What do you think?
Rate this book
Logic for Christians: Critical Thinking for the People of God
How do you know that what you believe is true? Is there absolute truth, and can you know it? Why do so many people disagree on so many important topics? How do you know when one argument is better than another? Why do so many people disagree about what the Bible says? All these questions can be answered with one Logic. This book will teach you how to think with a coherent and biblical worldview. It will show the importance of absolute truth and critical thinking for understanding the Bible and the culture around us. After reading it you will be able to make clear, sound arguments for why you believe what you believe, and you will also be able to critique the arguments of others. Perhaps no skill is more needed in our current culture than the ability to think well and know truth. This book will give you the tools you need to better assess your own beliefs and the world around you.
- GenresPhilosophyTheology
190 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2021
8 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 29, 2021
Before I begin reviewing this book, it is important to note several things the author points out in the first chapter. First, the book is written "primarily for Christians who want to become better thinkers" (pg. 2). Second, Lee has written this book "at a layperson's level" (pg. 2). Third, he has written the book "in a playful tone throughout" (pg. 3). Lastly, he spends "most of the book discussing logical fallacies, especially as they relate to arguments that Christians make for different theological and ethical positions" (pg. 4). I provide these disclaimers because it is important to know that this is not a book that seeks to provide a very rigorous or in-depth analysis or discussion of logic, particularly formal logic, nor is it a book attempting to provide a new contribution in the field of logic. It is a book written for everyday Christians in an attempt to provide them with a cursory understanding of basic logic and informal fallacies through practical examples, with the purpose of aiding Christians to become better reasoners (and as such, better Christians).
With that, I'll provide a brief review of the book.
Lee spends the first half of the book discussing what logic is and how it is structured, absolute truth, how language can affect logical reasoning, and the concept of causation. At times, the chapters can seem a little disjointed, but overall they flow well together and he covers the concepts fairly and in terms that a person without any logical background will understand. Lee clearly understands the subject matter and attests to having extensive education in the topic, but he is able to distill ideas down so most Christians will be able to understand them.
The second half of the book is spent discussing numerous logical fallacies, all but two of which are informal fallacies. Most of the time, he explains the fallacies, lists an example or two, and then gives the reader the "bottom line" of what they should be looking for in their arguments or the arguments of others to identify these fallacies. I found this structure to be quite helpful and methodical, and I'm sure many readers will too. The sections on the Strawman and Moving the Goalposts fallacies are particularly strong. It is worth noting that, yes, this is a book written primarily for Christians, so many of the examples discuss theological topics or make assumptions about certain Christian beliefs. If a non-Christian reads this, they might find those examples lacking, but, again, they are not the primary audience. Lastly, some of the examples Lee uses are controversial (LGBTQ+ issues, abortion, gun control, etc.), so some readers might be tempted to let their biases or presuppositions get in the way of understanding the point of the example. He also sometimes tends to play his political hand as well by virtue of the examples he chooses, which could causes readers to dismiss his explanations before engaging with them (which in itself is a logical fallacy). Hopefully this will not be the case, however. As Lee says in his disclaimer to Part II of the book, "This is a book on logic, so I am unable to go into depth on every issue. What might feel like a 'drive-by' on a very controversial issue is really just my attempt to point out how those who support that issue often employ a mistake in reasoning" (pg. 90). I would encourage a reader who has an emotional reaction to some of Lee's examples to keep this in mind.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, though for me it proved to be more of a helpful reminder and refresher on logical fallacies rather than teaching me something new. I would have appreciated a little more rigor in the explanations of logical structure and in some of the fallacies, but I recognize the book was not written to those who already have a background in philosophy and logic, and there are trade-offs between accessibility and depth. For the layman Christian, this book is a good primer on basic logical concepts and fallacies from a Christian perspective, and I would definitely recommend it.
As Lee says in his conclusion, "My hope is that through all of this, just maybe, you have learned to be a better thinker" (pg. 173). This book will certainly aid anyone looking to do that.
With that, I'll provide a brief review of the book.
Lee spends the first half of the book discussing what logic is and how it is structured, absolute truth, how language can affect logical reasoning, and the concept of causation. At times, the chapters can seem a little disjointed, but overall they flow well together and he covers the concepts fairly and in terms that a person without any logical background will understand. Lee clearly understands the subject matter and attests to having extensive education in the topic, but he is able to distill ideas down so most Christians will be able to understand them.
The second half of the book is spent discussing numerous logical fallacies, all but two of which are informal fallacies. Most of the time, he explains the fallacies, lists an example or two, and then gives the reader the "bottom line" of what they should be looking for in their arguments or the arguments of others to identify these fallacies. I found this structure to be quite helpful and methodical, and I'm sure many readers will too. The sections on the Strawman and Moving the Goalposts fallacies are particularly strong. It is worth noting that, yes, this is a book written primarily for Christians, so many of the examples discuss theological topics or make assumptions about certain Christian beliefs. If a non-Christian reads this, they might find those examples lacking, but, again, they are not the primary audience. Lastly, some of the examples Lee uses are controversial (LGBTQ+ issues, abortion, gun control, etc.), so some readers might be tempted to let their biases or presuppositions get in the way of understanding the point of the example. He also sometimes tends to play his political hand as well by virtue of the examples he chooses, which could causes readers to dismiss his explanations before engaging with them (which in itself is a logical fallacy). Hopefully this will not be the case, however. As Lee says in his disclaimer to Part II of the book, "This is a book on logic, so I am unable to go into depth on every issue. What might feel like a 'drive-by' on a very controversial issue is really just my attempt to point out how those who support that issue often employ a mistake in reasoning" (pg. 90). I would encourage a reader who has an emotional reaction to some of Lee's examples to keep this in mind.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, though for me it proved to be more of a helpful reminder and refresher on logical fallacies rather than teaching me something new. I would have appreciated a little more rigor in the explanations of logical structure and in some of the fallacies, but I recognize the book was not written to those who already have a background in philosophy and logic, and there are trade-offs between accessibility and depth. For the layman Christian, this book is a good primer on basic logical concepts and fallacies from a Christian perspective, and I would definitely recommend it.
As Lee says in his conclusion, "My hope is that through all of this, just maybe, you have learned to be a better thinker" (pg. 173). This book will certainly aid anyone looking to do that.
June 14, 2025
Great book providing a logical approach to Christianity (clearly by the title). Provides examples on how to know that the Bible is logically sound and why we can know it is true based on a coherent and biblical worldview. The author is my personal pastor, so might be a little biased, but truly so good and insightful.
December 31, 2024
This book is what got me into Christian Apologetics. This book is where I would recommend anyone to start if they were interested in learning the basics of apologetics
December 21, 2022
Since its inception in 2020, my ministry (maygp.org) has been a proponent of the idea that ‘proper thinking is indispensable to knowing and loving God profoundly’. We operated upon the assumption that either that statement was being largely neglected by the Christian community or that those who believed it to be true, didn’t know how best to move forward in sound thinking. Today, we recommend a book that furthers our ministry’s elementary ambitions.
“You can’t hold a falsehood to the glory of God”
Written by Zach Lee, it can be thought of as a pre-introduction to logic and baby steps into the world of critical thinking. The first half of the book delves into the basics of truth, logic, language in relation to logic, presuppositions, argument forms, and causation. The remaining half is dedicated to addressing logical fallacies – common errors in thinking.
The book is ‘Christian’ in the sense that it utilizes issues relevant to the faith as examples to get the point across. Although some illustrations aren’t as vivid as the author likely intended, the basic principles of logical thought remain intact. We recommend this book for all Christians with no prior exposure to formal logic looking for a neatly simplified introduction.
Note. The original review can be found at maygp.org/reviews
“You can’t hold a falsehood to the glory of God”
Written by Zach Lee, it can be thought of as a pre-introduction to logic and baby steps into the world of critical thinking. The first half of the book delves into the basics of truth, logic, language in relation to logic, presuppositions, argument forms, and causation. The remaining half is dedicated to addressing logical fallacies – common errors in thinking.
The book is ‘Christian’ in the sense that it utilizes issues relevant to the faith as examples to get the point across. Although some illustrations aren’t as vivid as the author likely intended, the basic principles of logical thought remain intact. We recommend this book for all Christians with no prior exposure to formal logic looking for a neatly simplified introduction.
Note. The original review can be found at maygp.org/reviews
March 28, 2022
I waver between giving this book a three or four star review. I decided on four because I think the book accomplishes and honest job at introducing its readers to logic, and how to evaluate arguments. The book is simple to understand, and summarizes the series of ‘logical fallacies’ and logical thinking quite well in a way that is compelling.
My only concerns are the authors ‘attempt’ at remaining unbiased when using contemporary social issues when he demonstrates the logical fallacies. It is clear that the author does have a bias to: pro-life, traditional marriage, the right to carry guns, etc. HOWEVER, he does correctly point out various logical fallacies that supporters of these views tend to hold (I just wish he did the same for his own views as a way to keep the book balanced).
All things considered. I would probably recommend this book to most Christians who are looking for way to evaluate whether something is true, or to determine whether a person is making a valid point.
My only concerns are the authors ‘attempt’ at remaining unbiased when using contemporary social issues when he demonstrates the logical fallacies. It is clear that the author does have a bias to: pro-life, traditional marriage, the right to carry guns, etc. HOWEVER, he does correctly point out various logical fallacies that supporters of these views tend to hold (I just wish he did the same for his own views as a way to keep the book balanced).
All things considered. I would probably recommend this book to most Christians who are looking for way to evaluate whether something is true, or to determine whether a person is making a valid point.
October 22, 2022
Highly recommend! For me, I get lost in some of the arguments that I hear between Christians and sin advocates. The fallacies help me to navigate through the false tactics but also to help me see where I use fallacies myself.
January 9, 2023
Simple, clear, and helpful. His list of fallacies and the examples he gives are great.
June 11, 2024
Highly, highly recommend reading this book multiple times.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews