What do you think?
Rate this book
Christ Among Other gods: A Defense of Christ in an Age of Tolerance
You’ve heard it said, “All religions are equal.” But do you know how to respond? Tolerance sees all religions as spokes of one wheel, spinning everyone together in harmony with God. Christ Among Other gods shows how this wobbly wheel simply doesn’t hold up. Walking you through a study of Christ—from his birth to his promised second coming—pastor and scholar Erwin W. Lutzer presents Jesus as He the only way of salvation. Learn how The tensions between tolerance and truth are growing, as are the challenges of representing Christ in today’s world. Christ Among Other gods will help you understand and navigate these challenges. It gives you the facts you need to counter the claims of false religions with the truth of Christ. And what is more, it will help you fall more in love with Jesus, the only way, truth, and life. "If you want to understand Christ better, defend Him with more confidence, and worship Him with more single-mindedness, this book is for you." — Josh McDowell , Josh McDowell Ministry
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
26 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Erwin W. Lutzer
165 books277 followersErwin W. Lutzer is senior pastor of The Moody Church in Chicago. A graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Loyola University, he is the author of numerous books, including the Gold Medallion Award winner "Hitler's Cross" and the best seller "One Minute After You Die". He is also a teacher on radio programs heard on more than 700 stations throughout the United States and the world, including "Songs in the Night," "The Moody Church Hour," and the daily feature "Running to Win." He and his wife, Rebecca, live in the Chicago area and have three married children and seven grandchildren.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 15, 2019
Christ Among Other gods: A Defense of Christ in an Age of ToleranceI feel that this book, Christ Among Other gods, is a great resource for understanding how and why Jesus Christ is above the other gods on Earth. I find it easy to accept others' views of religion without standing up for Jesus. He is sinless and is the only Truth we sould place faith in.
I recommend this book to any Christian as a reference and a reminder of what we should put our faith in.
I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I recommend this book to any Christian as a reference and a reminder of what we should put our faith in.
I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
February 16, 2016
This study is written to give reasons why Christ must always stand alone; all attempts to unite Him with the religions of the world are doomed to fail. Clarifications are made to Christ's credentials and also to the gospel. It is with these clarifications we come to understand that truth is exclusive and must logically be so.
The search for the truth is a search for the extraordinary. From the Jesus' birth to the resurrection to the ultimate demise of evil, we have to chose our God carefully.
What I found most interesting was the insight on how pluralism is moving us closer to one world government and with a one world government a one world religion. The implications of a one world government is intolerance. Hitler himself was moving toward that very movement. It is interesting to me how Satan shadows what Christ has already done and how Hitler himself was a foreshadowing of the anti-Christ. He himself obtained leadership of the Nazi party the year he celebrated his 30th birthday. I know you can read into these things, but as the world grows more hostile to the things of God, it will only make room for evil to grow. Do we really want God out of every aspect of our lives? It is because of God, the son rises.
I appreciated this study of the faith and keeping the faith in turbulent times.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
The search for the truth is a search for the extraordinary. From the Jesus' birth to the resurrection to the ultimate demise of evil, we have to chose our God carefully.
What I found most interesting was the insight on how pluralism is moving us closer to one world government and with a one world government a one world religion. The implications of a one world government is intolerance. Hitler himself was moving toward that very movement. It is interesting to me how Satan shadows what Christ has already done and how Hitler himself was a foreshadowing of the anti-Christ. He himself obtained leadership of the Nazi party the year he celebrated his 30th birthday. I know you can read into these things, but as the world grows more hostile to the things of God, it will only make room for evil to grow. Do we really want God out of every aspect of our lives? It is because of God, the son rises.
I appreciated this study of the faith and keeping the faith in turbulent times.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
October 14, 2017
Overview
Christ Among Other Gods by Erwin W. Lutzer promises to “Describe the uniqueness of Christ, Defend the claims of Christianity, [and] Debunk the myths that many tout.” Despite being written in 1994, a majority of the points are timeless, and many readers could benefit from them. While Lutzer certainly had a number of strong arguments that addressed the goals of the book, the book’s credibility is weakened by a few flaws, most notably, the doctrinal issues surrounding salvation.
Positives
This is an incredibly important topic, and Lutzer addressed it with some very good content that was well-written. Throughout the book, he uses powerful imagery and analogies. His description of his experiences at the Parliament of the World’s Religions was an interesting thread weaved throughout the book. Though he was confident and convicted, he still explained what types of tolerance are necessary and what are to be avoided. He explains that we should desire legal tolerance and social tolerance for those of different faiths, but points out that tolerance for the other faiths without criticism should be avoided. He supported his points well and explained why logically, Christianity stands on its own. Despite the flaws, which I will address next, this point carried through in a powerful way.
Negatives
Lutzer’s writing suffered from broad dismissals, minor theological errors, and outright heresy.
There were several points in his book where he outright dismissed groups or concepts in such a way that one questioned if he actually understood what he was talking about. There were a few explanations in his book that, depending on how they were read, could lead one to believe theological errors. These things could be overlooked, but the heresy in this book is particularly concerning. The heresy primarily arises in his discussions of salvation where he shares ideas that are not biblical or actually contradict biblical instruction. As this is a book review and not an apologetics post, I won’t go into detail addressing these topics, but readers should be warned of this.
While I can’t speak to the accuracy of his descriptions of the Antichrist and Armageddon, I can say that these descriptions seemed out of place. This book went from a logical argument for the supremacy of Christianity to what seemed to be the ramblings of an unhinged conspiracy theorist. Once he leaves this topic, he redeems himself in his tone and content, but it still is a point that weakens his book.
Lastly, as a Catholic, there are several concerns I have about the content.
Catholic Perspective
Though the heretical statements are of greatest concern, there were several smaller issues I noticed as a Catholic reader. Some were just areas where the book would’ve benefited from additional details, some were points where a Catholic reader would question the validity, and some were misunderstandings of Catholic beliefs.
Lutzer would’ve benefitted from expanding on the topic of virgin birth. Though he does a decent job explaining it and doesn’t contradict any Catholic teaching, it could’ve been better. Lutzer also talked about how Jesus is present among us, but he fails to mention the Eucharist. While this is expected for any Protestant book, it is heartbreaking that he failed to acknowledge the intimate presence of Christ in the Eucharist that is so readily available to us.
I won’t get into the points where a Catholic would question the validity as these are part of a rather complicated discussion, but a Catholic reader should be prepared that these questions may come up.
There were some vague statements that attempted to undermine Catholic teaching, but there were two direct mistaken commentaries about Catholicism. He showed a major misunderstanding on what Catholics taught regarding salvation for non-Catholics. He attempted to use it as a point that Catholics change their doctrine, but he took a single point out of context of entire Church history. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding his intent, but to me, it didn’t just seem like a misinterpretation; it seemed like a deliberate attempt to find something in Church history that he disagreed with without actually researching the topic well enough to truly understand it.
The other one was saying “Satan will appear in whatever form he is expected to come.” For Catholics, he listed Mary and the Saints while he said Protestants would see Jesus. The implications of this atrocious and demonstrate that again, he didn’t take any time to understand what Catholics actually believe. I understand that Protestants don’t agree with Catholic teaching on the Saints, but if you are going to make such a firm claim about Satan, you better have researched it thoroughly.
Would I recommend Christ Among Other Gods by Erwin W. Lutzer?
I really struggled with whether or not I would recommend this book. On one hand, it addressed some really solid points. On the other hand, the heretical statements make me question whether or not I should recommend it at all. While I am obviously annoyed by his misconceptions surrounding the Catholic Church, I recognize they aren’t uncommon among Protestants. However, in the context of this book, it raises a bigger concern. Lutzer presented himself as a well-researched authority on this topic, but these serious errors show that he has not researched as thoroughly as he should. To me, this calls into question his overall credibility.
I still think there is some really good content in this book, but if you want to read it, I suggest skipping chapter 7 and chapter 10. I would also recommend reading chapter 11 very cautiously. Though these chapters had some good points, this is where some of the biggest issues came up in the book.
Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Christ Among Other Gods by Erwin W. Lutzer promises to “Describe the uniqueness of Christ, Defend the claims of Christianity, [and] Debunk the myths that many tout.” Despite being written in 1994, a majority of the points are timeless, and many readers could benefit from them. While Lutzer certainly had a number of strong arguments that addressed the goals of the book, the book’s credibility is weakened by a few flaws, most notably, the doctrinal issues surrounding salvation.
Positives
This is an incredibly important topic, and Lutzer addressed it with some very good content that was well-written. Throughout the book, he uses powerful imagery and analogies. His description of his experiences at the Parliament of the World’s Religions was an interesting thread weaved throughout the book. Though he was confident and convicted, he still explained what types of tolerance are necessary and what are to be avoided. He explains that we should desire legal tolerance and social tolerance for those of different faiths, but points out that tolerance for the other faiths without criticism should be avoided. He supported his points well and explained why logically, Christianity stands on its own. Despite the flaws, which I will address next, this point carried through in a powerful way.
Negatives
Lutzer’s writing suffered from broad dismissals, minor theological errors, and outright heresy.
There were several points in his book where he outright dismissed groups or concepts in such a way that one questioned if he actually understood what he was talking about. There were a few explanations in his book that, depending on how they were read, could lead one to believe theological errors. These things could be overlooked, but the heresy in this book is particularly concerning. The heresy primarily arises in his discussions of salvation where he shares ideas that are not biblical or actually contradict biblical instruction. As this is a book review and not an apologetics post, I won’t go into detail addressing these topics, but readers should be warned of this.
While I can’t speak to the accuracy of his descriptions of the Antichrist and Armageddon, I can say that these descriptions seemed out of place. This book went from a logical argument for the supremacy of Christianity to what seemed to be the ramblings of an unhinged conspiracy theorist. Once he leaves this topic, he redeems himself in his tone and content, but it still is a point that weakens his book.
Lastly, as a Catholic, there are several concerns I have about the content.
Catholic Perspective
Though the heretical statements are of greatest concern, there were several smaller issues I noticed as a Catholic reader. Some were just areas where the book would’ve benefited from additional details, some were points where a Catholic reader would question the validity, and some were misunderstandings of Catholic beliefs.
Lutzer would’ve benefitted from expanding on the topic of virgin birth. Though he does a decent job explaining it and doesn’t contradict any Catholic teaching, it could’ve been better. Lutzer also talked about how Jesus is present among us, but he fails to mention the Eucharist. While this is expected for any Protestant book, it is heartbreaking that he failed to acknowledge the intimate presence of Christ in the Eucharist that is so readily available to us.
I won’t get into the points where a Catholic would question the validity as these are part of a rather complicated discussion, but a Catholic reader should be prepared that these questions may come up.
There were some vague statements that attempted to undermine Catholic teaching, but there were two direct mistaken commentaries about Catholicism. He showed a major misunderstanding on what Catholics taught regarding salvation for non-Catholics. He attempted to use it as a point that Catholics change their doctrine, but he took a single point out of context of entire Church history. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding his intent, but to me, it didn’t just seem like a misinterpretation; it seemed like a deliberate attempt to find something in Church history that he disagreed with without actually researching the topic well enough to truly understand it.
The other one was saying “Satan will appear in whatever form he is expected to come.” For Catholics, he listed Mary and the Saints while he said Protestants would see Jesus. The implications of this atrocious and demonstrate that again, he didn’t take any time to understand what Catholics actually believe. I understand that Protestants don’t agree with Catholic teaching on the Saints, but if you are going to make such a firm claim about Satan, you better have researched it thoroughly.
Would I recommend Christ Among Other Gods by Erwin W. Lutzer?
I really struggled with whether or not I would recommend this book. On one hand, it addressed some really solid points. On the other hand, the heretical statements make me question whether or not I should recommend it at all. While I am obviously annoyed by his misconceptions surrounding the Catholic Church, I recognize they aren’t uncommon among Protestants. However, in the context of this book, it raises a bigger concern. Lutzer presented himself as a well-researched authority on this topic, but these serious errors show that he has not researched as thoroughly as he should. To me, this calls into question his overall credibility.
I still think there is some really good content in this book, but if you want to read it, I suggest skipping chapter 7 and chapter 10. I would also recommend reading chapter 11 very cautiously. Though these chapters had some good points, this is where some of the biggest issues came up in the book.
Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2012
A wonderful book just like some of the others written by Erwin Lutzer. I heartily recommend this book to all those interested in apologetics and also to the layman. Easily assessible, absorbing answers to the tough questions searching minds are likely to ask. Erwin Lutzers book titled 'Christ Among other gods' is similar to Ravi Zacharias' book titled 'Jesus Among Other Gods'. Both are attacks on religious relativeness. I think Lutzer's book has an edge over Ravi's. It is easily one among the good books I have ever read in Apologetics.
July 2, 2017
Having attended the Parliament of World Religions, organized to syncretize the claims of all religious, Lutzer explores continued attempts to enshrine uncritical tolerance as the new god of our age. Exposing the misguided assumption that humans can forge their utopian destiny, that such tolerance will not of necessity lead to intolerance, Lutzer contrasts what was offered by religionists with the only solution that has ever been acheived to conquer man’s pervasive problem with evil and sin: the unique entry of God into time in the life of Christ.
September 24, 2025
A disgestible, necessary, relevant, intelligent, and insightful writing for Christians and unbelievers alike to see the Truth of God's Word. Luter does well in exposing the foolishness of man's "tolerance" as a facade for hate of all kinds, and in encouraging the Christian to take action, to speak Truth into the lives of those around them, and to give hope in Christ for His work on the cross and His redeeming Truth that will stand for all the ages.
February 11, 2024
Very relevant book, even though it is a bit older. The tolerance of this age is still (and maybe increasingly) penetrating the church. This book is clear: only Christ!
The author has a specific (premillennial) eschatology that is not defended but just laid out. I'm not yet sure about my view of eschatology.
The author has a specific (premillennial) eschatology that is not defended but just laid out. I'm not yet sure about my view of eschatology.
February 20, 2024
I was given this book and it was ok but not something I would give to someone without a good understanding of the bible and different views of end times ect. I have a current goal of reading the books I own to decide which ones I will keep. I will probably pass this one on. I would be far more likely to direct people to The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.
October 22, 2017
Very good book, but difficult to understand parts that are above my IQ.
March 29, 2018
A very well written defense of Christ and Christianity as the only way to God.
December 22, 2022
Not what I was expecting, but it did give me a couple things to think about.
April 5, 2024
Divine truth and such an informative read
February 27, 2016
Christ Among Other gods: A Defense of Christ in an Age of Tolerance is a true must-read in my opinion. Lutzer argues throughout the book that Christianity is unique and that truth should never be compromised for the sake of tolerance.
Lutzer isn't attacking tolerance, that is ALL forms of tolerance. He differentiates between types of tolerance.
Legal tolerance, for example, would be "the right for everyone to believe in whatever faith (or none at all) he wishes." Social tolerance he defines as being, "a commitment to respecting all men even if we vigorously disagree with their religion ideas." Kindness, courtesy, respect--these are the ways tolerance can be shown. Lutzer applauds both legal and social tolerance. What he disapproves of--what he argues against in this book is uncritical tolerance, which he believes goes against all logic.
For example, all ideas are to be tolerated except the idea that there are absolutes, absolute truths, that truth can be known, that some ideas are true, and, other ideas are false--at least by default. Not all ideas, not all beliefs, can equally be true, Lutzer insists. If all the doctrines in all the world religions were equally true then you'd have a big, big, contradictory mess, absent of logic and common sense. Lutzer argues for the existence of truth, for the existence of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, the Jesus who claimed to be the way, the truth, the life. Not one of many ways, not one of many truths, etc.
The premise of this one is simple. Christ is not one of many gods. He cannot be shelved alongside other gods of the world. He is unique; Christianity is unique. It is a religion--a faith--based on historical fact, centered around Jesus Christ. The book studies his birth, his life (including miracles), his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his second coming. Lutzer argues that Christians should boldly stand for truth--no compromise--the world needs to know that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. The world needs to know that heaven and hell are real, and, that each one of us will spend eternity somewhere. The Bible has authority; it speaks truth; every Christian should live their lives by God's revelation.
Lutzer touches on other religions and other worldviews; he provides readers with a light overview of world religions and differing perspectives. It is not thorough or complete. His purpose is not to educate readers about other religions, other ideas; instead his purpose is to educate readers about Jesus. One can never assume--should never assume--that every person professing faith in Christ stands for truth and believes that the Bible is the very Word of God--true and authoritative.
The book is clear and straight forward. It is also engaging. Lutzer is NOT boring. He writes in a way that challenges readers to think, to consider, to act or react.
This book is for anyone looking for the answers to these questions:
*Who is Jesus? Who was Jesus?
*What do Christians believe?
*Does it matter what you believe as long as you're sincere?
*Is there such a thing as truth?
*Do our beliefs have consequences?
Table of contents:
The "Gods" Are On the Move
The Icon of Tolerance
The Search for Truth
An Extraordinary Birth
An Extraordinary Life
An Extraordinary Authority
An Extraordinary Death
An Extraordinary Resurrection
An Extraordinary Ascension
An Extraordinary Return
An Extraordinary Stumbling Block
An Extraordinary Responsibility
Lutzer isn't attacking tolerance, that is ALL forms of tolerance. He differentiates between types of tolerance.
Legal tolerance, for example, would be "the right for everyone to believe in whatever faith (or none at all) he wishes." Social tolerance he defines as being, "a commitment to respecting all men even if we vigorously disagree with their religion ideas." Kindness, courtesy, respect--these are the ways tolerance can be shown. Lutzer applauds both legal and social tolerance. What he disapproves of--what he argues against in this book is uncritical tolerance, which he believes goes against all logic.
For example, all ideas are to be tolerated except the idea that there are absolutes, absolute truths, that truth can be known, that some ideas are true, and, other ideas are false--at least by default. Not all ideas, not all beliefs, can equally be true, Lutzer insists. If all the doctrines in all the world religions were equally true then you'd have a big, big, contradictory mess, absent of logic and common sense. Lutzer argues for the existence of truth, for the existence of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, the Jesus who claimed to be the way, the truth, the life. Not one of many ways, not one of many truths, etc.
Officially, sin does not exist in our society, but if there were one sin left it would be a belief in objective truth, a belief that some things are still right or wrong; a belief that discrimination still has value if defined as being discriminating in what we believe, the way we behave, and what we defend.
The premise of this one is simple. Christ is not one of many gods. He cannot be shelved alongside other gods of the world. He is unique; Christianity is unique. It is a religion--a faith--based on historical fact, centered around Jesus Christ. The book studies his birth, his life (including miracles), his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his second coming. Lutzer argues that Christians should boldly stand for truth--no compromise--the world needs to know that Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. The world needs to know that heaven and hell are real, and, that each one of us will spend eternity somewhere. The Bible has authority; it speaks truth; every Christian should live their lives by God's revelation.
Lutzer touches on other religions and other worldviews; he provides readers with a light overview of world religions and differing perspectives. It is not thorough or complete. His purpose is not to educate readers about other religions, other ideas; instead his purpose is to educate readers about Jesus. One can never assume--should never assume--that every person professing faith in Christ stands for truth and believes that the Bible is the very Word of God--true and authoritative.
The Bible draws a definitive line through the peoples of the world, but it is not a line between races, nations, or even cultures, as such. This line separates Christ and his followers from all other religious choices. I'm committed to helping us identify that line, show where it should be drawn, and give reasons that we have no right to move it.
The book is clear and straight forward. It is also engaging. Lutzer is NOT boring. He writes in a way that challenges readers to think, to consider, to act or react.
This book is for anyone looking for the answers to these questions:
*Who is Jesus? Who was Jesus?
*What do Christians believe?
*Does it matter what you believe as long as you're sincere?
*Is there such a thing as truth?
*Do our beliefs have consequences?
Table of contents:
The "Gods" Are On the Move
The Icon of Tolerance
The Search for Truth
An Extraordinary Birth
An Extraordinary Life
An Extraordinary Authority
An Extraordinary Death
An Extraordinary Resurrection
An Extraordinary Ascension
An Extraordinary Return
An Extraordinary Stumbling Block
An Extraordinary Responsibility
February 14, 2017
It is always a treat to read Erwin Lutzer, he's absolutely insightful and will take you along with him in learning deep truth about our Christian faith. This book is about the exclusivity of Christ and how to live that out and proclaim it in our age of "tolerance." This book will help you remember just who Jesus is, that there is no King but Him, and that we should be bold for His glory, His message, against all counterfeits but all in the name of love and truth. Awesome stuff, I highly recommend this book.
July 26, 2008
"A Defense of Christ in an Age of Tolerance". Good read but a bit on the Calvinist side of things. Still Dr. Lutzer presents a good defense until the final chapter when he is a bit too Calvinist for my taste (though he is correct, in my opinion, on how far some modern theologians have strayed.
I prefer "Jesus Among Other Gods" I think (Ravi Zacharias).
But this one has sections that one does not so both are needed books.
I prefer "Jesus Among Other Gods" I think (Ravi Zacharias).
But this one has sections that one does not so both are needed books.
September 5, 2009
The best summary for this book comes from the second page of the first chapter.
"I'm not writing about a hidden Christ who is only accessible to those who already believe; as best I can, I present a Christ whose credentials are open for thoughtful investigation. If you think all dieties are the same, or that all religions agree on the essential points, this book is for you."
"I'm not writing about a hidden Christ who is only accessible to those who already believe; as best I can, I present a Christ whose credentials are open for thoughtful investigation. If you think all dieties are the same, or that all religions agree on the essential points, this book is for you."
August 1, 2013
An excellent book. Lutzer discusses the current rend toward pluralism in religion in the United States - the claim that no religion is superior to any other and that they all worship the same god. Lutzer brings the reader face to face with Jesus Christ, the only way to God.
May 17, 2014
An incredible, though sobering book. Living in a world that seems to "require" me to be tolerant of everyone's beliefs, while not receiving that same tolerance--Lutzer helps me know where to hold my ground and where to adjust my attitude.
Want to read
August 22, 20120212
March 19, 2013
Another good book by Lutzer. It is a very simple book on apologetics. Easy for anyone to understand. Doesn't have as much depth as a lot of other works but that obviously wasn't the point here.
April 15, 2017
This book is framed in view of the Parliament of World's Religions that was held in Chicago in 1993. It deals with the uniqueness of Christian faith and outlines why "religious tolerance" is not possible as the culture's today agenda would have it. From a legal standpoint, we should tolerate the people's choice of religion or lack of it. From a social standpoint, we should treat all people with respect despite their belief or lack of it. But, from a religious standpoint, we should enter in the discussions about our Christian faith and present our extraordinary Christ among other gods. Starting with a discussion of truth and tolerance, the book goes on to show areas in which Christian faith is "extraordinary".
I noticed on Amazon that the book has a 2016 edition and I don't know if it has changed much. For one thing, I know that Anthony Flew who is portrayed as an atheist in this 1994 edition changed his views before his death.
I noticed on Amazon that the book has a 2016 edition and I don't know if it has changed much. For one thing, I know that Anthony Flew who is portrayed as an atheist in this 1994 edition changed his views before his death.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews