rather than reading a single book?

Otherwise, it may help to know what he/she thinks is the most powerful objection to Christianity, and then give him a book based on that (e.g., the reliability of the Bible, the problem of evil?). Maybe seeing one objection answered in detail will prompt your friend to study more?