Why Believe?: A Reasoned Approach to Christianity

by Neil Shenvi

Overview

Why Believe? engages some of the best contemporary arguments against belief, presenting compelling evidence for the truth of Christianity and calling readers to entrust their lives to Christ.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433579387
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	06/21/2022
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Neil Shenvi (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) has worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer—reviewed papers. He is married to Christina and currently homeschools their four children.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations 11

1 Introduction 13

Should We Avoid Religious Truth Claims for the Sake of Peace? 17

Are All Religions True? 19

Is All Religious Truth Subjective? 21

Can We Just Ignore Religion? 22

2 The Trilemma 27

Liar, Lunatic, or Lord 28

The Historical Reliability of the Gospels 31

Jesus's Claims 45

Objections to the Trilemma 50

A Final Suggestion 56

3 The Resurrection 59

The Significance of the Resurrection 59

Evidence for the Resurrection 61

Naturalistic Explanations 68

Seeking the Best Explanation 71

Objections to the Resurrection 74

In Conclusion 80

4 God and Revelation (Part 1): Nature 81

Why Is Mathematics So Successful? 84

What Caused the Universe? 88

Why Is There Something rather than Nothing? 92

Why Is the Universe Finely Tuned for Life? 96

Objections to a Theistic View of the Universe 102

Evidence and Worship 107

5 God and Revelation (Part 2): The Moral Law 111

How Can Objective Moral Values and Duties Exist? 111

Why Should We Seek the Truth? 131

Revelation and Scripture 139

Evidence and Commitment 145

6 Arguments against God 147

The Problem of Evil 147

Evolution 161

The Hiddenness of God 168

7 The Gospel (Part 1): The Uniqueness of Christianity 173

Christianity on Sin and Salvation 179

Buddhism on Sin and Salvation 181

Hinduism on Sin and Salvation 182

Islam on Sin and Salvation 184

Judaism on Sin and Salvation 185

Problems and Solutions 187

8 The Gospel (Part 2): Christianity and Sin 191

Are We Radically Morally Corrupt? 191

Sin in the World 194

Sin in Our Hearts 203

9 The Gospel (Part 3): Christianity and Salvation 211

Sin as Transgression 213

Sin as Slavery 217

The Gospel of Grace 219

Objections to the Christian View of Salvation 225

10 Conclusions 235

What's Missing from This Book 239

The View from Somewhere 242

The Logic of Repentance 244

By Grace through Faith 247

The Good News of the Kingdom 250

The Step of Faith 252

Acknowledgments 255

General Index 257

Scripture Index 267

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I love this book in terms of both content and tone. Neil Shenvi has thought deeply about these issues and provides a reasoned case for Christianity. He also responds to some of the most common objections with clarity and precision. I hope Why Believe? gets the wide readership it deserves.”
—Sean McDowell, Associate Professor of Christian Apologetics, Biola University; author, Evidence That Demands a Verdict

“Shenvi’s interaction with critics of Christianity is instructive for those of us supporting Christian faith. This is a worthy book for your apologetical library and a great resource for moving forward in a society that constantly challenges us.”
—George Yancey, Professor of Sociology, Baylor University

“What an outstanding work! Pound for pound this is the best apologetics book I’ve ever read. Shenvi has done a great service to both the church and the broader culture. Christians will find an excellent resource for both the strengthening and the defense of their faith. Non—Christians will have an accessible pathway to understanding the Christian faith that will challenge their beliefs and presuppositions while engaging their minds.”
—Pat Sawyer, Faculty, UNC Greensboro; coauthor, Critical Dilemma

“This book provides a clear and cogent exposition of arguments for the authenticity of Christianity in the light of modern historical and scientific evidence. Shenvi brings a coherent, impassioned, and well—reasoned perspective to a number of challenging topics. His approach is appropriate for anyone—Christian or not—who wishes to know more about why Christians believe what they believe.”
—Troy Van Voorhis, Professor of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Neil is one of our generation’s most engaging and forward thinkers. His insights are forged not in sterile halls of academia but through vibrant discussions with students, thinkers, and leaders in today’s halls of influence. This is an excellent resource for thorough, sound answers to today’s most difficult questions, not yesterday’s. I’ve had the privilege of serving as Neil’s pastor now for nearly a decade, and I can attest that he not only teaches the truth of the gospel but lives out its grace.”
—J. D. Greear, Pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh—Durham, North Carolina; author, Just Ask and What Are You Going to Do with Your Life?