Persuasions: A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief

by Douglas J. Wilson, Douglas Wilson

In this short but fun book, Douglas Wilson gives us several fictional dialogues in which worldviews collide with an honesty and clarity that we rarely see in the real world. This book includes a wide array of positions (feminism, agnosticism, higher criticism, pantheism, Roman Catholicism), but all are given their hearing and put into conflict with the truths of Biblical Christianity. Although it is a dream of debate conducted with more clarity than we usually meet in the real world, this short book should help believers to better understand unbelief and see why it is ultimately not reasonable at all.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Fiction, Philosophy, Christian Living, Audiobook, Evangelism

96 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

About the author

Most of this author's works are written under the name Douglas Wilson.

Reviews

[Jeremy]

Background here: "One of the first books I wrote (in the early nineties) was called Persuasions, and contained a series of conversations between a character called Evangelist and various unbelievers. It was a dream of 'reason meeting unbelief.' This was pre-Internet, and at the time, conservative Presbyterians and recons got a lot of their books from a catalog company called Great Christian Books, previously named Puritan and Reformed Books. I sent a copy of the book to them, and a gent named Walt Hibbard running the catalog was kind enough to pick up my book and include it among his offerings. This was a big deal for me, and so I was naturally excited to get my copy of the catalog. When it arrived, I hunted down the place where it was, and read the copy that had been written for my book. That copy said something like 'this small book is a fine introductory treatment of Van Tilian apologetics.' I stared at it, flummoxed. 'It is?' I thought. Yikes. I had never read Van Til, and here I was in print, outrunning my own headlights, with a published introduction to his thought. Story of my life. So quick, I ordered The Defense of the Faith, read it, and was relieved to discover that I really liked it. The only part of the book I didn't really cotton to was the section where Van Til takes C.S. Lewis to task. The reason for this is that I had learned my presuppositionalism from Lewis."

[Stacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quick and easy to read and a great introduction to different beliefs and ideas.

A few small critiques:
The chapter subtitled "antinomianism" didn't really seem to interact with someone who was all together antinomian. I would have switched out the subtitles "antinomianism" and "salvation and sanctification."

I also saw the chapter subtitled "feminism" as more of a "post-modernism" and would loved to have seen a chapter that really focused more on feminism.

Finally, maybe it's because I'm married to an evangelist, but there seems to be some arrogance written into the book, as though Evangelist is winning an argument. I don't think the gospel is clearly presented once. (If once, not twice.) Ultimately, the job of the evangelist is to be humble in their presentation of the gospel, and that does include helping people understand their false and contradictory beliefs, but ultimately, it is the Good News that saves.

In the end, none of these issues would have kept me from reading the book. But because I'm having my kids read this, I think the subtitles could cause confusion and am being more picky than usual.

[Caleb M. Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple but effective look at apologetics through a series of fictional and allegorical conversations. Helpful to break down worldviews into bite-sized pieces.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

My biggest problem with this book is that it's too short. Other than that, it's excellent.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't remember if I'd read this one before. I had—just last year—but I enjoyed this new audio edition read by Ben Zornes. I'm also reading Pilgrim's Progress, to which this pays homage. It needs a new cover to complement the new recording.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, straightforward imagined conversations between Evangelist and a number of folks in need of the evangel. Almost wish he'd pushed the Pilgrim's Progressishness a bit more in the naming of the unbelievers.

Narration was good, but audio quality wasn't great in this elderly recording.

[Oakley C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have this habit of returning to Protestant works at the beginning of each year to “broaden” what are my former theological opinions (I am no longer Reformed but Orthodox). Wilson is a good writer and a clear thinker and this very short work is a simple but effective evangel for presuppositional apologetics. Also, unlike Pilgrim’s Progress (which it apes) it actually appears to be populated with REAL people not a smorgasbord of absurd entities like “THE WORLDLY WISE MAN.” Of course, the primary presupposition of this branch of apologetics is the T of TULIP—“Total Depravity.” When man fell he not only besmirched the likeness but TOTALLY broke the imago dei such that man’s reason is likewise totally depraved/deprived rendering scripture as the ONLY source of reason itself (a circularity that those of Van Til’s ilk refreshingly own and I have much respect for that). The Orthodox do not hold to this understanding of anthropology and while the fall is real and devastating, humanity as such is not “totally” depraved and incapable. Thus while Evangelist always structures his conversations with Socratic questions that are essentially well-crafted versions of “by what standard?” wherein scripture is the ONLY standard my humble retort might be “How came you by this scripture?” Evangelist would say “God”, which is true, but by what means? The very first Christians (or at that time, followers of The Way) did not have a New Testament as we know it, let alone a complete canon stitched between Egyptian leather covers. The Bible, and its canon, is a product of the Church as it was guided by the Holy Spirit. Thus, when I saw a YouTube video of “evangelical theologians” disparaging the Didache claiming that it proves “how early the Church was corrupted because the teachings of the Didache are clearly unbiblical” I laughed out loud. THE DIDACHE WAS COMPOSED BEFORE A COMPLETE CANON OF SCRIPTURE WAS EVEN AVAILABLE AND TURNED INTO THE BIBLE! But such is Protestant understanding of Church History. And what of doctrine such as the Trinity? Or Christ as God and not creature? Or His Two Natures? These too were products of the Spirit working through the Church via councils, debate, et cetera. Name a heresy that didn’t begin with a Bible study? I did not come into Orthodoxy by this reasoning (for me it was an inability to genuinely live out a faith that preached penal substitutionary atonement, limited atonement, a totally “judicial” understanding of salvation and a hatred of mystery and sacraments, et cetera) but such reasoning keeps me firmly in that Church. Some good thoughts here but some clear blindspots as well.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good sketches of what apologetics dialogue from a VanTillian perspective might look like with various kinds of people. I believe we need more books like this that illustrate what apologetics dialogue practically look like. If you enjoy Doug Wilson’s other work you will likely enjoy this one too with his wit and wordsmith ability. Somewhat like C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, this is a semi-allegorical “vision” of “Evangelists” talking to various kinds of people about the Gospel. For instance, “Evangelist” talks to a feminist, atheist and a New Age follower. I particularly enjoyed “Evangelist’s” discussion with the Reverend Howe, a theologically liberal Minister offended at the Evangelist 'ignorance' of modern scholarship. With the evolutionist it was standard Presuppositional argument against a materialistic chance driven worldview. Wilson presents several good illustration for one’s own apologetics encounter; for instance, in regards to the hypocrisy objection against Christianity, Wilson gave the illustration of whether someone still use currency even if there are counterfeit ones out there. Wilson also note how only things that are valuable will be counterfeited since no one makes counterfeit brown paper bag. Surprisingly, Wilson also have a chapter on Evangelist discussion with someone who denies Lordship salvation and is a believer. Here Wilson makes a good point that Lordship does not depend our work but our Work depend upon the objective Lordship of Christ and he further illustrates this truth with the analogy of his fatherly authority over son despite his son’s sin, but it’s also because of Wilson’s fathering his son that give him the authority to discipline his son (70-71). If I am not mistaken this is one of Wilson’s first published work—or at least first published work in Christian apologetics. One can see the growth of Wilson’s apologetics over time. Nevertheless it is a good book that provide sketches of apologetics dialogue.

[Ryan Boomershine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, accessible, readable book on conversational apologetics. I read it in less than an hour.

Wilson masterfully cuts to the quick on 13 separate issues (immorality, antinomianism, feminism, agnosticism, empty scholarship, atheism, election, marriage, hypocrisy, salvation/sanctification, pantheism, evolution, and Catholocism) and makes short summaries of them with effective jabs and counter-jabs.

The instruction is done conversationally between fresh characters for every topic, in an overtly Pilgrim's Progress style. In fact, the conversations happen on the road to The Abyss (unbeknownst to the travelers).

Don't let the topics listed sway you. Wilson teaches you their main sway during the brief conversations.

This is a fantastic cursory look at an array of issues and full of beefy and apt responses.

[Mark Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can never get a nonbeliever to have a linear conversation with me, let alone one that follows the line I expect or design... So books in this format always annoy me a bit. Too perfect. Too convenient. (I'm talking to you, too, Plato.) But as with Plato, Doug Wilson manages to make many trenchant points in this format, and to engage the reader's attention at the same time.

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good selection of fictionalized evangelistic conversations a la John Bunyan. There are a couple of misses, and the conversations are a bit idealized. However, the intent of the book is to provide an introduction to apologetic approaches to various issues, and it does a great job. This would be a good book to work through with a group of Christian teens.

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic, but good. Nothing here that I haven't heard Wilson express better on his blog in more recent years, but a good refresher if you're not a regular Wilson reader.

[Jonathan O'Brien · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will preface my remarks by saying that I used to be a Christian and have both bachelor's and master's degrees in biblical languages and theology. Further, my father and many members of both sides of my family are or have been ministers. So I am quite familiar with the arguments and ideas put forth in a book like this. However, I read and re-read various books from my past, just to get a take on them as I have moved on in my thinking and life. So I re-read this slim volume since I had read it years ago. So first, Wilson's arguments are patently farcicial, absurd, and condescending in most places at best, so don't go here for any in-depth discussion of the issues. In terms of plotting and the basic approach of the book, the idea of a traveler walking down a road warning people of their moving in the wrong direction to the Abyss is somewhat Pilgrims Progress/somewhat Wizard of Oz in conception. I don't take much issue with that, but the off-putting thing with Wilson's books is always Wilson himself, who manages to be ridiculous and condescending at the same time, which is quite an accomplishment. Also, the dialogic approach always leaves something to be desired unless in the hands of a true master, so as an author I would leave that to the Greeks. It ends up by making the conversation into a grandstanding opportunity wherein straw men are raised and dispatched in rapid order, not persuading anyone but the already-persuaded. This book puts forth a presuppositional approach to apologetics which is the argumentative version of moving the goal posts and decrying others' missed shots. The cardinal presuppositional approach is to shift the burden of proof off of one's self, while still demanding proof from others. Then, declaim that anyone attempting to reason with you is just using the tool you already own--reason itself--as if humans could not reason before they had revelation or without it. I think the most off-putting notion is how that presuppositionalists decry subjective morality, but if you press them, you find out that morality is still indeed subjective, just not to them. It's subjective according to their god's whims, willing as he is to subjugate, annihilate, and damn people who aren't part of the chosen tribe or who run afoul of his laws in some way in which he create them to be. That's a way to have a theology but not a morality that anyone with an actual moral center will respect. My recommendation--if you want to persist in these ridicidulous beliefs, beliefs you would not accept from anyone else if they represented them to you in this way, admit that you invoke them on the basis of faith only while ignoring valid counterarguments and especially evidence to the contrary. Then, leave rest of us alone who are actually trying to work out a more productive, moral, and informed society and create our own own meaning and purpose in the process. We don't need the Wilsons of the world soiling our collective headspace.

[Ryan Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I have read this in the past few year. It is simply an enjoyable book to read. Read it easily in one sitting, intrigued the whole time. In each 3-5 page chapter, Wilson imagines a dialogue with people of different thoughts. In each, he cleverly shows that biblical Christianity is true and reasonable.

I started reading it to get my mind back into apologetics as I am teaching it in church this fall. This is a perfect book to do this.

I would recommend it to anyone as an enjoyable read concerning apologetics and defending the Christian faith. And it is something I will reference in the future (or just totally read in the future) over and over.

[Jacob Pippin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great, Wilson does a great job creating conversational scenarios and shows how apologetics are deployed against the various types of objectors (the Evolutionist, Roman Catholic, the Feminist, and more). A short, worthy read. I only wondered if this was the same Evangelist Christian encountered after fleeing the City of Destruction, I would say yes, or at least his great-great-great-grandson...

[Joah Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of Bunyan-esque apologectic conversations. Each unbeliever's objections are realistic, and the Evangelist's responses are lazer sharp and nimbly solid. Super helpful and entertaining stuff. Only wish the dialogue was more realistic - it reads like dialogified prose. This makes its progression easy to follow and its reasoning transparent, but it doesn't give you a feel for what natural apologetic discussions would actually sound like.

[Cap · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and easy read. It is a helpful work of apologetics for Christian readers, in that it provides clearly articulated arguments and frameworks with which to evaluate several theological and cultural topics. Because the conversations in this book are too neat and tidy (the people Evangelist debates with wouldn't be so easily silenced in real life), this likely wouldn't be beneficial for an unbeliever.

[Bryce L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I have ever read a hundred pages so quickly. Could not put this book down. It's pretty obvious this book was heavily influenced by John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. With the same wittiness that Doug Wilson is known for, he maps out a brief overview of several discussions between the Christian worldview and non-Christian worldviews.

[Tanner Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like normal, there is some staleness to parts of Doug's writing (and a little bit of arrogance too). Also like normal, Doug proves to be one of the most gifted illustrators in Christian history. There were some golden nuggets in these conversations that will come back to my mind time and time again, i am sure of it. Read cautiously and joyfully.

[James Dancer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doug clearly knows the mind of the atheist. In this book, he shows the flaws of the most common alternative worldviews to Christianity today in a very engaging format.

Pilgrim's Progress for the 2000s!

[Kara Naselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent little book. It's like Bunyan met Lewis (without being The Pilgrim's Regress). I highly recommend. Solid 4.5. However, I'm still not sure what I think about having to assume a moral standard and then fact check it---I would have appreciated some dialogue with people from other religions.

[Jason Garwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple, easy to read primer about the premise and inconsistency of various life philosophies.

[William Schrecengost · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent little book going into the conversations an evangelist may have with individuals coming from various worldviews.

[Aurora Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

I imagine Wilson believed this was his Pilgrim's Progress

[Will Balint]

Very Good

[Jake Litwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book on a variety of small evangelistic conversations and the practical use of presuppositional apologetics.

[Dylan Stinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.

[Caleb Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the “pilgrim’s progress/regress” concept, but would like it more if it was fleshed out a bit instead of such short stories.

[Alvin Fleurant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply fun.