I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Athiest is available through Apologia Press (one of my favorite publishing companies) and retails for $16.00. It is a very well-written book intended to help those who are skeptical about the Christian faith or for Christians to use as a guide to help them articulate their faith.
"To some, the concept of having faith in a higher power or a set of religious beliefs is nonsensical. Indeed, many view religion in general, and Christianity in particular, as unfounded and unreasonable. Norman Geisler and Frank Turek argue, however, that Christianity is not only more reasonable than all other belief systems, but is indeed more rational than unbelief itself. With conviction and clear thinking, Geisler and Turek guide readers through some of the traditional, tested arguments for the existence of a creator God. They move into an examination of the source of morality and the reliability of the New Testament accounts concerning Jesus. The final section of the book deals with a detailed investigation of the claims of Christ. This volume will be an interesting read for those skeptical about Christianity, as well as a helpful resource for Christians seeking to articulate a more sophisticated defense of their faith." source
In addition to reading I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, I also worked through the accompanying I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Athiest Workbook (sold separately for $33.00). This is Apologia's first apologetics curriculum for high school students, although it is certainly appropriat for adults to use as well.
The study takes 9 months to complete so, needless to say, I did not finish it before this review was due. However, what I was able to work through was very beneficial. I was frequently underlining in my book and greatly appreciated the workbook as well because it helped me break down and mentally digest the material.
"This study will prepare teens and young adults to defend their Christian faith with boldness and effectiveness. During this course, your student will tackle the question of absolute truth, demolish the follies of postmodernism, debunk moral relativism, and march logically and surely toward the inescapable truths of the Christian faith. This is a companion study, so your student will need a copy of the original book, which is available through Apologia." source
Why I Think a Curriculum Like This is Important
I am a Christian and have been one for a long time now. This means I have placed my faith and trust in Christ alone and am dependent on Him for daily strength as well as the security of my soul.
However, I am human and prone to doubt just like anyone else. That means there have been times I have thought, "How can God never have had a beginning? or "How could Christ come to earth as a man?" These are some pretty difficult things for our finite minds to wrap themselves around. However, based on things like the working of the Holy Spirit in my life, the truths of God's Word and the scientific and historical evidence that abound, I still come to the conclusion that although I do not understand everything, I do accept what I can understand and trust the rest by faith.
For example, I can't explain to you how Christ came to earth (besides that He came as a baby and was born to Mary), but I do know that there is historical evidence supporting that Christ lived here on earth.
It helps to know that "God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet he has also left some abiguity so as not to compel the unwilling....That's why C.S. Lewis writes, 'The Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which the very nature of [God's] scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot ravish. He can only woo.'" I felt these thoughs taken from I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Athiest were very helpful in understanding the Christian faith. None of us seek after God on our own accord because He draws us to Himself, but He does not force us to believe in Him.
The authors state, "As we look at the evidence in the unsuing chapters, we'll see that conclusions such as 'God exists' and 'the Bible is true' are certain beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, it takes a lot more faith to be a non-Christian than it does to be a Christian." (taken from I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Athiest)
I do not intend this post to be controversial or argumentative in any way, although I suppose the topic alone may generate some controversy. Arguing is not something I enjoy. In fact, my nature is to want to curl up in a ball when someone tries to argue with me. :) And maybe because of that, a book like this is just what I need because it helps me logically think through why I believe what I believe so that I will be able to accurately defend my faith should the need arise.
This book also gave me permission, if you will, to acknowledge that there are some things that need to be accepted by faith, but there are plenty of other evidences that help me back up my faith.
I do not think it is wrong to wonder how all the facets of Christianity fit together. In fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't wonder. After all, "Socrates once said that the unexamined life is not worth living [and the authors of I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist] believe that the unexamined faith is not worth believing. (italics, mine) Furthermore, contrary to popular opinion, Christians are not supposed to 'just have faith.' Christians are commanded to know what they believe and why they believe it. They are commanded to give answers to those who ask (1 Pet. 3:15), and to demolish arguments against the Christian faith. (2 Cor. 10:4-5). Since God is reasonable (Isa. 1:18) and wants us to use our reason, Christians don't get brownie points for being stupid. In fact, using reason is part of the greatest commandment which, according to Jesus, is to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' (Matt. 22:370)." I love this point and I am so thankful for these men who have articulated their thoughts well on this subject.
Because of the work of God in my life, I believe the evidence is overwhelming that Christianity is true and I am thankful that I have put my faith in an all-powerful, knowable God.
How I Used The Book and Workbook
The authors put it aptly when they said, "The less evidence you have for your position, the more faith you need to believe it (and vice versa). Faith covers a gap in knowledge....In other words, the empirical, forensic, and philosophical evidence strongly supports conclusions consistent with Christianity and inconcsisten wtih atheism."
That being said, I believe every person would benefit from a study such as this one. Everyone should ask themself what they believe and why. And after doing some thoughtful, heart-provoking study they come to the conclusion that whay they have believed all these years is wrong, then I say without apology that I hope a book like this will point them to the truth and draw them to Christ.
I used the book and workbook during the time I would normally spend reading my Bible because there were Scriptures that I searched as a result of the book study and it gave me time to think and pray over the topics at hand. I do believe that the book is great on it's own, however, personally I would also recommened that you get the accompanying workbook because it will really help you disect and think about what you are reading.
I like that the workbook is spiral bound with plenty of space to jot down your answers. It also helps direct you to the sections in the main book where answers can be found so that if you need help, you're not at a complete loss as to where to find the answer.
The book and workbook would be a fantastic apologetics curriculum for your high schooler, but I believe it would also be beneficial in a senior high youth group setting.
I have also found the book to be a great resource that I have been able to share with a family member and have also since found out that another family member is reading it as well. I'm looking forward to hearing what they think about the book, too.
If you are interested in checking out this book a little more, click here for a sample chapter or here for the table of contents.
I like that the workbook is spiral bound with plenty of space to jot down your answers. It also helps direct you to the sections in the main book where answers can be found so that if you need help, you're not at a complete loss as to where to find the answer.
The book and workbook would be a fantastic apologetics curriculum for your high schooler, but I believe it would also be beneficial in a senior high youth group setting.
I have also found the book to be a great resource that I have been able to share with a family member and have also since found out that another family member is reading it as well. I'm looking forward to hearing what they think about the book, too.
If you are interested in checking out this book a little more, click here for a sample chapter or here for the table of contents.
I would strongly encourage you to read this book no matter what your spiritual background is. I think it will strengthen your ability to defend your faith or perhaps even help you to come to faith in Christ.
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