Why I Still Believe

by Joseph Boot

In Why I Still Believe, apologist Joe Boot provides a readable introduction to presuppositional apologetics for the average layperson. This approach assumes that the Christian and non-Christian come to the discussion of faith with worldviews--sets of presuppositions--that are miles apart, so that there is little common ground on which to build an objective argument of rational proof. In this conversational survey of his own intellectual and spiritual journey, Boot invites the non-believer to step inside the Christian worldview to see whether or not it makes sense. Along the way he builds a coherent argument for the truth of Christianity. He also examines the non-Christian worldview, showing how it ultimately fails to make sense of the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2006

About the author

Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot (M.A., Ph.D.) is a cultural theologian, leading Christian apologist, founding pastor of Westminster Chapel in Toronto and founder of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity (EICC). Originally from Great Britain, he served with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for seven years as an apologist based in Oxford England and Toronto Canada. Joe has spoken all over the world in 25 countries at numerous universities, seminaries, churches, colleges, and conferences from Eton College and Oxford University, to Forman University in Lahore, Pakistan. He regularly addresses pastors and Christian leaders as well as medical, legal, and business professionals in North America, Britain, and the Middle East and has publicly debated leading atheistic thinkers and philosophers in Canada and the United States.

Joe did his undergraduate studies in Theology (Birmingham Christian College, U.K), earned his Master’s degree in Mission Theology (University of Manchester U.K), and holds a Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual Thought (WTS, Florida USA). A contributing author to Thomas Nelson’s major Christian apologetics volume, Beyond Opinion, Joe’s other apologetic works include Searching for Truth (Crossway), Why I Still Believe (Baker), and How Then Shall We Answer (New Wine) which have been published in Europe and North America. His most recent book, The Mission of God, is a systematic work of cultural theology exploring the biblical worldview as it relates to the Christian’s mission in the world. Joe serves as Senior Fellow for the cultural and apologetics think-tank truthXchange in Southern California; is Senior Fellow of cultural philosophy for the California based Centre for Cultural Leadership and serves as faculty for both the Wilberforce Academy in Cambridge U.K and The Alliance Defending Freedom’s Blackstone Legal Academy in Phoenix Arizona. In 2011 Joe was recognized by Toronto’s Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection as ‘Best Preacher Apologist’ for his contribution to apologetic and expository preaching. Joe is general editor of the Ezra Institute’s Journal, Jubilee, serves as chancellor for Westminster Classical Christian Academy, and has regularly been heard on Toronto radio, and seen on Sun News Network. Joe lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife, Jenny, and their three children: Naomi, Hannah, and Isaac.

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

Went to an incredible conference a few weeks ago, featuring Dr. Boot as one of the speakers. The Ezra Institute, which put on the conference, is fantastic. It was truly amazing to learn from the speakers and then get to go eat meals with them & talk about topics from wakeboarding to the cycle of fatherlessness.
Picked this one up at the conference as I don't feel quite up for The Mission of God just yet!
https://www.ezrainstitute.com/

[Deborah-Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I Still Believe is not quite a testimony and not quite an academic apologetics book - actually it is both. Asked to defend his faith at a secular university, Boot went to work writing a lecture, 150 pages later, his book was done. In his book, Boot defends his position as a Christian citing that having grown up in a strong faith family is not cause to dismiss his Christian faith as weak, but on the contrary, makes his case stronger. This book traces his story of faith, interjecting some key critical reasoning as various points. Personally, I found his book quite a bit more accessible than some of the other academic tomes I have read on the same subject. It is intellectual enough to hold a academic reader's interest and also practical enough to interest a lay person or someone with no philosophical background. I think his book was primarily a defence against those who don't believe, but it is also a helpful reminder and a good and encouraging read for Christians as well.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Boot is refreshingly honest in his apologetic. He demonstrates the impossibility of non-bias and cogently establishes the absolute necessity to understand our presuppositions that undergird our perspective of reality and life. Unless we take the Bible as true we cannot make sense of the world around us because without the Bible we have nothing upon which to fix a point of reference. This book is an excellent example of presuppositional apologetics being delivered tactfully and without compromise. It is a definite must read for anyone looking for an entry book into the often dauntingly large and sometimes scary field of epistemology and apologetics.

[Benjamin John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book and helpful intro to presuppositionalism. Great last chapter with appeal to the sinner

[Matthew Rawlings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful little book inspired by Van Til's marvelous pamphlet, "Why I Believe in God." Recommended.

[Luis Dizon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rev. Joe Boot is one of the foremost Christian apologists in Canada today. He has done much through his writings, talks and debates with unbelievers to equip Christians (especially the younger generation) in how to respond to an unbelieving world with the truth claims of the Christian faith, exposing the folly of unbelieving worldviews and showing why there is no real alternative to Biblical Christianity.

He has written a number of books on apologetics. Perhaps the best and most easily accessible of them is Why I Still Believe. The thesis, as shown in the subtitle on the front cover, is that the Christian faith is the only possible way that we could make sense of the world around us. A number of non-Christian worldviews are explored, ranging from naturalism to eastern pantheism. All of them are shown to fall short when it comes to answering ultimate questions about God, ethics and the nature of reality. This is in contrast with the answers provided by the God of the Bible, which provides adequate (not pat) answers, and is both internally consistent and explains why things are they way they are.

Unlike other apologetic tomes, which use more technical language and are not as easy to read, Why I Still Believe is written in a narrative style that appeals to a broad audience. Boot communicates the Christian worldview through his life story, showing how he come to his conclusions through his life experiences. He begins there and then eventually takes readers to the foot of the cross, which is how every apologetics book should end. This makes this book ideal reading both for Christians who are struggling with their faith, as well as non-Christians who are seeking answers for the big questions of life, and are in need of the Gospel of Grace. I highly recommend this to everyone.

[Viviana · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a mess. The author bounces from topic to topic without a clear roadmap. The narrative reverts between addressing the reader as though they are a non-believer or a believer often and without reason. I found myself often zoning out during his strings of rhetorical questions that make the reader feel blind.

I believe the author might be a good apologist one-on-one, but without another person's questions to guide his discourse, topics just bounce about like leaves in the wind.

Also, someone please tell this man that just because you say one thing over & over in different ways does not make it true.

I do not recommend this book to anyone, not even fellow Christians.

[Cameron Blaauw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty solid read on presuppositional apologetics.

[Tony denBok · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://marshilltop.blogspot.ca/2011/0...

[Sid Cole]

Great book. A must read.

[Marcus Muresan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid — 7/10