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Faith has its reasons

An inaccessible masterpiece for some?

FAITH HAS ITS REASONS
By Kenneth D. Boa & Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
Paternoster. 658 pages. £19.99
ISBN 978-1-93280-534-5

Faith has its reasons describes itself as an ‘apologetics handbook’ which seeks to develop ‘an integrative approach to defending Christianity’. The authors, Ken Boa and Rob Bowman, both lead organisations who promote a form of conservative evangelical apologetics among Christians and non-Christians alike.

The book begins by defining the subject and outlining the historical story of the major movements of apologetic thought. Once the historical background is established, the writers examine the strengths and weaknesses of the four main schools of apologetic thought: Classical (to establish faith through reasoned thought), Evidentialist (to examine facts and so reach a faithful conclusion), Reformed (to accept the Bible as the revealed fact and so reach a faithful conclusion) and Fideist (trust placed in faith rather than in reason). After this, they analyse the various ways different Christian thinkers have sought to integrate the four different disciplines in the light of the particular challenges of postmodernism. This leads to a systematic argument for an integrative methodology, involving the four schools of apologetics, which is contrasted with a wide spectrum of contemporary subjects from experience-based philosophy, humanistic psychology, and the latest developments in scientific fact/theory.

Not historical evangelical Christianity

Finally, the concluding chapter seeks to celebrate the idea of different schools of Christian apologetics being part of one church with one message but who seek to communicate it in a multitude of ways which they described as a ‘both/and’ perspective rather than an ‘either/or’ attitude. Yet the following quote from Faith has its reasons should clarify for the potential reader that this is a work which does not compromise historical evangelical Christianity. ‘Either one affirms that God is known savingly only in Jesus Christ, or one erroneously encourages people to believe that there is hope for them outside a relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The multiplicity of ways that these truths have and can be defended should not be allowed to obscure the fact that these are the non-negotiable principles for which all sound Christian apologetics must contend.’ The authors seek to create a platform for contemporary church-based apologetics which retains Scripture as the absolute truth which recognises the challenge of our multi-cultural society.

This book has opened my eyes to many ways in which God’s people have defended the gospel of Jesus Christ down the years. Yet even with a degree in theology, I took months to read and truly understand this book, so I do not suggest it is for the average Christian reader, though certain parts would be accessible and extremely helpful. The authors need 120 pages just to list their references and sources, but there are many charts, diagrams and short fictional dialogues to help the reader understand and put into practise the complex and diverse subjects each chapter contains. Ministers, evangelists and lay church leaders should make every effort to read this book to be equipped by this landmark study in the practical discipline of apologetics. Sadly, I feel that, for the majority of Christians, this will be the only way they come to understand the teachings of this inaccessible masterpiece.

Trevor Lewis,
minister of Lindfield Evangelical Free Church, Mid Sussex (http://www.lefc.co.uk)