Can You Believe It's True?: Christian Apologetics in a Modern and Postmodern Era

by John S. Feinberg

Truth? Can we know it? Many people today would say no–we can’t. This paradigmatic shift to relativism presents a direct challenge to the Christian’s witness and the challenge must be answered. In this comprehensive treatment, noted scholar John Feinberg argues that truth is both real and knowable, offering us a robust guide to Christian apologetics for engagement with our world today.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Christianity

528 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

John S. Feinberg (PhD, University of Chicago) is department chair and professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is the author of Ethics for a Brave New World (with Paul D. Feinberg) and is general editor of Crossway’s Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.

Reviews

[Josh Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a commonly used apologetics textbook, it is useful to read for people wanting an introduction to defending the faith and strategies for doing so. However, it does not have much on a postmodern approach as the title would have you assume.

[Grayson Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I disagree with Feinberg in respect to his approach to apologetics (he is evidential, I subscribe to presuppositional), I nonetheless appreciated reading this book. In the post-modern epoch, Feinberg seeks to build a defense in proposal of being able to definitively and qualitatively proclaim truth. Whether we agree on initial premises of apologetic approach, it was nonetheless beneficial for me to understand why he disagrees with presuppositional apologetics, yet also, glean from his understanding of post-modernism and his framework in dealing with the evidences he puts forth.

The book itself stands with much to merit. Feinberg splits the book into three sections, the first being an introduction to modernity and postmodernity. This is truly the point in which I think Feinberg does an excellent job, as he respectively moves through each of these intellectual fields. In this, he highlights both strengths and weaknesses associated with these post-enlightenment ideals, namely demonstrating how post-modernism displays a healthy skepticism of blind appeals to authority, yet on the far other end of the spectrum, casts doubts on the credibility of anything. In this, he rightfully attributes the folly behind the unequivocal, “there is no truth but what is true for you and what is true for me, even if they don’t coincide.”

Once we move beyond this point of the book, he introduces a section devoted to approaching Christian apologetics. While it is clear that Feinberg does not agree with the presuppositional stance, he does note five significant contributions to the field of apologetics.

Everyone has presuppositions and this figures in to our worldview.
The Holy Spirit is needed within apologetics for it to be successful.
Human reason is finite and subjected to the affect of sin.
Scripture does teach that God has been made apparent to everyone.
The strategy of exposing contradictions and demonstrating absurdities in contrary worldviews.

In the third portion of the book, Feinberg moves on to giving defense to particular areas in debate from secular sources:

The problem of evil.
The reliability of the gospels.
The resurrection of Christ.
The issue of religious pluralism.

In either case, those looking to read on apologetics will stand to benefit from this section as well.

On the whole, while I disagree on a foundational level – I would recommend reading this book. Feinberg is charitable in his disagreements with presuppositional apologetics and argues winsomely for his case. Yet ultimately, I feel he falls short of the true nature of man in respect to their ability to know truth. If we factor in the ministry of Satan upon the earth to keep unbelievers in their respective blindness, their predisposed, utter inability to understand God in their darkened minds, and the devastating affect sin has upon our intellect, it would seem evident that mankind, apart from the illuminating work of the Spirit, cannot agree even on the relative bodies of Christian truth to their fullness. Instead, they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, leaving any evidences for God to be rejected along with the foundational truths of the scriptures.

Though common revelation is given to man on the basis of natural revelation, ultimately, this is only sufficient to condemn. For true agreement to be reached between a non-Christian and Christian, the common basis is found in the root of truth: the God of all truth. If one does not believe in God, the route by which they come to adhere to any Christian truth is not due to intellectual ability or logical deduction – it is revelatory.

While these truths can lead one to accept the probability of their being a god, it does not necessitate that they believe in the One true God. Hence, it is still an undergirded presupposition on the basis of their own intellectual ability and preconceived ways they are able to study/view the world and how it functions. These presuppositions, namely from a darkened soul that does not understand or seek God (Romans 3:11), gird how they view and explain the evidence. Even if consistent agreement is found, it does not indicate that they are any closer to believing it to be evidence for God than when they first started. Apart from the saving grace of God, they cannot come to believe the foundational truths, which lead one to salvation.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway Books through the Beyond the Page book reviewer program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa....

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book “Can You Believe It's True?: Christian Apologetics in a Modern and Postmodern Era” is split into 3 parts (keep in mind it looks like, & reads like a text book). The first deals w/foundations of truth, specifically in light of modern & postmodern thought. After a brief introductory chapter, Feinberg sketches for readers a general introduction to modernity and postmodernity. He then deals w/their respective skepticism, dealing first w/postmodernity. Then he deals w/modern skepticism, as well as issues related to doubt & certainty.

Basically postmoderns are unwilling to engage in truth claims because they are skeptical that there is such a thing as truth or deny that, even if there is such a thing as truth, human beings are able to know it. Postmoderns emphasize that human beings are conditioned by experiences, biases & culture. Such conditioning renders human beings unable to offer more than a perspective on reality. Consequently postmoderns deny that humans can acquire objective truth.

Feinberg's response is to argue that there is an obligation upon human beings of all cultures and backgrounds to be logical & that objectivity is possible.

Overall John Feinberg does a good job, just remember that this is still a text/reference book. It reads like one though I think he does a good job of not getting bogged down. I have always liked his approach & answer in dealing with the “Problem of Evil” and he lays it out well in this book

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another grand slam from John Feinberg. This is no easy read and not for the faint of heart. While I did not agree with all of Feinberg's conclusions, I enjoyed this book so much that I plan on recommending it to many of friends, Christian and non-Christian alike. I was especially benefited by the first two parts of the book, in which Feinberg deals with postmodernism, modernism, and various approaches to Christian apologetics. I also loved his last chapter on religious pluralism, which was a helpful summary of the main arguments of the book. A triumph. Thank you, John Feinberg, for your vast learning and labor of love--you are an inspiration, and a blessing to the body of Christ.

[David Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book John Feinberg begins by discussing problems created for Christianity by Modern and Postmodern philosophical claims, he then discusses appropriate methodology for apologetics, and finishes with some examples of how he approaches different apologetical subjects. This book is a necessary addition to every Christian theologians or Apologists library. See my review on my blog (philosopherdhaines.blogspot.ca).

[Dwain Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book. Feinberg does a great job of dealing with knowledge from both the modern and post modern perspectives. Then he looks at different apologetic methods and discusses their strengths and weaknesses. Then he looks at some different arguments for Christianity.

It is very good. It is a bit textbook like, but there is good information in the book.