Engaging with Atheists: Understanding their world; sharing good news

Engaging

by David Robertson

Many Christians are fearful of engaging in conversation with atheists - believing that they will be hostile to Christian beliefs and conversations about the Bible. This short book is designed to help both Christians and whole churches understand more about the questions and issues that atheists of various kinds have about Christian faith, and to reach out to them with the good news of the Gospel.

Genres: Christian, Evangelism, Faith

130 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

David Robertson is the minister of St Peter's Free Church in Dundee, Scotland, and a director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity. He is the author of The Dawkins Letters, and has publicly debated Richard Dawkins and other prominent atheists throughout the UK and Europe. David is married to Annabel and has three children.

Reviews

[Kristin N. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The bottom line is to not force your beliefs on someone. This book encourages you to harrass those who aren't Christian with praying for them and telling them they need to pray and read the Bible.

I hate to break it to you, but most Atheists are so BECAUSE they read the Bible.

[bex 🌱 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful! Not only was it a good reminder why we should want to tell atheists about Jesus, there was also some practical points and suggestions.

[Jason Mccool · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good quick read, even for a rather slow, deliberate reader with little free time like myself. This was one of those books that gives a good 30,000-foot view of a topicrather than delving into minutia, hence the slim 111 pages. Nevertheless, it's a good book for those who maybe have an atheist colleague at work, or a friend or family member who has gone down that path, and they are unsure where to even start discussing such potential minefield topics. Maybe you are aware of the common warning to "never discuss politics or religion", which is unfortunate that 2 topics that have such significant impacts in the lives of people would be considered taboo for many. But too many times, we discuss them poorly, often without trying to understand the opposing side, and end up talking (or screaming) past each other, leaving a bad taste for all involved. Robertson seeks to help the Christian actually engage with atheists and not just talk at them.

Despite the number of apologetics books I've read, there were good reminders in here for me as well. One thing I liked was that the chapters closed with some points of reflection for the Christian, some "talking points" to help get dialogue started, some quick "Dos and Don'ts" so average Christian can learn from the mistakes of others rather than making the same mistakes themselves, and some testimonies from former atheists. I think this could be a good book for the Christian looking for guidance on talking with people who are maybe outside of their normal circles, as well as churches looking for a small-group study material. The short chapters and thoughtful questions would make for good weekly discussions. Overall, I recommend it.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hearing the word atheist can bring about different emotions and thoughts as a Christian. For many, there is a discomfit when it comes to engaging them. Believers know that they are to share the Gospel, but they wonder if they are prepared to share with those who do not believe in God. What to share, how to share? Is there an approach? What if we do not know the answer to a question? In "Engaging with Atheists" David Robertson does a pretty good job of equipping believers in this area. For further help, I would recommend "Tactics" by Greg Koukl.

[Rachel Grepke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series and it did not disappoint. Easy to read, quick and to the point. It was not as much about interacting with them as it was making me aware of the different ways we speak and hear things. I learned several big points. While I don't feel I "learned" as much as I did in the other books, it was still helpful and worth my time. Most of the points were things I already studied about, but still good reminders.

[Juan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good as a basic understanding of how to approach an atheist

Really awesome advice regarding the role of a believer when try to present Jesus to others that do no see him through the same lenses as you.

[Deborah-Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout my life I have been blessed but also sheltered. Growing up I attended Christian schools and from an early age felt a calling to full time vocational Christian ministry which resulted in me attending a Christian elementary school, Christian high school, Christian university, and finally a Christian seminary. As you can see, my entire life was heavily influenced by Christian thinking. So, what happens now that I am getting older and find myself conversing more and more with atheists and agnostics? Do I continue to live under this illusion that all people not only believe in God but try to live for Him as passionately as I do... or do I actually learn a thing or two about apologetics and the prevailing Western scientific mindset that is so prevalent over here in the UK? I think the answer is obvious... the responsible thing for any Christian to do is to engage in the latter option rather than the former one.

With this in mind, I picked up Robertson's book. I had been looking for a helpful book like this for a few months, but had never found one that quite fit what I was after. I "accidentally" stumbled upon this book at a Christian bookstore, walked away because of the cost, but then eventually came back to buy it. I am glad I did.

Robertson is a brilliant writer who espouses much theological wisdom and also offers practical advice. As an academician and theologian myself, I found his writing style to be both clear and concise (something a lay person could easily understand) but also appealing to my nerdiness (that is to say well researched, nuanced, and thought provoking).

Previously I had very little understanding of what atheists actually believe, but after reading this book, I have a much better appreciation for their worldview. I also have picked up on a few challenging questions I can ask them next time, and also have a different approach to certain topics (for example how many atheists actually come from within Christian countries so they don't really know what a worldview entirely devoid of Christianity would look like).

Throughout the book, I appreciated Robertson's sense of application and also his humility. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick and easy defence of the Gospel or an introduction to Christian apologetics. Once I started reading it, I just couldn't put it down. It's the time of book I would refer to over and over in the future.