Taking Back Truth: A Biblical Response to Common Cultural Lies

by Douglas Groothuis

Post-truth, AI deep fakes, truthiness, propaganda, alternative facts, true for you but not for me--the concept of truth has been taking a beating for decades, but in recent years it feels as though we may be beyond the point of no return. Not only are our concepts of truth not aligned with biblical teachings, but they are also patently out of step with objective reality. And even if we find this disturbing--when we notice it at all--we may be at a loss about where we go from here.

With a cool head and a warm heart, senior apologist Douglas Groothuis explores our culture's deficient view of truth, clearly explaining the nature of truth, how to know if something is true, and how to bring truth to bear on some of the most pressing issues of our times. Pointing us back to a biblical worldview as the foundation of our understanding of truth, this honest yet hopeful examination of common cultural lies will equip you to

· identify and resist ideologies based on personal opinion and false premises
· calmly and clearly discuss hot-button topics like race, gender, morality, and more
· help your friends, family, and others in your sphere of influence recover truth in a relativistic society

Genres: Religion

224 pages, Paperback

Published July 28, 2026

About the author

Douglas Groothuis (PhD, University of Oregon) is professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary in Denver, Colorado, where he heads the Apologetics and Ethics masters degree program. His articles have been published in professional journals such as Religious Studies, Philosophia Christi, Themelios, Christian Scholar's Review, Inquiry, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. He has written numerous books, including Christian Apologetics and, most recently Philosophy in Seven Sentences.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was once told by a Christian professor that while first principles and theological truths do not change, the culture around us does. So, he argued, we needed to write the next set of books that applied eternal truths to changing times and issues.

Taking back Truth is a perfect example of doing that kind of work. Doug Groothuis, who has written about truth and cultural issues as a Christian apologist for years, has produced a solid and accessible book about applying reason and Scripture to issues we face every day. I was excited to pick it up and read it through, knowing that Dr. Groothuis would not give up on truth, solid biblical application, and facing the most significant issues of our day.

The Table of Contents reads like a list of contentious issues, from human nature, morality, sex and gender, to race. In each chapter Groothuis tackles the issues as they stand, he explains the ideas driving bad views on these issues, then he tackles them all with logic and Scripture.

I can easily see this as a gift to someone exploring Christianity or spirituality, or as a great read for a small group or a young adult group that wants to make sense of what culture argues for in the most contentious issues and then reflect on how to think about them as Christians.

[Adam Kareus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth matters and we need to know it. In a world which seems to want to distance itself from even the concept of truth, at least objective truth, truth becomes even more important. So much of the currents of society can be explained by a decay in truth. Christians who know the truth which defines all truth, Jesus Christ, need to be prepared to speak that truth and all it involves. We need to stand on truth against those who would seek to decay it.

Douglas Groothuis lays out what truth is and why it matters as well as applying truth to a series of issues in our culture today. He offers short discussion on how to think critically through arguments at the end, hopefully providing some training for when we seek to bring truth to bear.

[Roger Leonhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but excellent book on apologetics and culture!

Groothuis touches on a number of cultural subjects from a Christian perspective. Each subject is treated on a layman's level, making it very readable.

There is really nothing new here. You can find the same information in a number of current books, but what makes this one different is the length. It makes it a quick, worthwhile read. Instead of being bogged down on a subject, he finishes each chapter in a concise manner with enough information that you feel you get an overview of the subject.

I recommend this book, especially to those who are interested in problems faced in our current culture