Christ or Chaos

by Daniel DeWitt

Is Christianity irrational?

Atheists often say that it is. But does such a charge really stand up to close scrutiny? This book follows the story of Thomas, a junior in college, as he wrestles with the claims of those who think the Christian faith is nothing more than a collection of ancient myths with little connecting to reality. Whether you are facing objections to your faith for the first time, simply discussing your faith with unbelieving friends, or doubting your faith altogether, you might be surprised to discover that Christianity actually offers a more compelling explanation of what it means to be human than atheism could ever hope to provide.


“Thanks to Dan DeWitt for a very readable and articulate conversation about the power of the gospel in the face of various forms of opposition. DeWitt’s discussion will be useful to anyone who would consider the claims of Christianity in the context of other treasured options and objections. In recognizing the power of presuppositions for any view we hold, DeWitt explains how only the presuppositions of the Christian faith can provide the foundation that other views claim to offer.”
K. Scott Oliphint, Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary; author, Covenantal Apologetics

Genres: Theology, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christian, Faith

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2016

About the author

Daniel DeWitt, PhD, is a senior fellow at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, MO, where he leads the Center for Worldview and Culture and teaches courses on theology, apologetics, and C.S. Lewis. He is the author of multiple books, including Jesus or Nothing, The Friend Who Forgives, and Sketchy Views, and posts regularly at Theolatte.com. He and his wife, April, have four children.

Reviews

[Kelsie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a great one to read with the kids as they prepare to launch. Really helps articulate the Christian worldview, and how to lovingly engage in a culture antagonistic to that worldview. Big takeaway as a parent- don’t run from or dismiss the hard questions our youth are asking. See them, hear them and walk with them. Plus… the author teaches a yearly course on CS Lewis? I’m listening 😂

[Jenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, is Christianity irrational?

Where do the concepts of good and evil, or right and wrong, even come from? Is it simply learned a behavior or thought process stemming from a need for survival, or is it something else? How do we judge truth from fiction, or even define our existence as rational beings?

Christ or Chaos explains what exactly Christians believe about the nature of reality and humanity, and would be a great starting point either for a curious skeptic or for a new apologist.

[Jaquelle Ferris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas and Zach have been friends their whole lives. They're church kids and now they've started university together.

But something has changed. Zach has come out as an atheist and Thomas has no idea how to respond. He believes in God but how does he process the intellectual challenges Zach now proposes?

This is how the stage is set for Dan DeWitt's new book, Christ or Chaos. He uses the fictional friendship of two college students as a launching pad to engage the presuppositions and basic beliefs of the new atheists.

Christ or Chaos isn't really about Thomas or Zach at all. It's about worldview and knowing how to stand up for the truth. It's about how Christianity demands our faith and our intellect. It's about a fundamental choice every human has to make - Is life Christ or chaos?

Dan DeWitt is a smart guy and a really good writer. I liked his first book, Jesus or Nothing, a lot, and I liked Christ or Chaos just as much.

A marvelous strength of DeWitt is his ability to write about intellectual and scientific arguments in a down-to-earth way. I have a weak background in science and a lot of technical jargon can swim above my head, but there's none of that here.

DeWitt writes for college kids like Thomas, those of us who are encountering and considering these arguments and ideas for the first time.

DeWitt covers epistemology and the origin of the universe, morality and matter, evil and suffering, the Bible's historicity and the very idea of God, optimism and human nature. And I understood it all. I appreciated it all. He quotes from piles of atheists and contemporary scholars, being precise about his responses.

I recently heard someone give an important piece of advice to writers. They said, "Read as many sentences as you can that make you go, 'I wish I had written that.'" There are lots of sentences like that in Christ or Chaos.

Like these ones:

"[Chance] scoffs at our misplaced confidence in evolution to lead us anywhere except into more illusions. And as the sun reaches the zenith of its fury, we read the last word on the last page. 'Despair,' we read aloud, as the Red Giant snuffs out what little life—if ever we should have called it that—remains on our little planet. The End" (130-131).

I love articulate and masterful writing, and so I love to read Dan DeWitt. As Russell Moore summed it up, "Dan DeWitt is a sharp, rigorous thinker who can communicate deep truths in a way people can grasp."

Graduation season will be upon us before you know it and I think this is an excellent book for the high school and college graduates out there. Students would eat up this book from Boyce College's dean. It's fun and readable and challenging and intellectual and biblical.

*I received a copy of this book from Crossway through their Beyond the Page review system. I was not required to give a positive review.

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One story begins in chance and ends in chaos. Another begins with the Word (Christ) and ends in life. Choose your story wisely.

This narrative is commended for the Christian who struggles with their friends who once were Christians but now have become atheist. Being a mother of two daughters that were raised in a Christian home and then we set them “loose” in a very liberal college, I was apprehensive if they would hold fast to their Christian faith. Maybe that is your worry. Maybe you are that student that was raised in a Christian home but now find yourself questioned about your faith. I loved how Dan DeWitt did not demonize Atheist but compared them to caring people. Most Atheist care about the same things Christians do. They are fun to be around, intelligent, provide for their families and enjoy the good things in life. However, they subscribe to a different worldview.

You are introduced to two young men that hold a different worldview. One is a Christian and the other is an Atheist. Zack is convinced that his worldview offers an explanation to the universe and is encouraging his Christian friend Thomas that Christianity is irrational and detached from reality. This is what this book addresses.

Each chapter has a quote of C.S. Lewis who himself was an Atheist and discovered that that life thru the lens of Christianity made more sense. The narrative does not “talk at you” but encourages you to think deeply and ask yourself questions that will challenge you to know why you believe what you believe. It is not a narrative that claims to have all the answers but how Christianity makes more sense than any other worldview.

Some of the quotes I found interesting and challenging.

Jesus is big enough to handle your uncertainty. He isn’t intimidated by your questions. That’s because he’s not a formula.

The Gospel won’t be intimidated or overshadowed by rival truth claims. As the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon said, you don’t defend a lion. Unchain it and it will defend itself. …We need the gospel more than it needs us.

Doug Wilson says there are two tenets of true atheism. One: There is no God. Two: I hate Him.

Goodness will be reestablished through judgment.

But science is not supreme. Science can save my children’s lives, but it cannot tell them to find a life worth living. It cannot give them moral values or purpose.

A great apologetics read that we can see that the Lord is good indeed.

A Special Thank you to Crossway and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christ or Chaos is a very good apologetics book for young adults, though it is not only that. I read this, thinking ahead with my own children in mind, and intend to have them read this when they're older.

DeWitt does a very good job of laying out a very solid apologetic for the Christian faith without conceding the Christian position to its challengers.

The only weakness is his ineffective narrative device to pit a young college students in an apologetic situation. He simply didn't work hard enough at sticking with it, and it just seem contrived and mildly disruptive to the flow of the book. That is a small quibble though. All in all this is a good book to read and discuss with your teenage children.

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a helpful, insightful book providing a lot of fodder for discussion with those who may be skeptics of the Christian faith or more so, opposed to the the idea of the exist of God or even a god. Athiests will often say that Christianity if irrational. Is it? DeWitt, in this book takes the story line of a young man named Thomas who faces the onslaught of arguments that oppose Christianity. In various chapters, the author provides insight into and thoughts about how Thomas, and really, any believer, can think through the issues and stand strong on his/her Christian beliefs.

Some may state that the book is a little basic but I believe young Christian men and women would do well to get a copy of this book and ponder the truths presented. A good book for apologetics.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, well-written, and winsome book contrasting the claims of orthodox Christianity with atheistic naturalism. The author argues that Christianity and atheism (and every other worldview) is based on some degree of faith in things that cannot be empirically proved by science. The question, he says, is which belief system best accounts for the world as it is. When comparing Christianity and atheism, the choices facing each and every person is between meaning and meaninglessness, purpose and design or randomness and chance. In essence: Christ or chaos.

[Amiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just another book to fill a shelf. I felt like DeWitt was trying to be approachable in the book, but it fell flat. The thoughts felt jumbled, disconnected, and underdeveloped. I couldn’t track with all the rabbit trail sources that he attempted to tie in and I never felt like I had a firm grasp on his main argument for each chapter. Also, I thought that the narrative element that he tried weaving through with Thomas and Zach was really cheesy.

[Josh Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small book on how philosophical naturalism has no explanatory power for reality and leaves those who hold to it with nothing more than a play-acting delusion and shameless plagiarizing. The book has some good quotes. Annoyingly assumes the big bang is scientifically legit like every other mid-level author who writes on this subject.

[Alexander Richmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a short but packed with so much thought and insight. It is a must-read for anyone currently thinking through life’s most pressing questions. Yes, this has helped reaffirm my belief in God, the Trinity, and my Lord, Jesus Christ.

[Will Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dewitt offers a solid college level approach to defending the Christian Faith.

working on review...

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fundamentally, all worldviews are based on a set of assumptions. When it comes to atheism and its backbone theory of evolution as compared to Christianity and its backbone of a belief in the truth of Scripture, those aforementioned assumptions are vital in assessing the validity of the claims made by each position. In his book Christ or Chaos, Dan DeWitt presents a conversation taking place between two fictional yet true to life individuals, an individual named Thomas one who affirms a belief in Scripture but is finding his faith challenged by his friend Zach who once affirmed a belief in God but is increasingly moving towards an atheistic worldview. This conversation serves as the springboard by which DeWitt examines which position deals best with the realities of life.

Despite its relatively short nature, this book packs a giant punch in the information department. I have read a number of books, many of great length that address issues such as origins, the problem of evil, and how we address issues of morality. While many of those books were quite scholarly in nature and did an admirable job of dealing with the issues, I found DeWitt’s effort to be just as impactful. He does not spend a lot of time beating around the proverbial bush as he discusses how atheism and Christianity deal with matters of life.

The chapter in particular stood out to me was DeWitt’s discussion of the problem of evil. The problem of evil is an especially thorny topic and DeWitt readily admits he does not have the silver bullet answer to dispel all arguments against the theistic worldview. His focus is simply to note that subsumed within the biblical perspective on evil is the entire construct of how things were in the beginning, what went wrong, and arguably the most important element, the solution to the problem of evil. DeWitt aptly notes that all the naturalistic perspective can provide is that chance is all there is and at some point, death will come and it will all be over. This is not exactly a comforting perspective. He saliently declares “the Christian narrative is big enough to fit in the problem of evil. The atheistic story, guided by chance, will forever be incapable of doing so.”

Furthermore, when it comes to how we approach evil, if chance is all there is to offer as a “solution”, then it is somewhat disingenuous to describe for instance the actions of terrorists as evil. What is evil and how is it defined within the naturalistic construct? The resounding silence to such a question is rather telling. The biblical worldview understands that sin is the cause of evil, specifically man’s penchant to disobey God’s commands to love Him and others which results in man’s inhumanity to man. We understand the reality of suffering, knowing that God has declared there will one day be an end to this madness. This provides hope in the midst of chaos. As DeWitt rightly avers, all naturalism has to offer is chaos with no semblance of hope for its adherents.

Christ or Chaos. It really is a simplistic profundity to suggest there are only two viable options. DeWitt does a marvelous job of laying out the landscape and engaging the relevant questions. If I were Thomas and were able to get my hands on this book, I know I would be very well prepared to discuss with my friend Zach that Christ is the only answer. Thus, I highly recommend this book for all believers as we all have a friend or someone we will run into in life who is like Zach.

I received this book for free from Crossway Books and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a good summer read for any high school graduate getting ready to head off to college in the fall or for anyone else who wishes to read a very accessible defense of Christian truth. It is a good presuppositional approach to apologetics aimed at the level of late-high school/early college-aged folks. This little book (133 pages)is also an antidote to the weakest part of Tim Keller's "Reason for God" because it gives a serious challenge to Darwinian evolution where Keller simply tries to show how evolution and Christianity aren't incompatible. Dewitt's two main challenges to evolution go something like this:

1-It is posited by secular scientists et al that religion was an evolutionary necessity that helped humanity make sense of the world and therefore more equipped to survive. However, religion is now like a vestigial organ, no longer of any use to humanity and on its way to elimination from the human scene. But Dewitt responds by pointing out that, if this is the case, then evolution is the author of practical survival skills but also the author of deceit. Though our genes drove us to religion and equipped us to survive, they deceived us and failed to lead us to what is true about reality.

2-It is also theorized by evolutionary psychology that we are an unrealistically optimistic species and that we are this way because evolution has hardwired our brains this way. Dewitt quotes Tali Sharot from her TIME magazine "The Optimism Bias", "We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures... But both neuroscience and social science suggest that we are more optimistic than realistic." In simple terms, hope is irrational. Again, Dewitt points out that if this is true, namely that evolution is the author of this practical survival mechanism in our brains, then it is also true that evolution has deceived and is deceiving us.

Dewitt rightly points out negatively that if evolution cannot be trusted to point us to an accurate view of reality about religion and even our own thoughts, then why should it be trusted to give us an accurate view in so many other areas? Or as he puts it, "...how can we break free from the illusion?" (pg. 114) But Dewitt also uses the data of the human impulse toward both religion and optimism to drive us to make a positive, observational question: could we be hard-wired with this religious impulse and optimism because we are all yearning to return to Eden? We have this ache because we know this world is broken, that we are all participants in its brokenness, and that we are incapable of putting the pieces back together by ourselves. Yet somehow we feel that there is a place where all that is broken will be made whole and all that is sad will become untrue. And if there is such a place, and if we can't get there on our own, then maybe there is Someone to do what we can't, Someone to get us where we can't go.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very readable apologetics book comparing Christianity and secularism. In fact, it is so readable that I would without hesitation hand it out to college students wrestling with the big questions, "Is Christianity true? Is there a God?" It could even work well in a high school youth group, I would think.

The book is framed as a "story" about Thomas, the Christian, watching his college roommate and longtime friend, Zach, deconvert and become an atheist. Thomas begins to ask himself if Zach might actually be right; Who has the truth? Christianity or Atheism? The book is called a story, but really it only tips its hat to the story of these two. Mostly it is a straight up apologetics work. Each chapter is about 10-20 pages, but the book is small and only about 140 pages, so it's not too long. I would bet that a dedicated reader could finish it in a few hours.

Introduction: Sets up the question, which is true: Christianity or Atheism?
Chapter 1: Atheism and its problematic account of the origins of the universe (and life)
Chapter 2: Creation: The Christian alternative to a meaningless universe
Chapter 3: Atheism and its problematic account of the world.
Chapter 4: Question: "How can you believe in a God who permits suffering?"
Chapter 5: God's revelation through creation and also in our hearts.
Chapter 6: The historicity of (a supernatural) Jesus (who did supernatural things)
Chapter 7: The inconsistent outlook of atheism: optimistic when there is nothing really to be optimistic about
Chapter 8: The Hope of Christianity vs. the hoax of human experience inherent in atheism.

The one weakness that I see in it is that it doesn't interact explicitly with Scripture very much. It does a little bit here and there, referencing important apologetics passages like Rom. 1 and Gen. 1.. But because it uses so little Scripture, the book does tilt a bit in the direction of apologetics being a purely philosophical exercise--even though the whole book (and the author) is self-consciously using theology and Bible ideas throughout.

Anyway, this is a good book to read and re-read because the atheism represented in the book is a very popularized version which ones sees in many places in our culture. This book will give you some help in knowing what to say about it.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Every perspective of reality contains an inherent narrative,” DeWitt writes. “Every worldview is a novel. Each has an author, a beginning and an end.” The question, he says, is not which story is most interesting but which one is actually true.

DeWitt supposes a discussion between Thomas and his friend since childhood, Zach. Thomas reevaluates his faith in light of Zach's comments. Zach is now an atheist, holding a great deal of resentment toward his religious past.

This book helps readers walk through an experience where faith and friendship are held in tension. Each chapter of the book focuses on an aspect of Christianity that would probably be discussed in such a dialog. The essential question is whether atheism can really explain the world we experience or not.

DeWitt writes about a number of topics. I liked his exploration of presuppositions. They are assumptions about reality that cannot be proved. They compose the ground upon which we build our worldview. For the atheist, DeWitt mentions eternal, impersonal, and mindless matter. Thomas goes back to Genesis to see if the atheist view provides a consistent explanation for creation and life, or if it is better explained by the Christian worldview. DeWitt reminds us that there are many theories about origins but there is no conclusive evidence that can prove any position.

Among other topics is that of dissonance. It is a psychological term for believing something to be true but experiencing the opposite. Our experience must match our belief system. Our human experience is a clue to reality, he suggests. Our deepest hopes can be fulfilled only by the gospel.

This would be a good book for those willing to enter into a dialog about belief, especially at the college level. It is not a academic in style but is more conversational and is therefore very readable. It's small size keeps it from seeming too intimidating to give to your atheist friend.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

[Katherine Wacker · Rating 4 out of 5]

his book, Christ or Chaos, Dan Dewitt examines the implications of the two contrasting worldviews of Christianity and Atheism. Utilizing a childhood friendship as an illustration, the author explains the ramifications of college-aged students abandoning the faith of their parents.

Using logic and a healthy dose of C.S. Lewis, once an atheist himself, Dewitt vets fundamental Christian beliefs from creation to the resurrection. It is important to note that the author presupposes that God created the universe. He argues that it takes as much faith, if not more, to adopt an atheistic worldview rather than a biblical one. Dewitt presents his thesis in a reasoned manner and pursues this line of logic by explaining that a purely materialistic view of the world does not provide the moral girding to give life a purpose.

Christ or Chaos is not an exhaustive resource, but it is a concise treatise on some of the basic questions of life and meaning. This book is not meant to be rushed through, but read at a leisurely pace so that the implications can be pondered.

In conclusion, Christ or Chaos is a helpful volume which contrasts two opposing worldviews that each of us must face, and provides Christians a framework for confidence in their faith, as well as an avenue for reaching their unsaved loved ones.



I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong this book is amazing!!! But it did not fulfill what it said it set out to do. The author very clearly and thou it thoroughly explain why Christ is the answer and how to know for sure He is there. He destroys the thinking of major atheists and lays out a clear explanation for why faith is more reasonable than unbelief. I know you are asking, so what's the problem. Here it is, on page 20 the author writes "Like my earlier book Jesus or Nothing, I use a narrative framework with fictional characters to illustrate what it might look like to work through issues in real-life situations." When I read this I began salivating!!! Not only do we have a well written book with great points, not only is it short and accessible it will also include examples of conversations between and atheist and a baby Christian??? AWESOME!! Sadly this part of the book was terribly lacking. The story of Thomas and his atheist best friend/roommate was never developed. Most chapters had one or two sentences on this "narrative framework". I was so disappointed, I would have loved to see the author take time to develop this with either a dialogue at the end of each chapter or at least a paragraph or two per chapter. So content of this book? 5 stars, layout and accessibility 5 stars. Hitting what it promised? 1 star. So by my math (I teach Bible and History) this is a four star book!!

[Julia Aniston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christ or Chaos explains what exactly Christians believe about the nature of reality and humanity, and would be a great starting point either for a curious skeptic or for a new apologist. (less)