Know Why You Believe

by Paul E. Little, Marie Little (Primary Contributor)

Christianity Today Top Books "After 2,000 years, no question is going to bring Christianity crashing." Do science and Scripture conflict? Are miracles possible? Is Christian experience real? Why does God allow suffering and evil? These are just a few of the twelve most common intellectual challenges to faith that Paul E. Little encountered during his twenty-five years of speaking and teaching in the university. These questions need solid answers, and that's what a million people have already found in this clear and reasonable response to the toughest questions posed to Christian belief. Sprinkling in a few "sure-fire jokes" and other humorous illustrations, Little uses these questions to jog readers' thinking and help them examine their present worldviews, ranging from scientific determinism to rabid existentialism. By thinking through the most common challenges to Christian faith, believers will be prepared to answer others out of the wellspring of their own certainty. This edition, revised and updated by Marie Little in consultation with experts in science and archaeology, provides twenty-first-century information and offers solid ground for those who are willing to search for truth. Including a study guide for individuals or groups, Know Why You Believe is the classic answerbook on Christian faith.

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

231 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1966

About the author

Paul E. Little and his wife, Marie, worked for twenty-five years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Until his death in 1975, Little was also associate professor of evangelism at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid apologetics book. Most of this are things that I've already read, but it's always nice to take refreshers. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

[Dawn Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing to preview books for dd for the David Quine "Starting Points" worldview course we plan to start this fall. This book looks at the twelve most-asked questions in a university setting that Paul Little encountered during his many years of ministry with Intervarsity Fellowship. When doubters or skeptics question, these themes arise with some consistency. They are questions all believers wrestle with as well, and every person answers in one way or another, in the course of their life:

1. Is Christianity Rational?
2. Is There a God?
3. Is Christ God?
4. Did Christ Rise from the Dead?
5. Is the Bible God's Word?
6. Are the Bible Documents Reliable?
7. Does Archaeology Verify Scripture?
8. Are Miracles Possible?
9. Do Science & Scripture Agree?
10. Why Does God Allow Suffering & Evil?
11. Does Christianity Differ from Other World Religions?
12. Is Christian Experience Valid?

Expecting this book to echo many of the same themes and arguments found in Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Faith," as well as Timothy Keller's "The Reason for God," all of which are excellent.

As Little says in Chapter 1, "...Christians at times say they are relieved to hear the Christian story coherently defended in the open marketplace of ideas." Knowing it is OK to question and doubt is so important to a saving faith. It is always encouraging and instructive for me to review the essential Christian answers to the most profound questions.

Finished this one quickly, as with the first Paul Little book I read. He has such a way of saying profound things simply. Lots of dog-eared pages, and I look forward to discussing this one with dd.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Scrutiny is not a threat to Christianity".

"Christianity is based on reasonable faith".

"If there is a moral law, there must be a moral lawgiver".

Little's book is (or should be) a classic amongst the circles of Christian apology. He methodically lays out the reasons supporting the truth of the Gospel and Jesus's claims. He talks about people wanting to debate him about certain reasons why Christianity or elements within it can't be true and how he has instructed students to prove their viewpoints, often resulting in their own chagrin and embarrassment. If I hadn't read The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity and The Case for Christ, I think I would have liked this book even better but this book is a solid primer for Christian faith and I would highly recommend it.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very, very brief, extremely basic introduction to some of the hard-hitting questions of Christian apologetics. I was confused at its simplicity until I realized it was first published in 1967. It must have been a markedly useful resource for its time. For somebody who just wants a very light, bird's-eye overview of these questions, and is not a reader at all, then I suppose it could be useful to a select audience.

The chapters are each only 10-20 pages long. The main chapter titles are: Is Christianity Rational? Is there a God? Is Christ God? Did Christ Rise from the Dead? Is the Bible God's Word? Are the Bible Documents Reliable? Does Archaeology Verify Scripture? Are Miracles Possible? Do Science & Scripture Agree? Why Does God Allow Suffering & Evil? Does Christianity Differ from Other World Religions? Is Christian Experience Valid?

Having read other apologetic books that are much more thorough, this one just feels like Little tried to tackle too much in too few pages. I would much rather read more detailed books that delve more specifically into different apologetic topics. If you've read this and are looking for something more, read these:

For evidence on the resurrection and the reliability of the scriptures, read The Case for Christ.
For arguments on objective truth and God's existence, read I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.
For a basic outline of what Christian theology actually is, read Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth.
For a fantastic explanation of the gospel message, read The Christian Life: Cross or Glory?.
For the argument from morality, read Mere Christianity.
For a book on macro vs. micro evolution, read Darwin on Trial.

Side Rant:
One of last study questions at the back was so disheartening to read: "What would you say to the person who sincerely accepts Christ as Savior and Lord but doesn't feel the joy, peace, purpose in life, forgiveness of sins and strength for living that should accompany a Christian conversion experience?" This is sad because this book literally does nothing to answer this question. And yet it throws readers into the deep end like this, with no assurance of salvation? Who added this?

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had been sitting on my shelf unread for too many years. I wish I’d opened it sooner. Paul Little takes 12 simple, common questions that both believers and nonbelievers ask about Christianity and, chapter by chapter, expounds on and answers those questions in an easy to understand manner. Each chapter is filled with historical and scientific details, plus memorable anecdotes and conversations from Little’s own life and work. Required reading for Christians and an excellent book for seekers and scoffers alike.

Favorite quotes: “It is improbable that anyone thought up, last week, a question that will bring Christianity crashing. Brilliant minds have probed through the profound questions of every age and have ably answered them.”

“The Bible is the word of God regardless of one’s opinion of it. Merely believing it doesn’t make it true. Disbelieving it doesn’t make it untrue.”

“Peace comes when we recognize that in this life we do not have the full picture. Yet we do have enough to show us the edges will be great.”

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read, well, listened to this book for school-- it is jam packed with lots of interesting and great arguments and knowledge!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful with the growth of Christ!

[Chris Armer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book would be good for new Christians or those wanting a basic introduction to Christian apologetics. Many of the arguments would not withstand modern skeptics, but it is a good primer for thinking through the issues.

[Amanda Birdwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished it. But just barely.

I don't know if this book is bad or if I'm just unconvinced by apologetics generally...

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for high schoolers or new Christians. It gives simple answers to tough questions. It can be used to answer questions you yourself are struggling with or used as a tool to answer tough questions that are directed towards. It’s really easy to read while still giving great insight. My favourite chapter was the one on miracles - which can be a struggle to overcome with many new Christians. The chapter on science and God was also very insightful. I highly recommend this book to everyone, whether you’ve been a christian for many years, two days or still exploring the claims of Jesus.
What I liked… Super easy to understand, short concise chapters of each topic. Doesn’t shy away from tough topics/questions or the fact that faith indeed does require faith. very easy to read (read the whole book in just a week and a half)
What I didn't like… Gave very formulaic answers, which can be good in some situations but not always. Not really a dislike, but it’s definitely written in a uni ministry context
What I learned… The chapter on miracles was super helpful… especially since I’m writing a talk on a miracle at the time of reading. Gave a formula/outline for tough questions in a particular context.

[Abigail Mohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very easy to understand, compact guide to why the Christian faith believes what it does. Despite being understandable and accessible, it was also deep and well-written. I’d recommend reading Know What You Believe, another book by Little, first, but this is a very nice guide for people looking to learn more.

[Trent Horner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good refresher on the basics of Christianity and some helpful commentary on answering some of the common challenges to our faith. Nothing groundbreaking, but I would recommend it as a resource.

[Sequoyah Branham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn’t end up finishing this one. I have it three stars because the information was good I just wasn’t looking for a textbook kind of read.
It asks a lot of questions that made me think. Again it just reads like a textbook and I had a hard time staying engaged with that.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Christianity is not the putting on of a new suit on a man, but the putting of a new man into the suit.”

-page 211

[Samara · Rating 3 out of 5]

good tips on how to defend your faith, didnt enjoy it very much though it repeated stuff a lot

[Tabitha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Iris]

Such a good, simple read! I highly recommend.

[Christopher Goins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because it was on a "most influential books on evangelicals" list. I can see why it rightly was on that list. First, I'll briefly go over some positives; and then, some negatives.

"Are Miracles Possible?" was filled with tons of information that was new to me -- and the book is over 40 years old. This attests to either the author's creativity or to this reader's ignorance: I'd like to think it is the former.

The political scientists and analysts at the libertarian think-tank The Cato Institute often talk about the states (all 50 of them in the U.S.) as being "laboratories of democracy." Maryland has high taxes; Florida doesn't. New York has ridiculous rent control laws; other states don't. Through these legislative experiments we can see the effect on people. Some people move away from the states with high taxes, and so on.

In a passage Little briefly recalls atheist philosopher John Stuart Mill's view of divine justice via a quote from Hugh Evan Hopkins. If God were just, or if there was a thing as divine justice, then that justice would look like everyone getting their just reward according to their good deeds and bad deeds.

Little then says the most interesting thing to me in the book: "To see the logical consequences of Mill's "exact reward" concept of God in his dealings with man, we need only turn to Hinduism."

And by turning to Hinduism, and the lands effected by Hinduism, we are looking at "laboratories of theology." What are the results of this "exact reward" atheological experiment when the people believe that the god of the universe creates a system based on the thought of John Stuart Mill?

He continues: "The law of Karma says that all of the actions of life today are the result of the actions of a previous life. Blindness, poverty, hunger, physical deformity, outcastness, and other social agonies are all the outworking of punishment for evil deeds in a previous existence. It would follow that any attempt to alleviate such pain and misery would be an interference with the just ways of God. This concept is one reason why the Hindus did so little for so long for their unfortunates."

Then he presses in even more: "Some enlightened Hindus today are talking about and working toward social progress and change, but they have not yet reconciled this new concept with the clear, ancient doctrine of Karma, which is basic to Hindu thought and life."

In short, modern Hindus speak of reform.

But like with reforming Islam, to reform Hinduism its adherents would have to ignore their scripture.

At one point, in the lands given up this to religion, where one doesn't interfere with another person's karma, we saw people in poverty. Moreover, we also saw these countries taking a lot of time to catch up in wealth to Western countries. In contrast, in Christian U.S.A. we see all of the above social agonies being alleviated rapidly, because the Christian worldview allows for charity and entrepreneurship.

"Do Science and Scripture Conflict?" was golden, but it was not flawless. Little mentions certain presuppositions are necessary to science. This is good. However, the doesn't clamp down on the fact that only under the Christian worldview does science work.

Second, the chapter on archaeology and the Bible was a snooze. But I don't think I should be so crass as to say it was a worthless effort. There are people who attempt to discredit the Bible with archaeology, so it is only right that archaeology be covered.

To have written a book on apologetics 40+ years ago and still have insights that are fresh to a seasoned apologetics consumer (meaning I've watched a lot of debates and read a lot of articles on the subject) is an accomplishment.

Stylistically, this book was immensely quotable: I wanted to tweet every other paragraph. The book also simply ends. There is no final review of the cumulative case for Christianity or a concluding chapter.

I'd keep this book on the influential books list.

[milana waller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe this book would have been more enjoyable if I hadn’t been forced to listen to mindless dorks in my class read it slower than molasses in January.

[Michael Ehrhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Know why you Believe is written by Paul E. Little explaining the truth about what you believe in the Christian faith. Today's current copy has been enhanced and revised by Paul's wife since his unexpected death in 1975. Paul answers many common questions and gives reasoning behind your faith. The Bible is a very hard book to understand at times and can raise a lot of questions for a new believer. One of my favorite questions this book answers is why does God allow suffering and evil? Paul says that God allows those things because it is part of His will which is totally separate from our own. It is through the hardships in life that we get to enjoy the good things like joy and peace because without suffering we would not know them. Also, God wants us to acknowledge He is Lord and that we are lost without His divine help. It's questions like these that are answered to the fullest and help the reader to really engage in the questions. The book is great for any Christian who has questions about their faith; which we all do at times. I liked the easy to read format Paul E. Little presents and the questions he answers are like your own. The book concludes with a guided prayer to salvation through Jesus Christ. Most people live their lives caught up in the middle of things; they want to accept Jesus Christ but are afraid to or they don't know how to. This book has really assured me in my Christian faith and I suggest anyone who's ever had a question about Christianity should read this book.

[Alva · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writing is fine, but I'm not getting what the purpose of this book is. If it is trying to convince atheists to become Christians, as I thought going into it, it is failing. Trying to prove that the bible is true by quoting the bible is never going to convince someone who doesn't believe in the bible.

[Reuben Maddock · Rating 3 out of 5]

What was nice about this book is that it was short and succinct and so I could cover it really quickly. However this meant that very big topics were brushed over quite quickly. I would find that when something big was said, I would be very much engaged and ready to read an explanation but an explanation would sadly never come and the author would move onto the next topic. However, I do understand that the author was likely trying to make this book a quick read for somebody entering into Christianity or somebody who was looking to learn the why behind the what.

I very much enjoyed a lot of the content but as mentioned above, because a lot of larger topics were brushed over, or in some cases the explanation would be quite all over the place I found myself not having a very solid answer when asking myself after a chapter "How would I now answer this question?"

Although, this aside, some of the reason was really nice and there were many times where I had a big smile on my face when reading a certain part because it answered a question I was still quite unsure about. This book included some extremely good answers to the "Why" questions and especially got good in the last few chapters.

In the last few chapters I found myself glued to the pages, due to the high quality content of the answers and the narrative. I even got emotional in the last few pages as the author did a great job at relating a point back to greater society. In fact, that is something the author did well throughout the book. I was impressed by how Paul related many of the points back to the greater world and related his answers to a lot of the positions held by people in our modern world.

Overall I rate the book a 3.6. For the book to be a higher rating I would've liked Paul to go into more details in the chapters so that I could come out really feeling like I could answer the questions that the book was answering

[Abigail Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent, down to earth introduction to Christian apologetics and a thorough exploration of the evidence that points to Jesus Christ being exactly who He said He is—the Son of God.

I’ve had several opportunities in my life to take classes on exegesis, biblical surveys, worldviews, and etc, which I am incredibly grateful for, but I’ve never read anything so concise and easy to understand as this.

I believe it’s extremely important for more Christ followers to study the basics of apologetics. Too many of us accept Jesus because that’s what we were taught. When doubts and questions come, we’re told to just have faith, or we get scared by our own questions and try to tamp them down and ignore them. The thing is, the truth is never afraid of scrutiny, because the truth has nothing to hide. Jesus Christ claims to be THE Truth, so the same principle applies. As Christians, we SHOULD ask questions and explore answers to our doubts, because Christianity does not require us to kiss our brains goodbye. In fact, the evidence points to the fact that following Jesus and the Word of God makes more logical sense than any other hypotheses and ideas presented about life.

I have friends that have abandoned their faith in Jesus because other Christians couldn’t answer their tough questions; questions that are presented and clearly answered in this book. It breaks my heart when that happens, which is why I want to encourage you to read this book and not only find answers for your faith, but make it your own!

[Autumn Slaght · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took my time going through this one so I didn't miss anything. I read this shortly after reading another apologetics book, so it was kind of like a review over the same information, but with a few different perspectives.

I am so happy I stumbled across this book. It covers all the basics of why we Christians believe what we believe, and it breaks it down in such simple language. Some apologetics books are written in such a way where you need a dictionary and a notebook and pen beside you in order to tackle them, but this one broke it down so simply that it was so easy to comprehend! If you are new to the faith, new to defending your faith or want some simple and fast answers, I recommend starting with this book. Paul E. Little had an excellent writing style, one that warmly engages and draws you in, mixing stories about what happened in his life with different encounters along with the evidence as to why we believe. Some things opened my eyes to a new perspective, too.

I wouldn't say that this book is advanced by any means...you can go deeper. Much deeper. It gives you a bullet point, cursory glance, kind of like a statement of faith with a few paragraphs to back up why. A gentle introduction, an informative guide, I would love to see more Christians reading this one.

There are only a few things that I disagreed with in the book. I'll touch on them here. One of which was the Sabbath and how he mentioned that Christians said the shift from Saturday as the "day of worship" to Sunday came because they wanted to celebrate the day Jesus rose from the dead. I encourage anyone reading that or believing that to study the roots of the Sabbath being changed from Saturday to Sunday a little deeper and learn for themselves, not to just take tradition's word on it. It goes deeper than that, and it's based off a single verse in Acts that might need a second glance when studying the Sabbath.
The second isn't necessarily something I disagree with, but I'd be careful with the wording. When talking about God and "Does Christianity Differ From Other World Religions," I'll just quote:
"The Jewish concept of God is the closet of all to the Christian. isn't the God whom they worship the God of the Old Testament, which we accept? Surely we can get together on this! Again, however, closer examination shows that the majority of Jews do not admit their God is the Father of Jesus Christ." (Page 196)
The paragraph goes on, and I guess he's not necessarily saying we don't worship the same God, and again, I get where he's coming from... Some Jews don't believe in Jesus (Yeshua) as their Messiah. But I think that we should talk about it from that angle (That they worship the God of the OT, but they don't believe in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)) rather than stating it like that to make the reader question whether or not they worship the God of the OT and that He's the same God. Anyway, I'm babbling. I'm not angry about it, I get where he's coming from, but I take caution with the wording.
The third thing I disagreed with was the age of the earth, where I feel like he didn't give a satisfactory answer. "In matters where God chooses to be silent, we should likewise choose to remain silent." (Page 159) He also includes a quote by Kantzer, "As Biblical students, therefore, we must remain agnostic about the age of the earth. We have no biblical warrant for ruling out the validity of the commonly accepted geological timetable. Let scientists battle it out on the basis of the scientific evidence, but we should not bolster weak scientific positions with misrepresentations of the Bible conjured up for that purpose. God rarely sees fit merely to gratify our curiosity." (Also page 159) No, no, this is one point that I take a firm stand of disagreement on. It's how we ended up in this mess in the first place: scientists replacing God. As Christians, we CAN produce scientific arguments that are no weak, in accordance with the geologic timetable. Actually, as I'm learning from another study, the evidence is quite strong in the geologic time table that the earth isn't actually millions of years old, but young. So therefore, I disagree wholeheartedly with the paragraph because if we as Christians do not take a stand against the uniformitatian concepts that arise from the geologic rock record, we are stepping aside and allowing people to replace God as Creator. We must not remain agnostic and just accept the ideas as fact, but study them out for ourselves.
But one thing I will say in defense of this is the book was published in 1967 (First Edition) during a time when these geologic timetable concepts were new and Christians saw no need to refute them. We have learned so much since then. So to anyone reading it, I encourage you to study both sides and decide for yourself.

That's really all I disagreed with. No reason to throw the book out, those are just my thoughts. And I reiterate that...these are just my thoughts. I recommend this as a guide, a simple version of some of the more brain-taxing books that have been on my TBR this year. Thanks for sticking with me!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In every case, genuine faith involves a decision of the will."

In this short and profound read, Author Paul E. Little addresses several basic questions that humans often have, or encounter during their spiritual journey. He discusses and demonstrates the virtues and nature of Christ through scripture and supporting evidence; with the intention of inspiring and encouraging the development of one's faith.

Little's book is a great read, if you have questions about...
1. The deity of God.
2. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
3. The holy inspiration of God's Word...the Bible.
4. Suffering and Evil.
5. The application of scripture to the current era.
6. The validity of the Christian experience.

"Know Why You Believe," provides insight, encouragement, and hope in response to some of the basic "why" questions of our faith. At only 231 pages, it is filled with depth, study questions, and further reading list at the end of each chapter. Little's book would also be a great supplement to a literary study of the psychology of religion, spirituality, faith, and the Bible.

[N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read (well, I listened to it via ChristianAudio as part of their free monthly audiobook deal). Definitely recommend to anyone interested in introductory-level apologetics. I always read the bad reviews of a book after I finish it to gain a fresh perspective, so I did the same with this. I noticed they're the typical "such a bad argument" responses, but I have yet to see such a review present reasons for those assertions. Not that someone can't, but often they won't. So, why should we believe you instead of the author? Anyway. I appreciated this book because it reminded me of the importance of not taking beliefs merely at face-value, and always understanding them in their historical contexts. Ideas have beginnings, and it's important to revisit the roots of beliefs we so easily take for granted, whether they be religious or secular.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book aloud to my 13-year-old. I found the points within well-presented, and really appreciate the information given and the perspectives shared. The only thing that made me grimace a number of times were the illustrations that seemed "extra" - instead of supporting the point they were trying to bolster, some of them felt peripheral and even distracting (and, sometimes, they were downright disturbing stories that were hard to get out of my head). Overall, however, a solid book and one that I would recommend to anyone considering Christian apologetics. Some of the vocabulary was above a thirteen-year-old level: it was good as a read-aloud so we could discuss the content and vocabulary as we went along.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A(n extremely) thorough study of apologetics with a generous amount of references taken both from scripture and theologians. I wish I would read Know Why You Believe slower, as the author put an immense amount of effort into forming his arguments in favor of Christianity.

My favorite chapter would definitely be on the subjects of sin and suffering. Paul Little covered the chapter with graciousness and passion, fully acknowledging how messed up our world is.

"God's pledge is not that suffering will never afflict us but that it will never separate us from His love." - Little stated, and I don't think I've seen that truth written in such a concise manner.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting book. It's suffered from what many Christian books I read suffer from where it is my way or the highway so to speak. That there is no other explanation or understanding going on here. And in the general sense that is fine, but in the details it's too bad that so much gets confused and lost because authors are insisting that they have the only possible thinking. But it certainly worth a read. Brings up some good reminders and helps us remember to be a good Christian. There's also a great chapter on a few of the most major religion. Like Hindu, Buddhism, Islam. It's like a cliff notes version about the religion. I found it very interesting

[Mark Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the version I have is slightly dated (1973), I found the book immensely helpful. Little does an excellent job of succinctly walking through various apologetic issues. I really appreciated his logical approach to each topic. He does a fair job of establishing honest critiques to Christianity, rather than creating strawmen. Of course, he is not able to address every possible iteration of those critiques without making the book absurdly long. However, as a resource among others, it is invaluable.