Christian Apologetics

Review: The Gospel After Christendom

/ rtrube54 / Leave a comment
Cover image of "The Gospel After Christendom" edited by Collin Hansen, Skyler R. Flowers, and Ivan Mesa

The Gospel After Christendom

The Gospel After Christendom, edited by Collin Hansen, Skyler R. Fowers, and Ivan Mesa. Zondervan Reflective (ISBN: 9780310175476) 2025.

Summary: An intro to cultural apologetics, explaining how it is done and in what context, and what questions it answers.

Apologetics classically has been the effort to give a reasoned defense (“apology”) for the Christian faith. It is often associated with reasoned argument, proofs for God’s existence, evidence for the trustworthiness of the biblical accounts, of miracles, and the resurrection of Jesus. In recent years an offshoot to apologetics, cultural apologetics, has arisen out of the realization that classic apologetics is answering questions many people aren’t asking. Rather, it is an effort to understand and re-frame the cultural story in a way to which the gospel speaks compellingly as the best way to make sense of that story and one’s life. As one of the editors of this book, Collin Hansen, states:

“Cultural apologetics, then, helps non-Christians want the gospel to be true even before they fully understand this good news. We offer the beauty of the lordship of Christ as opposed to the ugliness of the lordship of the principalities and powers (Eph. 6:12)” (p. 4).

This book represents the work of scholars and practitioners associated with The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics to articulate the meaning and practice of cultural apologetics. Thus it serves as a valuable introductory text for any Christians wanting to relevantly communicate their faith. To do so, the book is broken into four parts, each of which I’ll briefly summarize.

Part 1. What is Cultural Apologetics?

Trevin Wax opens this section by showing how cultural apologetics is a useful tool in communicating the gospel in twenty-first century culture. For example, he shows how this helps us respond to cultural narratives like expressive individualism. Then he shows how curiosity is a way of caring for our neighbors and how cultural apologetics addresses the whole person. Finally, it displays the goodness and beauty of Jesus.

Then Christopher Watkin, who wrote Biblical Critical Theory, shows how cultural apologetics is as old as scripture itself. Continuing this idea Joshua D. Chatraw traces cultural apologetics through church history. He highlights Augustine and Pascal as exemplars of cultural apologetics in their day.

Part 2. How Is Cultural Apologetics Done?

Alan Noble open this section with a fine essay advocating a posture of grace rather than either accommodation or aggression. Then Daniel Strange, in a chapter on missiology, discusses how cultural narratives are idolatrous counterfeits of the gospel. In response, he advocates an approach of “subversive fulfillment.” He shows how Paul modelled this in Acts 17. First, he entered their world, noticing their gods and he explored, finding their altar to the unknown. Then he exposed how humanly created images are frauds. Finally, he evangelized, showing Christ as the “subversive fulfillment” they had sought elsewhere.

Then Gary Sutanto draws out the implications for theology of an anthropology that understands that humans know but suppress the knowledge of God with hearts that are hard and minds that are darkened. It is not that people cannot believe, but that they will not, except as God illumines their hearts as they hear the message. Ultimately, as Gavin Ortlund argues, our work is to expose unbelief as not merely untrue but unlivable. However, the gospel offers hope in place of despair.

Part 3. What Questions Does Cultural Apologetics Answer?

The three essays in this section focus on the goodness, beauty, and truth of Christianity. First, Rebecca McLaughlin makes the case for the goodness of Christianity, pointing to the goodness of Jesus, and how Christianity, as Tom Holland has argued, has powerfully contributed to human flourishing across history. At the same time, she addresses those who would call Christianity bad. Rachel Gilson then considers the beauty of Christianity, and how our sense of wonder points us to what we can ultimately find only in the beautiful God revealed in Jesus. Finally, Derek Rishmawy explores Christianity as true, the ground of reality. We believe it is true not because it works, but rather we believe it works because it is true.

Part 4. Where Does Cultural Apologetics Happen?

First of all, Bob Thune proposes that cultural apologetics originates in the church. That is, the church renewed and hospitable to outsiders is itself a cultural apologetic. However, many in our secular culture won’t initially darken the doors of the church. James Eglinton advocates for “front porches” ranging from public lectures to welcoming homes, to engage people not ready to enter “the house.” Finally, Sam Chan proposes that everyday life offers cultural texts we can deconstruct and reframe, offering the examples of weekend sports leagues, fitness trackers, many of our movies, catching planes, and doing the laundry.

Final Comments

One thing that struck me is that although this was an edited work, it read with a flow and coherence as if written by a single author. To bring such a stellar lineup together and produce such a cohesive text is a tribute to the editors. In addition, the book offers an outstanding introduction to cultural apologetics, providing definitions, baselines, and agenda. All this is done with an admirable brevity, in contrast to many apologetic tomes. In particular, the case for cultural apologetics as an aspect of Christian witness throughout history rather than a modern accommodation is valuable. Final, the book offers abundant examples of cultural apologetics that preach. Consider the example of the essays on beauty, goodness, and truth in part three. This is an outstanding introduction that will hopefully inspire many.

Review: The Search for a Rational Faith

/ rtrube54 / 1 Comment
Cover image for "The Search for a Rational Faith" by Daniel K. Williams

The Search for a Rational Faith

The Search for a Rational Faith, Daniel K Williams. Oxford University Press (ISBN: 9780197748039) 2026.

Summary: Anglo-American efforts to make a reasoned defense of Christian faith amid the rise of Enlightenment reason.

It was not uncommon in campus ministry to encounter people who asserted that no thinking person could believe in Christianity. Daniel K. Williams argues that this is a reflection of secularization theory. That is, as Enlightenment rationalism advances, science progresses, and higher education becomes more accessible, religious belief will dwindle, especially among the educated. The problem is, while skeptics exist, college-educated Christians actually are more likely to attend church than those who are not. What is interesting is that many of these did not find reason and science to conflict with their faith. This is true to some extent in England and a greater extent in the United States, whereas secularization has advanced as expected in other parts of Europe. What is the difference?

Daniel K. Williams argues in his new book, The Search for a Rational Faith, that from the 1700’s to the present, there has been an Anglo-American effort concentrated in higher education and related intellectual circles to offer a reasoned defense of Christian belief, responding to Enlightenment challenges. He shows how courses on Christian evidences were a centerpiece of a college education until the early twentieth century. The books used in these courses could be found in the libraries of famous individuals throughout this time from John Adams to Alexander Hamilton.

Williams also traces how the content of these courses change over time. Puritans focused on classical proofs for God but believed conversion was a work of grace by God alone. However, Arminians made a place for human initiative and believed that rational evidences may help convince one to believe. Thus, until the rise of biblical criticism and Darwinist evolution in the mid nineteenth century, these evidences were widely embraced. They served as an intellectual foundation for the American Republic, argues, Williams.

As biblical criticism and Darwinism spread, apologists needed to adapt. Some engaged these theories, either trying to refute them, or adopt approaches that reconciled the theories to Christian belief. Williams traces a shift from historic, empirical evidences to those emphasizing the evidence of religious experience. Increasingly, the argument was for the value of Christianity in promoting American values. These changes even invaded Princeton Seminary, leading to an exodus of conservative scholars.

Williams then traces the parallel developments among conservatives and liberals in the mid-twentieth century. The Princeton exiles develop presuppositionalist apologetics, starting with belief in God, not as something proven, but assumed. This approach would shape the ministry of Francis Schaeffer with countercultural seekers and his subsequent books. Meanwhile liberals went from Reinhold Niebuhr’s neo-orthodoxy that argued that Christian belief alone made sense of human nature and history to a radical skepticism of the existence of God.

Finally, Williams traces the resurgence of Christian apologetics among evangelicals, even as liberalism was imploding, influenced by the works of C. S. Lewis, Timothy Keller, and on a more intellectual level, Alister McGrath and John Lennox and Craig Keener.

What is exceptional in this work is the history over four centuries of this apologetic enterprise. It was fascinating to learn of thinkers and their works throughout this history. It’s fascinating how some of them anticipate present day efforts. I also appreciated the exploration of the relationship of rational defenses of the faith to conversion. In most periods, Christian evidences seemed far more important in offering Christians a solid basis for confident assertion of their faith. Finally, I appreciate the tension his work reflects in differing approaches to Enlightenment rationalism. While some befriend rationalism, others recognize the incompatibility of man-centered reason with God’s revelatory and illuminating work.

Having worked among graduate students and faculty in the public setting, I certainly gained a great appreciation for approaches that addressed the challenges of science as well as the rise of post-modernity and critical theory in the humanities (the latter is not addressed here). But I would also have liked to see Williams gesture toward efforts that are not merely defensive, but bring to bear Christian premises, doctrines, and values in a constructive engagement with academic disciplines. I think of efforts by Christians in a variety of disciplines, including history, to think Christianly. Williams’ discipline of history is an example of such efforts by people like George Marsden, Mark Noll, and Harry S. Stout. For many, Abraham Kuyper’s rallying cry of “every square inch” has been a rallying cry for moving beyond a defensive posture.

What George Marsden did for understanding the relationship of Christianity to American higher education in The Soul of the American University, Williams has done for the apologetic enterprise. Not only does he offer this comprehensive history, he gives the lie to the secularization hypothesis. He shows how Christians through American history have offered a cogent, reasoned defense of the faith equipping generations of Christians for confident (and hopefully winsome) assertion of their faith. This is a great text for contemporary Christian apologists. There are lessons in this history as well as inspiration in learning of the shoulders on which they stand.

_______________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

The Weekly Wrap: November 30-December 6

/ rtrube54 / 4 Comments
parcels in beige wrapping paper and christmas decorative lights
Photo by Nur Yilmaz on Pexels.com

The Weekly Wrap: November 30-December 6

Will AI Replace Writers?

One of the articles posted in this Weekly Wrap addresses the concern of writers that AI will replace them. At least half of UK novelists think this possible. And to be honest, I think it possible. AI can produce works in the style of any writer. For some readers, this may be all that’s necessary. Personally, I think to accept that is “welcome to The Matrix” material.

Yet real novelists who are good at their work don’t write in a “style.” There is a certain mystery to the human creative process, but it involves synthesizing a variety of elements and one’s own vision of the world into a story that is recognizably unique.

The challenge is not to write better than Atwood, McEwan, or King (even if you are them). Rather, it is the hard work of birthing words on the page out of that mysterious process, something very different from Large Language Models. I suspect there is a significant cadre of readers who will be able to discern and want the products of such a process.

Still, I think there ought to be some safeguards. The biggest is transparency. Ultimately, most people don’t want to be deceived that something they thought human authored was not.

While Amazon will sell most anything, with some exceptions, bookstores don’t have to. And perhaps it is time for those who buy books to decide, will I buy AI-written books? The danger I see is that the low cost of producing AI books might allow discount pricing that makes this attractive to buyers on a budget. And if an AI book can be written that is a page-turner, that might be all you need at the airport. But do you want to fill your life with airport fare?

People feared that print books would die with the advent of e-books. They haven’t, although the mass market paperback may be on the ropes. I wonder if we will see something of the same here. I also wonder if we will see a resurgence of small indie publishers who will go against the grain of those publishing AI material. What strikes me is that publishers and authors won’t decide this. Readers will–at least I fervently hope so!

Five Articles Worth Reading

The article I referenced is “A troubling question has been raised around human authors vs AI.” The article raises an interesting question about only the rich being able to afford books by human authors.

Technology has also changed public discourse. Formerly this was the purview of a class of intelligentsia. Now everyone with a smartphone is part of the conversation. Dan Williams thinks the elimination of “gatekeeping” a good thing. In “Let’s Not Bring Back The Gatekeepers” he argues that the once privileged who are on the margins need to learn to engage and persuade, not whine about media-facilitated populism.

The theory that Hamlet was inspired by the death of Shakespeare’s son has gained currency with the publication Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet in 2020 and the movie adaptation of it recently released. James Shapiro engages this trend in “The Long History of the Hamnet Myth“

The work of giving reasons for one’s faith, know as apologetics, was always a part of my collegiate ministry experience. So I was very interested in this interview, “Godly Persuasion,” with Ohio historian Daniel K. Williams on his new book studying the character of Christian apologetics from the English Puritans down to contemporary evangelicals.

Finally, many are turning to Hannah Arendt as a kind of prophet concerning totalitarianism. In “Hannah Arendt Is Not Your Icon,” New York Times non-fiction reviewer Jennifer Szalai profiles Arendt and proposes that one may find someone quite different than who they are looking for.

Quote of the Week

Poet Rainer Maria Rilke was born December 4, 1875. There are various versions of this translated quote, but one I’ve seen is:

“Live your questions now, and perhaps even without knowing it, you will live along some distant day into your answers.

Miscellaneous Musings

I’ve written before of the exceptional place Hearts and Minds Bookstore is. Owned by Byron and Beth Borger, they stock a wide array of thoughtful Christian books and other genres. They can get anything. Late last week I ordered three books. They arrived Tuesday, carefully packed and undamaged in a sturdy box. In addition, while on their website, you can sign up for Byron’s “Booknotes,” a regular newsletter reviewing books, usually on a theme, and all are discounted!

I’ll be compiling my “Best Books of 2025” to post next Friday. I choose an overall book as well as exceptional books in a number of categories. Don’t miss it!

I’ve just started Michael Grunwald’s We Are Eating the Earth which makes the case that our current practices of food production are unsustainable and contribute to climate change. I hope he offers practical help concerning what ordinary citizens can do.

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: Rick Atkinson, The Fate of the Day

Tuesday: Esther Lightcap Meek, Loving to Know

Wednesday: Dave Ripper, Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus

Thursday: Robert Garcia, Paul Gondreau, Patrick Gray, Douglas S. Huffman, eds., Watching The Chosen

Friday: Bob on Books Best Books of 2025

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for November 30-December 6.

Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page

Review: Does Science Make God Irrelevant?

/ rtrube54 / 1 Comment
Cover image of "Does Science Make God Irrelevant?" by Hans Madueme

Does Science Make God Irrelevant? (TGC Hard Questions Series), Hans Madueme. Crossway (ISBN: 9781433597978) 2025.

Summary: Proposes that science and faith may coexist as allies and that Christian assumptions make science possible.

“Does science make God irrelevant?” In my experience, that is not even a question for many. Rather, they assume it is a settled fact. For such people, they do not object to belief, if you need this to get through life. Rather, they make sense of the world just fine without God, thank you. It’s also my experience that many of these people have high moral standards. After all, integrity is a high value if you are doing good science.

Hans Madueme, in this concise little book, proposes that pursuing science, and living by faith may walk hand in hand. He begins by debunking the idea that science and faith have been at war. Many of the earliest scientists were believing Christians, including Galileo. Galileo got into trouble more because of the politics of the religious establishment rather than a conflict between science and scripture. The Scopes trial was as much about promoting the town of Dayton as it was a faith-science conflict. John Scopes was put up to it by the ACLU.

In fact, Madueme argues, Christian assumptions undergird science. The Creator-creation distinction encourages investigation of the cosmos because it is not divine. Christian assumptions that the world is knowable, rational, and dependable are basic to science. Even the fall is related to science in providing a basis for empiricism rather than the assumption that one may simply philosophically “know” the world.

Rather, the problem for Madueme lies with “scientism,” the belief that “nothing but” science is needed for all human knowledge. Ironically, that assertion is not scientifically demonstrable. However, although Madueme argues against ideological naturalism, he notes that most Christians have no difficulty embracing methodological naturalism, seeing it as the way we study the book of nature.

Having argued that faith and science may be close allies, he discusses the challenge of evolution and the different ways Christians approach this challenge. While he tries to clarify some language, like “creationist,” he doesn’t propose a resolution in this short booklet. Rather than encourage an anti-science response to instances of bad science, he affirms the commitment Christians and most scientists share to integrity, to following the data where it leads. I would like to have seen Madueme address the anti-science stance in some parts of the church and the politicization of science.

Finally, Madueme concludes the book with a brief description of the “fine tuning argument.” This is the idea that there are some particular stringent conditions under which life may arise and that the odds of this happening are incredibly high. The presence of an intelligent creator is certainly consistent with this reality, although this does not constitute proof. He notes the multiverse theories proposed as an alternate explanation. However for the believing scientist, the incredible order of the world, its intricacy, and beauty all move one to praise.

Madueme does all this in 65 pages of text. Of course he offers brief summaries of much longer discussions you can find in his notes. But I’ve found in many conversations about such things, most people are not that interested (at least initially) in wading through a technical text of several hundred pages. A brief, cogent summary is often what is needed and what Madueme has provided.

___________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: On the Resurrection, Volume 1: Evidence

/ rtrube54 / 2 Comments
Cover image for "On the Resurrection: Evidences" by Gary R. Habermas

On the Resurrection, Volume 1: Evidences, Gary R. Habermas. B & H Academic (ISBN: 9781087778600), 2024.

Summary: Evidence for the resurrection of Jesus based upon a minimal historical facts approach comprehensively researched and documented.

Philosopher and apologist Gary R. Habermas has made a career of arguing for the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Now, fifty years later, he has embarked on what is likely his magnum opus, a projected four volume work On the Resurrection. This work, Volume One, examines the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus based upon a minimal historical facts approach. He offers a comprehensive treatment, surveying theological scholars and historians across the spectrum from evangelical to skeptic, with meticulous and extensive documentation. Consequently, this is a big book, running to 1072 pages. For all that, I was delighted rather than daunted by prose that flowed and by the meticulous way Habermas laid out his material. In this review, I will outline the work of Volume One and offer a few concluding comments.

Part 1: The Nature of Historical Research

Habermas begins by laying the philosophical foundation for his minimal historical facts approach. He begins with a survey of approaches to historiography from ancient historians through logical positivism to post-modernism, concluding that none of these have rejected outright the possibility of historically knowable facts. He discusses the tools of historiography and how the authenticity of sources is assessed. Most important is that sources are early, derived from eyewitnesses, multiple attestation exists, including enemy attestation, there is dissimilarity from other contemporary sources, embarrassing detail that disparages the source, and more. After a defense against post-modern skepticism, Habermas explains his minimal historical facts methodology. This includes his criteria, what is meant by the “vast majority of critical scholars and the breadth of his work. Habermas lists six minimal historical facts strongly supported by critical scholarship and six other facts that enjoy substantial but not as extensive support.

Part 2: Jesus: The Preliminaries

Before coming to the historical facts, Habermas establishes several preliminary facts on which the resurrection of Jesus depends. Most basic is the existence of Jesus. While doubted by some skeptics, Habermas shows that the existence of Jesus is supported by numerous early sources, including hostile sources. He defines the concept of miracle as “a dynamic, specialized event that nature is incapable of producing on its own, that temporarily supersedes (or appears to supersede) the normally known pattern of nature. Such an event would be brought about by the power of God or another supernatural agent for the express purpose of acting as a sign or pointer to verify or draw attention to a person or message.” Finally, he considers the case for Jesus as a healer and the important connection the resurrection has to this healing work

Part 3: The Minimal Historical Facts

Having laid the groundwork, Habermas proceeds to the minimal facts and the considerations that warrant their broad scholarly acceptance. They are:

  1. Jesus Death: that he died, how he died and its significance
  2. The Disciples Experiences: The appearances and the earliest sources including 1 Cor. 15:3-7.
  3. The Earliest Proclamation of the Gospel: Nine layers of early testimony
  4. The Disciples Transformations: From flight and despair to bold proclamation and martyrdom
  5. The Conversion of James: From skeptical brother to believer after the appearance of the risen Jesus.
  6. The Conversion of Paul: From persecutor to apostle after the resurrection appearance.

With each of these six, Habermas delineates the considerations (ten or more for each) that support acceptance as minimal facts. He also surveys scholarly opinion across the spectrum. Perhaps most notable is the support of scholars like Bart Ehrman and John Dominic Crossan for many of these facts. And this despite their own skepticism about the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

Part 4: The Other Six Known Historical Facts

Having covered the six minimal facts, Habermas outlines support, substantial, though not as extensive for six other facts:

  1. The empty tomb: Over twenty supporting considerations and a shift among recent scholars to support of the historicity of the empty tomb.
  2. Jesus burial: While noting dissent from the burial, shows evidence and support including the significance of joseph of Arimathea.
  3. The despair and disillusionment of the disciples following the crucifixion.
  4. Christian preaching and teaching began in Jerusalem, the site of the events proclaimed.
  5. The Church began meeting on Sunday and spread
  6. The centrality of the message of Jesus’s death and resurrection.

Part 5: The Gospel Resurrection Data

After considering twelve historical facts, Habermas now considers these in the context of the gospel resurrection narratives. Habermas devotes a chapter to each gospel. Before that, Habermas devotes a chapter to recent gospel studies. He highlights the early creedal foundations behind the gospel and the research on the traditions behind the gospel, especially Richard Bauckham’s work asserting the eyewitness basis for gospel testimony. Also, he includes N.T. Wright’s arguments for early dates for the resurrection material. Finally, Habermas reviews the material from noncanonical Christian authors writing between AD 95 and 160.

Conclusion and Final Comments

It is clear that Habermas believes that the historically supportable facts are best explained by the idea that Jesus actually arose bodily. He briefly discusses alternative explanations that he will address more fully in Volume Two on refutations. He also includes two appendices. The first discusses the evidence for near death experiences as authentic out of the body experiences, including a patient who claimed to have risen out of her body, seeing a red shoe on the hospital roof. A janitor found that shoe. The second appendix outlined the data favoring the minimal facts.

In conclusion, Habermas makes an impressive case for the resurrection. On one hand, he shows the extensive evidence and support for that evidence, growing in recent years, across the scholarly spectrum. At the same time, he deals fairly with contradictory evidence. Above all, he has created a massive reference work for both scholars and apologists. But, as he would admit, this does not compel belief, as is evident among scholars skeptical of the resurrection. But it does mean that skeptics need to either show the facts unsupportable or offer a better account of them.

____________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?

/ rtrube54 / 5 Comments

Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles? Ian Hutchinson. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press/Veritas Books, 2018.

Summary: A collection of responses to questions about God and science asked by students at Veritas Forums on university campuses throughout the country.

There is a popular conception that science and religion are at war and that anyone who is engaged in scientific research rejects the idea of a God. If that is the case, Ian Hutchinson apparently didn’t get the memo. That’s all the more extraordinary because Hutchison is a plasma physicist doing research and teaching at MIT. He has published over two hundred peer-reviewed articles and at least two books in his field. And he didn’t grow up Christian, as he shares in this book. He came to faith in college after a careful search.

Hutchinson has been willing to go public with his faith, speaking at a number of university campuses through the Veritas Forum. One of the features of these speaking engagements are audience questions from students in attendance. Over the years, he has collected these questions, many of which concern how scientists can possibly embrace the Christian faith. In this work, after sharing his own journey to faith and subsequent life, he organizes these into thirteen chapters. In this case, listing the table of contents may be the best way to summarize the issues he covers:

Preface
1. A Spiritual Journey
2. Are There Realities Science Cannot Explain?
3. What Is Faith?
4. Do Scientists Have Faith?
5. Does Reason Support Christian Belief?
6. What Is Scientism?
7. Is There Really Spiritual Knowledge?
8. Creation and Cosmology
9. Do Miracles Happen?
10. The Bible and Science
11. Of All the World’s Religions, Why Christianity?
12. Why Does God Seem Hidden?
13. Is There Good and Evil?
14. Personal Consequences: So What?

As you can see, the title of the work is just one of these chapters. How he approaches this is a good reflection of the approach of the whole book. He starts with a definition of a miracle: a miracle is an extraordinary act of God. He observes that because of its extraordinary character, the existence of miracles cannot be proven or disproven because science requires reproducibility. This is actually modest because he admits that miracles involve interpretation. All science can do is speak to the likelihood of such an event. He also argues that the inviolability of nature’s laws is not a doctrine of science. Natural explanations of events needn’t be the only explanations. Quantum reality actually suggests a universe that is not a closed system of natural laws. He discounts many miracle legends and focuses on the miracles of the incarnation and resurrection as central to Christianity. Along the way, he addresses natural explanations as well as the possibility of miracles in other religions, arguing that these are most worth considering when consistent with the whole worldview of that religion.

Several things are striking: there is respect for the questions, the responses both explore the logic, as well as possible misconceptions, of the question and then offers reasoned responses with significant documentation. Throughout, there is high regard for the work of scientists and the results of science and the conviction that there is nothing in science that calls into question the existence of God or the truth of the central claims of Christianity. Actually, the question that is the most challenging for Hutchinson is not a scientific one but rather the existence of evil and the questions it raises of the goodness of God. He does offer thoughtful responses to this as well, and observes that evil is also a problem for the atheist.

Because of the question-based format, this does feel a bit like a question and answer session. That may be useful as a reference for someone who has similar questions or friends who do. It also reflects the tone I’ve witnessed when I’ve heard Hutchinson speak: articulate, forthright but not arrogant, gracious and yet well-reasoned. One interlocutor told me that he had checked out Hutchinson ahead of time and agreed to engage with him, convinced that they would have a real conversation, not a set up. And that’s what one finds here.