I’m always intrigued to know how people (especially adults) decide to become a Christian. I’m equally intrigued to understand why Christians, in this age of doubt and deconstruction, maintain their belief in Jesus. I’m intrigued, but many of the arguments for and against faith are built on false logic. (“Christians still sin, so God can’t be real” – which is the doctrinal equivalent of throwing the baby out with the bathwater). Others are expressed in academic terms I find difficult to relate to.
Why I’m Still a Christian is built on over fifteen years of dialogue with Christians and atheists of all persuasions on his weekly radio show-turned podcast, Unbelievable. Brierley is also widely read, in that he quotes from books by mainstream Christin apologists such as C. S. Lewis and Lee Stobel, but also from nonChristian and atheist authors, who often make the case for Jesus even more powerfully than Brierley can.
This is the strength of the book.
While it is Brierley’s personal testimony and rationale for Christianity, it’s also based on extensive personal research, reading the works of many of the big thinkers about faith over the last two millennia.
Brierley discusses some big issues on contemporary science and how they can be interpreted to support or even prove the idea of a Creator: entropy, the Big Bang theory (it’s not just a TV show), the multiverse. He also points to some things that are perhaps easier to understand as proof: mathematics, gravity, and morality:
The belief that humans are created free, equal, and with inherent dignity only makes sense if there is a God.
And:
If atheism is true, then there is no ultimate right or wrong.
What stood out most to me, especially in the section on science, is that many of the new discoveries are pointing towards God, not away from Him (which is contrary to much of what I was taught in school). It reminds me of the importance of thinking and questioning matters of faith so we can have robust conversations on
Recommended for those who enjoy the topic of apologetics, and anyone looking for sound, reasoned and readable information that examines some of the central debates around the Christian faith from both points of view.
Thanks to Tyndale Elevate and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley has been working in radio, podcasting, and video for two decades. He co-hosts the Re-Enchanting podcast for Seen & Unseen and is a well-known speaker and broadcaster. Justin founded the popular Unbelievable? faith debate show, and has also hosted the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Justin’s first book, ‘Unbelievable?: Why, after Ten Years of Talking with Atheists, I’m Still a Christian’ (SPCK), was published in 2017. His latest book is ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ (Tyndale House Publishers). Justin and his family live in Surrey, UK.
Find Justin Brierley online at:
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About Why I’m Still a Christian
A compelling and intriguing discussion of why believing in God makes the most sense of human existence and our purpose on earth by one of the most respected Christian thinkers of our time.
“Highly readable survey of the reasons for Christian faith. Not just an academic exercise, Justin has respectfully engaged many thoughtful atheists and sceptics over years, which is always a test for a believer. The book is therefore very personal―it explains how his own faith has emerged while working through the challenges he has received.” ―Timothy Keller
Popular radio host and podcaster, Justin Brierley, has been creating and facilitating constructive conversations about faith for more than two decades. He is an expert in Christian apologetics and has had a ringside seat as believers and nonbelievers alike have debated Christianity. Surprisingly, Justin has come out on the other side of these debates more convinced than ever of the truth of Jesus’ claims―and the power of good conversations.
With this book, you get to watch Justin as he engages with the most unlikely of conversation partners―from Richard Dawkins to Philip Pullman―on the subject of faith. You’ll understand why Justin, after hearing the strongest objections to the Christian faith and religion, is still a Christian. For him, God makes sense of human existence, the inherent value of human life, and our ultimate purpose on earth.
With this book, you’ll explore tough questions, with Justin Brierley as your guide:
- Why would God allow suffering?
- Are Christianity and the existence of God compatible with science?
- Is there any evidence for the resurrection?
- And much more.
Discover the reasons to believe.
This book is a revised and updated edition of the Unbelievable book published in 2017, with a new chapter on deconstruction.
Why would anyone be a Christian when there is so much hypocrisy in the church? Mary Jo Sharp shares her journey as a skeptical believer who still holds to a beautiful faith despite wounding experiences in the Christian community.