'Thinking?' A Book Review
The Importance of Apologetics
Apologetics is the act of speaking in defense of the faith; it involves presenting clear arguments for the validity of belief, as well as refuting those who oppose the truth of the Gospel. And, though God has never promised to anoint our syllogisms, Christian apologetics still has a role to play in God’s evangelistic purposes. Primarily, apologetics helps remove intellectual rubble that litters the highways and byways of culture that may prevent a person from seriously considering the claims of the Gospel.
Thinking?
Andy Steiger, the director and founder of Apologetics Canada, has written a book entitled Thinking? to address the five major questions of life. Andy identifies them as follows: Is there meaning to life? Does God exist? Is there only one-way to God? What about suffering and evil? Is there life after death? I don’t have space to review each chapter and highlight all of the various strengths of his work. But what I can do is give you a brief snapshot of one of Steiger’s chapters that, I think, illustrates well the effectiveness of Andy’s over all approach in this book.
In his chapter on God’s existence, Steiger presents a cosmological and a teleological argument for the existence of God. This is pretty standard fare in apologetic literature. However, Andy also surprises the reader by a delightful foray into Zombie culture and what it may or may not tell us about human personhood. He argues forcibly against the implications of physicalism (only material realities exist and can be known) because, when it comes to the human person, it reduces us to a dehumanized version of our true selves, not unlike the popular picture of the Zombie. This section of the chapter represents an intriguing way of arguing for the immaterial aspect of humanity, which only truly makes sense in a theistic universe.
I share the above example because it is indicative of Andy’s other chapters. In these pages you will find some standard arguments, but you will also find clear ideas, clever stories, and intriguingly fresh ways of explaining arguments that have been around for ages.
Grounded in the Gospel
It is also worth noting that Andy is clearly committed to the power of the Gospel as God’s means of liberating people from their captivity to sin. The reality of his commitment to proclaiming Christ crucified is evident in the fact that, chapter by chapter, he invites the reader to explore the stunning relevance and salvific power that is available to all people through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Andy even turns the perennial problem of God’s hiddenness into an opportunity to share the wonderful news of God’s grace, expressed in the humility of Jesus and His willingness to woo us, not through an overwhelming display of power that overwhelms our wills but, rather, through an act of costly, sacrificial love that makes possible relationship with God.
The Writing
The chapters are long, but the stories shared are gripping and the arguments are concise. The prose is seldom flowery and the writing consistently avoids falling prey to wordiness. Instead the book uses simple, but descriptive, language that invites the reader to deeper levels of understanding, without impressing on one the urgent need to continually run to the nearest thesaurus. In a book of Christian apologetics this is a rarity and a wonderful gift to the individual who is just beginning their journey into faith, theology and apologetics.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this is a great book for the believer, young or battle-worn, but it is also a helpful book to give to an acquaintance, friend or family member who is interested in exploring ideas about life, faith and God. It is not just the arguments contained in these pages. Plenty of smart Christians have written books filled with rigorous arguments for the veridical nature of the Christian worldview. The real victory of Andy’s work, and what is sure to make it a go-to manual to hand out to seekers and skeptics alike, is his kind, inviting tone.
This book is exemplary for the manner in which it addresses the non-Christian reader. It is packed to the brim with Gospel-centered truth, but it is also dripping with grace and humility. Even though one may find their fundamental faith commitment to a godless universe uncomfortably challenged by this work, they will also find it easy to trust Andy as an honest and forthright dialogue partner on these important questions of life.
I highly recommend that you read Andy’s book and have a few copies on hand to give to non-Christians or new believers in your life.