The Box: Answering the Faith of Unbelief

by Craig Biehl

Mr. C's little antique box is giving Mr. A fits. How could such a simple idea ruin his sleep and push him to abandon his atheism to become an agnostic? And why does he doubt his former confidence to deny the possibility of miracles and the existence of the God of Scripture? It seems the little brown box had shaken him to the core. Was he really a man of faith, and blind faith at that? Must an atheist really know everything about the universe and beyond to know that God does not exist? Was his atheism irrational? Atheists and agnostics pride themselves on being reasonable and scientific while viewing Christian faith as blind and unreasonable. But the opposite is true. Christian faith is neither blind nor unreasonable while the best arguments of atheism and agnosticism rest on false assumptions of faith. Moreover, the toughest arguments against Christianity and the truth of Scripture can become the means of stronger joy and faith in Christ when we see the unreasonable and unscientific nature of unbelief in the best of its proponents. All arguments against the existence and nature of God can easily be exposed as resting on unreasonable assumptions of blind faith. When Christians learn to see and understand these assumptions, they are not only equipped to refute the most difficult claims of unbelief, they will be encouraged in their faith in Christ and inoculated against intimidating arguments that would steal their joy and assurance.

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 10, 2014

About the author

Craig received his AB from UC Berkeley, MBA from UCLA, ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, and PhD in Systematic Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary. Two years after graduating from college, Craig's life was turned right-side up from a view of the infinite excellence of Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture. He writes on various theological topics, including apologetics, the theology of Jonathan Edwards, the majesty and beauty of God, and the Christian life. He recently launched Pilgrim's Rock to develop home school curriculum to nurture unbreakable faith in students about to enter college and parents worried about sending them there. Additional audio, video, and written material will explain the infinite excellence of the Triune God, justification and new life, the infinite merit of Christ, the Gospel, and other relevant biblical topics. He is happy to be redeemed in Christ, to whom he owes all things and apart from whom he is nothing.

Reviews

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a resource that shows what an evangelistic dialogue with an unbeliever from a Presuppositional apologetics’ perspective looks like, for the purpose of training and being spiritually equipped? The author Craig Biehl has given us a great resources with his book The Box. While coming from a Presuppositional Apologetics perspective (the author has a PhD from Westminster Theological Seminary, the school where Cornelius Van Til, the father of Presuppositional Apologetics once taught at) it is written with a pastoral heart for the general audience and with as little technical jargon as possible. I appreciate that. I suspect many Christians who pick up this book will too.
The book’s seventeen chapters are grouped into three parts. Part one with nine chapters focuses on the issue of atheism and the objections that atheists brings up. Part two with five chapters addresses the agnostic, both the hard and soft form of agnosticism. Part three is titled “Concluding Remarks” and Biehl discusses more about apologetics’ approach, apologetics and the Gospel and “A word to Atheists and Agnostics.”
This book isn’t all dialogue but switches back and forth from dialogues to direct didactic teaching and explanation about the dialogue. I admit at first I was thrown off guard with switching gears mentally while reading this but then I thought this format does stand out and is helpful since there are things in the conversational dialogue that needs to be unpacked more. Yet at the same time a big advantage with this book compared to most apologetics book is that using the literary form of dialogues makes this very practical and orient the readers to think about applying directly what is taught here about evangelizing the unbeliever and asking the right questions. The end of the book the author does tell readers this book shouldn’t be taken as formulaic and that apologetics takes time, reflection and serious study with regards to being faithful to biblical principles that has implications for apologetics and applications in evangelism. I appreciate that and yet we all know that people also need to see what does an example of apologetics applied looks like which is presented here in the book.
I do recommend this book. This also makes me want to explore other books by the author.

[Anna Tan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr C annoyed me immensely and we’re supposed to be on the same side.

[Cynthia A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Biehl presented some good arguments about assumptions that are flawed by atheists. By using Biblical truth he gives Christians useful tools in plain language that can be understood by Christians and non-Christians. I especially loved his argument concerning Noah's Ark.
Easy quick read and enjoyable.
I won this book on Goodreads in a giveaway.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful explanation of apologetics, presented as a dialog between a two neighbors one a Christian the other an Atheist. The ideas are presented in an easy to understand manner so would be useful to hand to a Christian who has no interest in reading some of the heavier apologetic works.