Grill A Christian: Answers to Tough Questions About Christianity, God and the Bible

by Roger Carswell

Wouldn't you just love to grab a Christian, sit them down in the hot seat and grill them mercilessly on the tough questions about God, the Bible and the world? There are the tricky questions that everyone asks, like Why does God allow suffering? and How can a God of love send people to Hell? Or perhaps you have more specific ones, such as Who did Cain marry? Was Jesus really born by a virgin? and Does God care about my carbon footprint? In "Grill a Christian," international speaker and author Roger Carswell gives straightforward, no nonsense answers from the Bible to these burning questions and many more. If you have ever wished you could have your question about God answered, or perhaps people ask you and you're not sure what to say, then this book is for you it probably has the answer!

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Faith, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Religion

118 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

From Library of Congress Authorities:
"Isleham.com WWW site, viewed January 6, 2022 (Roger Carswell was born in Leeds [England] ; lives in Horsforth ; a Christian ; worked as a teacher for several years ; now a full-time travelling evangelist)"

Reviews

[Ziyad Hasanin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quarantine books #2

Got this book from a Christian Union event a couple of weeks earlier, I guess this quarantine is a chance to finish some unread books.
Some rather funny comments is how the author starts by stating the "oppression" christians face just because they believe in Jesus - seems like all believers and religious people believe they are being persecuted for their beliefs.


Author starts by saying throughout his career all people he's seen have been asking the same questions; fair enough. Let's see what these questions were and if they are the same as mine:

1- God: as a theist myself, I won't really argue with this part (cuz I don't really think there is a point); just to say: I don't really think God can be proved rationally, needless to say any doctrines such as "trinity". However the whole historic debate about how the trinity came to be needs further exploration before being able to comment on it.

2- Bible: the bible is written over 1600 years by 40 authors. okay, who choose these authors? why not the gospel of thomas for example? "Later legends are only legends" - who decided these are legends and others are reliable eye-witness testimonies (who decided the "Canon of the New Testament")? No answer.

Bible full of contradictions: you can't find any, the author claims. As far as I have read and known, chapter 1 in Genesis has two different stories of creation - unless the author understands them in some different manner I dont know of.
I guess a short google search about contradictions in the bible can get some - the author dismisses the whole question. Anyways

bible and science: the author says the usual stuff about the Watchmaker etc. Does not go into any detail of what he claims are scientific theories and not "proven facts" -Really bad mistake here that makes me question whether he knows what does "scientific theory" means, but anyways-. Doesn't speak about Genesis and the age of the world, the flood, about evolution, nor about other 'scientific' details in the bible.

3- Jesus: Jesus died for my sins because Adam and Eve rebelled against god. Why am I to pay the price for Adam and Eve rebelling? No answer. Imagine having to live your life in servitude because your great-great-great-great grandparent didn't pay his taxes. Now consider you are also going to hell for it. (Not to mention the historicity and validity of Adam and the Genesis creation myth -story for another time).

Christian friends of mine told me that if you accept Jesus you know you're saved- when I asked about Christians who do horrible stuff, I didn't get a definitive answer. Author here says God will judge us for sins but isn't clear what will happen to sinners or "christians-who-do-horrible-stuff", are they saved or not? No answer.

Also, since it is a quick, concise read, it obviously doesn't comment on the long held arguing about the nature of Jesus christ and how the "Orthodox" (not in the anti-catholic sense) came to dominate after the Nicaea Forum for example - but fair enough, it's meant to answer questions not provide historical record.

Only through Jesus can we reach God - what about people who didn't hear about Jesus? No clear answer (except a "focus on your own first"). What about people who died before Jesus? No answer. What about People whose philosophies and theologies don't even account for a personal God (like Hinduism or Native Americans)? No answer. I can manage my own, but I shall question the validity of a claim that a loving God creates us so that we are sinning by nature and that we are impure due to a rebellion that happened at the beginning of time and which non of us is accountable for, and that the only way to be saved from eternal hell was only known in the middle east 2000 years ago.

Final little comment: the author says that disasters can be signs and punishments from God - alright, but I shall ask why do they happen to common people, and why arent they sent to save people in distress or oppression. God can punish us for our sins by sending earthquakes or Covid-19 but he can't send something to punish oppressors and unjust rulers as it seems (this is a view held by almost all Muslims and other religious people as well, I say almost because -like a minority- I don't believe God intervenes in the world, whether good or bad).

Rest of the book is a Meh-okay, but doesn't really pose any deep questions to me - apart from the sections about "all-religions-lead-to-God" and "just live a good life" - but I guess its not the time to discuss them here.

[Chelsea Duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a born again Christian of nearly a decade, I chose to read this book as an exercise in curiosity to see how a fellow believer might answer some of the tough questions. I found the book, unfortunately, mediocre. Some of the questions were bizarre, asking about whether Dan Brown's Davinci Code was real etc, which I find hard to believe anyone would genuinely ask. But a lot of the answers to the questions felt very 'stock answer' like. My main issue, however, was with the tone. It felt very defensive and a bit sharp in the first half of the book, almost ridiculing atheists, which I don't think is in the best interest of these readers, who are likely to be the book's majority audience. Yeah, this one wasn't for me.

[Ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold, biblical answers to commonly asked questions in a very readable book. Highly doubtful that it will answer all your questions in their entirety due to the brevity but its good food for thought, like a singular stuffed pepper - it might not fill you up but its a superb, hearty start.

[Austin Hessinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book answers some of the toughest questions surrounding God, Jesus, and the Bible. Roger Carswell does an excellent job of answering these questions clearly, concisely, and accurately. This book is definitely a tool I would recommend utilizing for tough conversations surrounding the Gospel.

[Wil Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, concise, biblical answers to common questions about God, the Bible, and Christianity.

[Luke Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful source for people wanting to have a more confident defense for common questions from lost people. Also a great book for lost people to read and hear the Gospel plainly and clearly.

[Amy Louise Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish this book, it was a gift that was obtained from one of those boxes outside church’s to share gods word. I was dubious because the publisher is 10 publishing and it isn’t known for putting out unbiased material, but I am curious to learn more about the faith I turned away from.

The question about homosexuals, giving they’re options as being either “turning to a heterosexual lifestyle or living a celibate life” to which I find horrible advice for any young LGBTQ person reading. Like many Christian books this seeks to shame the impressionable, I notice in the small segments I read the book was silent on the pedophile priests within the faith but quick to condemn what two consenting adults do in they’re own bed.

I found the whole book hard to swallow, and unbelievably one sided.

[Keith Skrdlant · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book does have good answers to the questions it covers, but I question its effectiveness in providing those answers. If I weren't a Christian (or a doubting one), I'd imagine that a lot of these answers would not put me at ease about the Christian faith. Some of the answers are so simplistic that they might only further my frustrations. I don't think this book is for someone with serious doubts and struggles; it might best serve someone who is looking for simple responses to these big questions (which isn't a bad thing!).

[Tim Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very concise and biblically faithful look at some big objections to the Christian faith. I will use this as a handout to high school seniors in the future to help them down the road. Very strong sections on morality and the life of Jesus. I would recommend this for all looking for concise apologetics book for you personally or ministry related giveaway.

[J.H.B · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are many interesting questions that are presented in the book, however the answers are repetitive and not deep enough. Sometimes those answers feel like a chant made by the author. The answers given are not convincing and the author lacks knowledge of history and the Bible.

[Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Flimsy answers that would not satisfy an enquiring agnostic or atheist. I would not recommend this book.

[Nathan Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Grill a Christian does a respectable job accomplishing what it sets out to do: serving as a compilation of popular Christian apologetic arguments and responses to common objections. The book is approachable and easy to read, making it a useful introduction for readers who are new to apologetics or who want a concise overview of common defenses of the Christian faith, from a reformed theological perspective.

That said, I found many of the arguments to be somewhat underdeveloped. While the book presents clear responses to common criticisms of Christianity, it often lacks the historical depth and scholarly evidence needed to fully support its conclusions. I would have appreciated more engagement with historical sources, philosophical reasoning, and primary evidence rather than relying primarily on brief explanations. Although the book consistently supports its claims with Scripture—which is important for a Christian audience, I think it could have strengthened its case by incorporating more historical context, especially when addressing questions about the reliability of the Bible and the history of the Church, which is very valuable in intellectual discussion.

Another weakness, in my opinion, is that the book occasionally feels too quick to dismiss opposing viewpoints. In several instances, an objection is presented and then simply labeled as false without fully explaining why it is logically or historically incorrect. As a result, some responses come across as assertions rather than carefully constructed arguments. At times, this risks giving the impression of begging the question and assuming the truth of the conclusion without sufficiently demonstrating it for a skeptical audience. Likewise, some opposing views are summarized so briefly that they resemble a straw man, even if that was not the author’s intention. A more charitable and thorough engagement with the strongest versions of skeptical arguments would have made the apologetic responses more persuasive and intellectually satisfying.

Despite these criticisms, I appreciated the overall purpose and accessibility of the book. It serves as a helpful reminder of straightforward apologetic arguments that Christians can use when discussing their faith with others. I also appreciated its practical gospel presentation frameworks and analogies, which make complex theological ideas easier to communicate in everyday conversations. Those sections are particularly valuable for believers who want to share their faith in a clear and accessible way.

Ultimately, I understand that no apologetics book can produce genuine spiritual conversion, and that is the work of God through the gospel and His Word. With that in mind, I think Grill a Christian succeeds as an introductory resource but falls short of being a totally complete and comprehensive defense of Christianity. Don’t get me wrong though, I do think that it is very valuable as a brief compilation of common answers Overall, the book met my expectations, and I would recommend it to someone who is just beginning to explore Christian apologetics, provided they also supplement it with more in-depth and historically grounded resources. I think it also a good read for the christian looking to find ways to be reminded of their faith and the workings of God, and to find questions to prepare for in evangelism. For readers who pair it with works that engage more extensively with history, philosophy, and formal argumentation, Grill a Christian can serve as a practical surface level starting point and a useful reference for everyday conversations about the faith.

[Stasha Jealeen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So clearly I took forever to read the book, but life 🙄😂 Anyways, another great book! I’m not sure what the other reviews on this book are even talking about because it has the most basic and easy to understand answers to all the questions that people have. If you can’t get these, then there’s no reason to get deeper, you know? I read it to help me be able to answer questions like these in real life. I suck at finding the right words for people, so this helps a lot. SO EASY to understand without getting all deep AND without getting frustrated lol. The author did well!

[Lisa Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over 50 common, genuine questions about Christianity are addressed with simple, clear answers. At just 130 pages, the answers are brief but adequate, with the reader referred to the author’s website if more information is desired (www.tell-me-more.org). The author also offers for readers to write him with questions. I think this book would be a good starting point for someone who is perhaps turned off from and has multiple questions about Christianity, the Bible, God/Jesus, heaven/hell, the church, and the gospel.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved reading about the Christian religion and certain questions in which are answered. Interesting to hear a different perspective to life and helpful in answering any children’s questions on this religion in class.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good for lots of questions with surface level answers (answers aren’t shallow and the author even laments that he can’t go more in depth, but the nature of this book just lends itself to be more surface level)

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst there are some interesting points, this book is repetitive and presents some views which simply aren't held by all Christians. Not impressed.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick to read and some good points about being a Christian and what it means. Difficult to comprehensively cover certain topics in a short book but well worth reading.

[Iain Hamill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good coverage of many common questions. Hard not to read in the author's voice if you've ever met him...

[Jeremy Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book for just dipping in. Does not give great answers but very helpful as a springboard into further research and study

[Ian VD · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book to come to when grilled

[Klaudia Maciejowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read! Underlined plenty. Perfect book for a curious mind, highly recommend!