Without a Doubt: Answering the 20 Toughest Faith Questions
Overview
It can be difficult to answer questions about the Christian faith—even for Christians who regularly read their Bibles and attend church. What can they say to a skeptic who questions Christian doctrine or truth claims? What about young Christians who want answers to their tough questions?
Without a Doubt covers questions on everything from the doctrine of the incarnation to religious pluralism, from evolution to moral relativism, with rational answers for even the most stubborn skeptic. Authorities ranging from prophets and philosophers to scientists and the Scriptures provide rational explanations and compelling evidence for those who have questions about their or question faith altogether. Chapters contain charts, relevant biblical texts, and outlines to help readers grasp key ideas relevant to proclaiming the gospel to an unbeliever or discussing doctrine with another Christian.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Equips believers to share and defend their faith
- Analyzes and supports Scripture’s scientific claims
- Offers a variety of aids to assist in understanding
- Part One: Thinking through Questions about Faith in God
- How Can Anyone Know That God Exists?
- How Can I Believe in a God I Can’t See?
- How Has God Revealed Himself?
- Aren’t the Creeds a Thing of the Past?
- How Can God Be Three and One?
- Why Should I Gamble on Faith?
- Part Two: Thinking through Questions about Faith in Jesus Christ
- Are the Gospels Trustworthy Accounts of Jesus’ Life?
- Is Jesus a Man, Myth, Madman, Menace, Mystic, Martian, or the Messiah?
- How Can Jesus Christ Be Both God and Man?
- Did Jesus Christ Actually Rise from the Dead?
- Why Did Jesus Christ Have to Die?
- Don’t All Religions Lead to God?
- How Should Christians Respond to the World’s Religions?
- Aren’t Christianity and Science Enemies?
- Doesn’t Hypocrisy Invalidate Christianity?
- Don’t I Have a Right to Do What I Want with My Own Body?
- Doesn’t Christianity Promote Intolerance?
- Isn’t Morality Simply in the Eye of the Beholder?
- How Can a Good and All-Powerful God Allow Evil?
- How Should a Christian Prepare to Give Reasons for Faith?
Top Highlights
“Montgomery’s wealth of knowledge, biting wit, and passion for defending the faith made the show not only educational but also entertaining. Reading his books and listening to his tapes and lectures, I began to realize that Christianity has nothing to fear from philosophic, scientific, or historic scrutiny. In fact, the more I learned, the more I began to understand that of all the world’s religions, Christianity uniquely stands up to honest intellectual inspection.” (Page 17)
“Atheism offers no adequate explanation for evil and suffering. Atheists cannot even speak about evil without relying upon borrowed moral capital, nor can they account for the concept of good. Since atheism’s argument about the problem of evil fails to make a case against God, it is necessary to consider why God, specifically the God of Christianity, chooses to allow evil and suffering.” (Page 246)
“If some people are just plain wrong in their ethical thinking (which seems intuitively obvious), then ethical subjectivism must be false.” (Pages 230–231)
“Doug’s passion for Reformation theology also profoundly influenced my own theological views.” (Page 17)
“At least three major problems emerge from finite godism and similar viewpoints.6 First, it provides no guarantee that evil will ever be defeated. If this god doesn’t have the ability to overcome evil and must rely upon the help of human beings, then the world is in a hopeless mess. Second, this finite god created a world he cannot control. He is neither omnipotent nor omniscient and therefore seems an unlikely candidate for human worship. Third, there is no compelling need to adopt a finite view of God in the first place because the so-called inconsistent triad is logically resolvable.” (Page 242)
Sample exhibits the virtues of charity and intellectual integrity along with a deep understanding of the sorts of challenges to the Christian faith that are offered in our contemporary world and must be met by the serious Christian. Without a Doubt is a wonderful work.
—Francis J. Beckwith, associate professor of church-state studies, Baylor University
Without a Doubt fills a specific void in the apologetic literature. It brings together very careful research with a reader-friendly style. A great read for anyone interested in answers to some of life’s most puzzling questions.
—J.P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology
Rarely does one find such an array of issues and quality responses under one cover, all ready for personal use or in addressing questions or challenges.
—Gary R. Habermas, distinguished professor of apologetics and philosophy, Liberty University
Kenneth Richard Samples is a senior research scholar with Reasons To Believe, the premier science-religion think tank. An adjunct instructor of apologetics at Biola University, Samples is the author of A World of Difference.