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Why Believe?: A Reasoned Approach to Christianity
Chemist and Christian Apologist Neil Shenvi Explores the Evidence for Christianity For centuries, skeptics have disputed the claims of Christianity―such as belief in an eternal God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ―arguing that they simply cannot be accepted by reasonable individuals. Furthermore, efforts to demonstrate the evidence and rational basis for Christianity through apologetics are often deemed too simplistic to be taken seriously in intellectual circles. Apologist and theoretical chemist Neil Shenvi engages some of the best contemporary arguments against Christianity, presenting compelling evidence for the identity of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels, his death and resurrection, the existence of God, and the unique message of the gospel. Why Believe? calls readers from all backgrounds not only to accept Christianity as true, but also to entrust their lives to Christ and worship him alone.
269 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
93 people are currently reading
661 people want to read
About the author
Neil Shenvi
9 books33 followersNeil Shenvi has an A.B. in chemistry from Princeton and a PhD in theoretical chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. He worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed scientific papers. In addition, his writings on critical theory have been published by the Journal of Christian Legal Thought, the Gospel Coalition, Eikon, Ratio Christi, and the Liberty University Law Review, among others. He is married to Christina and since 2016 has homeschooled his four children.
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August 30, 2022
“Christianity . . . , if false, is of no importance, and, if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.” — C.S. Lewis
Why should you believe Christianity?
Maybe you think it’s foolish. Maybe you’ve encountered questions you don’t have answers for and it’s caused you to doubt everything you’ve been told. Maybe you’ve been hurt by someone who was or claimed to be a Christian. Maybe you’re deterred by all religions. Maybe you just really don’t care. Maybe you do believe but you don’t really know why.
I don’t know where you’re at right now, but asking ‘Why Believe?’ is a good place to be. Because there are many reasons to believe and if you’re willing to ask the question, I firmly believe God will show up for you.
Like the quote above states, if Christianity is false, you have nothing to lose, but if Christianity is true, then this is a matter of life and death, as dramatic as it sounds, that is what is ultimately at stake. And either way, you have a choice to make.
This is a really good book for those who question the truthfulness or goodness of Christianity or outright object to it. It’s also for people who are Christians but are finding themselves wondering if it makes sense anymore.
Neil Shenvi (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) has worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed papers. I’ve seen him quoted in a lot of books I’ve read and have since wanted to read something he has written. (You can check out his website HERE.)
He came to faith during his years of higher education. He says of that time:
“I had always assumed that Christianity could not possibly be accepted by thoughtful, intelligent people, at least not by people as thoughtful and intelligent as me. Surely, Christianity was for well-meaning and sometimes not-so-well-meaning people with substandard educations and a streak of intellectual fear bordering on dishonesty.”
He had his own journey through asking hard questions, researching, and figuring out how Christianity can stand up to rigorous scrutiny. This book comes from that process as a way to show that to be a Christian is not to be irrational.
He addresses all the most common topics, questions, and objections, framing both sides of the arguments in a fair and balanced way. He is quick to acknowledge where arguments are taken too far or when we come to a place of mystery.
His writing style and use of logic, tables, and analogies make this a very understandable apologetics book and will be one of my top recommendations now for that topic. It can be read straight through or used as a reference, just reading the chapters that talk about particular questions you may have.
[It’s similar to Tim Keller’s The Reason for God or Rebecca McLaughlin’s < ahref="http://www.shelfreflection.com/confro... Christianity.]
Some of the questions he addresses are:
- Isn’t it better for humanity to avoid conflict about religious truth claims in order to keep the peace?
- Are all religions true?
- What’s the deal with Jesus?
- He presents C.S. Lewis’s famous trilemma— Lunatic, Liar, or Lord— and consequently talks about if the Bible is historically reliable. (The book Taking God at His Word or Surviving Religion 101 talks specifically about why we can believe the Bible is true, reliable, and inerrant.)
- He provides corroborating evidence from non-Christian authors, geography, and archaeology, and addresses several objections to this trilemma.
- There is a large section that discusses the resurrection.
- Does God exist?
- Here is discussion on mathematics, language, and the origins of life/the universe.
- What is the god-of-the gaps approach?
- I recently read Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t that’s a bit more academic but has a large portion dedicated to the origins of the universe, and how things like math, art, and music point us to a Creator.
- Is there objective moral truth?
- He challenges that even those who claim to be moral relativists don’t actually live like they are when it comes down to it.
- Is truth good? Why should we seek it?
- Why would a good God allow evil?
- What’s the deal with evolution?
- I recently read A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution that would be a great addition to this section.
- Why wouldn’t God just forgive everybody?
- Are all people morally corrupt?
- How does Christianity compare to other religions?
- Isn’t Christianity just a religion for hateful bigots?
It is a very comprehensive book that covers a lot of material, but what I found most important was his presentation of the gospel.
It’s said, ‘If you can think your way into Christianity, you can think yourself out of it.’
Although it’s important and helpful to show evidence for the reasonableness and truthfulness of Christianity, salvation is not a matter of intellectual change but of heart change.
What Shenvi reminds us of is that the biggest obstacle we have to overcome to put our faith in Christ is not whether we believe God exists, whether Jesus rose from the dead, or why evil pervades the world. The biggest hurdle for us is our sin.
He details the depravity of humanity over all of time and we can’t ignore that humanity’s capacity for evil is staggering. He argues (and I can attest to it from personal experience) that we know it’s innate in us when we see how children behave. We don’t have to teach them to hit, bite, steal, and be selfish. It comes naturally. We don’t want to admit it, but the only thing keeping us from being the worst of the worst, is God’s grace. That’s a humbling thought.
“Each of us needs to come to terms with his or her own corruption and moral failure.”
And we don’t want to do that. We’re perfectly fine with comparing ourselves to ‘actual’ bad people and claiming moral high ground. We’re pretty decent people… after all, we’ve never killed anyone.
But that’s not true self-reflection. Shenvi provides a pretty convicting exercise. Would you be willing to have your thoughts broadcast to the public for a day, all your urges, desires, emotions, and judgments? No? Hm… our thoughts exhibit a good deal of our sinfulness don’t they?
“Communist regimes meant to bring equality and dignity to the poor collapsed into totalitarianism, poverty, and corruption. The attainment of money and fame has led celebrity after celebrity into isolation, despair, and even suicide. The material prosperity of the American dream has done nothing to fill our inner emptiness, so we numb ourselves with alcohol, drugs, sex, and entertainment to hide from reality. When we take an honest look at our own hearts, the misery we have inflicted on ourselves and others, and the state of our world, the Christian explanation becomes not only plausible but unavoidable: something is deeply, radically wrong with us.”
What was monumental for Shenvi coming to faith was the realization that Christianity uniquely explained the condition he found himself in when no other religion did.
“the gospel presents us with two truths all of us must face as human beings: that we are all moral failures and that we all need a Savior. Of all the major world religions, only Christianity insists that we are radically morally corrupt people who are consequently alienated from a perfectly good God. And only Christianity insists that what we primarily need is not moral improvement but rescue. If these claims about the human condition turn out to be true, then they are compelling evidence for the truth of Christianity, which is unique in its assessment of the human condition.”
It is telling that only Christianity tells us we can’t fix ourselves. And we don’t really like that. We like to have control of our lives. We want to see the what it will take to get what we want and be able to check off all the boxes. We strive for self-sufficiency.
But what we view as ‘freedom’ and ‘achievement’ in self-sufficiency is actually bondage to a path of destruction. We will never be enough on our own. We need a Rescuer.
“We are all sin addicts… Moral debits and credits are irrelevant to our condition because all the credit in the world can’t cleanse our hearts… In the same way, we certainly need forgiveness, but we need more than just forgiveness. We also need transformation. We need someone to rescue us out of bondage, to break our chains, and to lead us into freedom…
When we realize that our sin is poisoning us, poisoning our relationship to others, and poisoning our relationship to God, we don’t merely want it forgiven; we want it healed… Jesus offers us a redemption that not only saves us from wrath but also restores us.”
That is the gospel message. We are sinful. We need a Savior. Jesus came and lived the perfect life we never could, died the death our sins deserved, and defeated death, the consequence for our sins. We now have the opportunity to be saved and redeemed. A free gift to anyone who comes to Christ. Not because we do enough or are good enough, but because he loves us and wants us to worship him.
“On the one hand, Christianity has what is perhaps the most radically pessimistic view of humanity of any religion or worldview… On the other hand, Christianity has a radically optimistic view of God’s grace. Although we are all equally fallen, we are all equally redeemable.”
And that is why people become Christians. The apologetics matter, but the gospel is what speaks to the depths of our hearts. It speaks to our inner struggles and longings in a way that nothing else does.
[I would like to take a quick moment to commend Shenvi for using the ‘on the one hand… on the other hand’ literary device appropriately. Eighth grade English in real life!]
I recommend this book to everyone.
It speaks to really important questions and does a great job of defending the faith.
But know that just reading this book will not magically transform your life unless you are truly willing to recognize your sin and your need of a Savior.
God is not out to change minds, he is out to change hearts.
Shenvi answers the question ‘Why Believe?’ but only you can make the decision whether or not you will.
This is a good book to open your mind to things you may have held staunch opinions (or no opinions) on before, but the book that will radically change your life is the actual Bible. It is God’s words and if you seek him, you will find him.
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Further Reading:
I’ve read several books on apologetics, some more academic than others, some focused on certain topics. Click HERE for the link on my original blog post to all my other reviews for apologetics books.
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
Why should you believe Christianity?
Maybe you think it’s foolish. Maybe you’ve encountered questions you don’t have answers for and it’s caused you to doubt everything you’ve been told. Maybe you’ve been hurt by someone who was or claimed to be a Christian. Maybe you’re deterred by all religions. Maybe you just really don’t care. Maybe you do believe but you don’t really know why.
I don’t know where you’re at right now, but asking ‘Why Believe?’ is a good place to be. Because there are many reasons to believe and if you’re willing to ask the question, I firmly believe God will show up for you.
Like the quote above states, if Christianity is false, you have nothing to lose, but if Christianity is true, then this is a matter of life and death, as dramatic as it sounds, that is what is ultimately at stake. And either way, you have a choice to make.
This is a really good book for those who question the truthfulness or goodness of Christianity or outright object to it. It’s also for people who are Christians but are finding themselves wondering if it makes sense anymore.
Neil Shenvi (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) has worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed papers. I’ve seen him quoted in a lot of books I’ve read and have since wanted to read something he has written. (You can check out his website HERE.)
He came to faith during his years of higher education. He says of that time:
“I had always assumed that Christianity could not possibly be accepted by thoughtful, intelligent people, at least not by people as thoughtful and intelligent as me. Surely, Christianity was for well-meaning and sometimes not-so-well-meaning people with substandard educations and a streak of intellectual fear bordering on dishonesty.”
He had his own journey through asking hard questions, researching, and figuring out how Christianity can stand up to rigorous scrutiny. This book comes from that process as a way to show that to be a Christian is not to be irrational.
He addresses all the most common topics, questions, and objections, framing both sides of the arguments in a fair and balanced way. He is quick to acknowledge where arguments are taken too far or when we come to a place of mystery.
His writing style and use of logic, tables, and analogies make this a very understandable apologetics book and will be one of my top recommendations now for that topic. It can be read straight through or used as a reference, just reading the chapters that talk about particular questions you may have.
[It’s similar to Tim Keller’s The Reason for God or Rebecca McLaughlin’s < ahref="http://www.shelfreflection.com/confro... Christianity.]
Some of the questions he addresses are:
- Isn’t it better for humanity to avoid conflict about religious truth claims in order to keep the peace?
- Are all religions true?
- What’s the deal with Jesus?
- He presents C.S. Lewis’s famous trilemma— Lunatic, Liar, or Lord— and consequently talks about if the Bible is historically reliable. (The book Taking God at His Word or Surviving Religion 101 talks specifically about why we can believe the Bible is true, reliable, and inerrant.)
- He provides corroborating evidence from non-Christian authors, geography, and archaeology, and addresses several objections to this trilemma.
- There is a large section that discusses the resurrection.
- Does God exist?
- Here is discussion on mathematics, language, and the origins of life/the universe.
- What is the god-of-the gaps approach?
- I recently read Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn’t that’s a bit more academic but has a large portion dedicated to the origins of the universe, and how things like math, art, and music point us to a Creator.
- Is there objective moral truth?
- He challenges that even those who claim to be moral relativists don’t actually live like they are when it comes down to it.
- Is truth good? Why should we seek it?
- Why would a good God allow evil?
- What’s the deal with evolution?
- I recently read A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution that would be a great addition to this section.
- Why wouldn’t God just forgive everybody?
- Are all people morally corrupt?
- How does Christianity compare to other religions?
- Isn’t Christianity just a religion for hateful bigots?
It is a very comprehensive book that covers a lot of material, but what I found most important was his presentation of the gospel.
It’s said, ‘If you can think your way into Christianity, you can think yourself out of it.’
Although it’s important and helpful to show evidence for the reasonableness and truthfulness of Christianity, salvation is not a matter of intellectual change but of heart change.
What Shenvi reminds us of is that the biggest obstacle we have to overcome to put our faith in Christ is not whether we believe God exists, whether Jesus rose from the dead, or why evil pervades the world. The biggest hurdle for us is our sin.
He details the depravity of humanity over all of time and we can’t ignore that humanity’s capacity for evil is staggering. He argues (and I can attest to it from personal experience) that we know it’s innate in us when we see how children behave. We don’t have to teach them to hit, bite, steal, and be selfish. It comes naturally. We don’t want to admit it, but the only thing keeping us from being the worst of the worst, is God’s grace. That’s a humbling thought.
“Each of us needs to come to terms with his or her own corruption and moral failure.”
And we don’t want to do that. We’re perfectly fine with comparing ourselves to ‘actual’ bad people and claiming moral high ground. We’re pretty decent people… after all, we’ve never killed anyone.
But that’s not true self-reflection. Shenvi provides a pretty convicting exercise. Would you be willing to have your thoughts broadcast to the public for a day, all your urges, desires, emotions, and judgments? No? Hm… our thoughts exhibit a good deal of our sinfulness don’t they?
“Communist regimes meant to bring equality and dignity to the poor collapsed into totalitarianism, poverty, and corruption. The attainment of money and fame has led celebrity after celebrity into isolation, despair, and even suicide. The material prosperity of the American dream has done nothing to fill our inner emptiness, so we numb ourselves with alcohol, drugs, sex, and entertainment to hide from reality. When we take an honest look at our own hearts, the misery we have inflicted on ourselves and others, and the state of our world, the Christian explanation becomes not only plausible but unavoidable: something is deeply, radically wrong with us.”
What was monumental for Shenvi coming to faith was the realization that Christianity uniquely explained the condition he found himself in when no other religion did.
“the gospel presents us with two truths all of us must face as human beings: that we are all moral failures and that we all need a Savior. Of all the major world religions, only Christianity insists that we are radically morally corrupt people who are consequently alienated from a perfectly good God. And only Christianity insists that what we primarily need is not moral improvement but rescue. If these claims about the human condition turn out to be true, then they are compelling evidence for the truth of Christianity, which is unique in its assessment of the human condition.”
It is telling that only Christianity tells us we can’t fix ourselves. And we don’t really like that. We like to have control of our lives. We want to see the what it will take to get what we want and be able to check off all the boxes. We strive for self-sufficiency.
But what we view as ‘freedom’ and ‘achievement’ in self-sufficiency is actually bondage to a path of destruction. We will never be enough on our own. We need a Rescuer.
“We are all sin addicts… Moral debits and credits are irrelevant to our condition because all the credit in the world can’t cleanse our hearts… In the same way, we certainly need forgiveness, but we need more than just forgiveness. We also need transformation. We need someone to rescue us out of bondage, to break our chains, and to lead us into freedom…
When we realize that our sin is poisoning us, poisoning our relationship to others, and poisoning our relationship to God, we don’t merely want it forgiven; we want it healed… Jesus offers us a redemption that not only saves us from wrath but also restores us.”
That is the gospel message. We are sinful. We need a Savior. Jesus came and lived the perfect life we never could, died the death our sins deserved, and defeated death, the consequence for our sins. We now have the opportunity to be saved and redeemed. A free gift to anyone who comes to Christ. Not because we do enough or are good enough, but because he loves us and wants us to worship him.
“On the one hand, Christianity has what is perhaps the most radically pessimistic view of humanity of any religion or worldview… On the other hand, Christianity has a radically optimistic view of God’s grace. Although we are all equally fallen, we are all equally redeemable.”
And that is why people become Christians. The apologetics matter, but the gospel is what speaks to the depths of our hearts. It speaks to our inner struggles and longings in a way that nothing else does.
[I would like to take a quick moment to commend Shenvi for using the ‘on the one hand… on the other hand’ literary device appropriately. Eighth grade English in real life!]
I recommend this book to everyone.
It speaks to really important questions and does a great job of defending the faith.
But know that just reading this book will not magically transform your life unless you are truly willing to recognize your sin and your need of a Savior.
God is not out to change minds, he is out to change hearts.
Shenvi answers the question ‘Why Believe?’ but only you can make the decision whether or not you will.
This is a good book to open your mind to things you may have held staunch opinions (or no opinions) on before, but the book that will radically change your life is the actual Bible. It is God’s words and if you seek him, you will find him.
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
Further Reading:
I’ve read several books on apologetics, some more academic than others, some focused on certain topics. Click HERE for the link on my original blog post to all my other reviews for apologetics books.
Book Review Blog | Facebook | Pinterest
February 10, 2024
The first true apologetics work to cross my path in a good while, and I’m grateful it did. I’d read so extensively in the genre many years ago that they’d all begun to feel essentially the same (or else would emerge from such a deficient theological posture that I’d quickly toss them aside). Shenvi not only brings a few arguments to the table I’d never encountered before (e.g., the onomastic argument in favor of NT historicity), but he even manages to provide fresh illustrations on arguments with which I was already very familiar. He also manages to communicate in a way that comprehensively addresses his subject without becoming tedious or over-technical (a grave and all-too-common fault in many recent apologetics works). Most of all, though, he keeps the biblical gospel well in view the entire time, and closes with as cogent, lucid, and winsome presentation of the gospel as I’ve ever seen in a text of this kind. This really does everything that good Christian apologetics should do—it presents arguments of its own, addresses criticisms and counter-arguments, and holds forth the text of Scripture faithfully and accessibly. Moreover, it does all of these things
WELL
. This is an immensely worthwhile read for Christian and non-Christian alike.
May 26, 2023
Nothing bad about this book at all. It’s coherent and the author is clearly brilliant. This book contains many of the rational arguments for God you would expect: the historicity of the gospels, scientific rationale, arguments from universal morality, etc. And he does a phenomenal job explaining them without over explaining.
His aim seems to make a case for the basic plausibility of Christianity and reasons why Christianity should at least not be outright rejected. But at the end he makes the point that ultimately the most compelling case for Christianity is the Gospel itself. When I got to the end I found myself asking if that is the case, why not spend more time on the beauty of Christianity in this book and what it offers in contrast to other belief systems?
Tim Keller has made the point that convincing someone that it would be great IF Christianity were true is usually a stepping stone on the way to professing the actual truth of it. (All under God’s sovereign reign and the power of His Spirit in revealing of course)
Seems like Neil might agree with that.
His aim seems to make a case for the basic plausibility of Christianity and reasons why Christianity should at least not be outright rejected. But at the end he makes the point that ultimately the most compelling case for Christianity is the Gospel itself. When I got to the end I found myself asking if that is the case, why not spend more time on the beauty of Christianity in this book and what it offers in contrast to other belief systems?
Tim Keller has made the point that convincing someone that it would be great IF Christianity were true is usually a stepping stone on the way to professing the actual truth of it. (All under God’s sovereign reign and the power of His Spirit in revealing of course)
Seems like Neil might agree with that.
August 19, 2025
I really enjoyed this! 4 stars because at times, I wanted Shenvi to elaborate more on his points. I often find apologetics books to be hard to get through, but this was extremely approachable, readable, and engaging! I especially loved his argument for the Gospel itself being an argument for Christianity. Be broke down sin and salvation in a beautiful but also logical way.
February 12, 2024
Rating: 4.5/5
This book had some good lessons to chew on, but definitely took some time to work through. It reminded me of a more modern Mere Christianity.
This book had some good lessons to chew on, but definitely took some time to work through. It reminded me of a more modern Mere Christianity.
April 13, 2024
So good! Loved the way Neil Shenvi walked through things. He's a careful thinker and a compelling writer.
February 22, 2023
The most comprehensive and well-written book about Christian apologetics I've read so far. I really appreciated Shenvi's approach to include opinions and quotes from atheists and agnostics without disrespecting their ideas. It was also helpful to read more about other faiths and what is believed in relation to the Christian faith.
A book written for anyone. Well done!
A book written for anyone. Well done!
April 2, 2025
I love how scientific, rational, intelligent, and gracious Neil Shenvi is in this book he wrote exploring the evidence of Christianity. I love how he ended his book. If you find yourself in one of the following categories, I want to encourage you to pick up a copy of this book! "Where are you, spiritually? Are you a Christian who is trying to understand the evidence for the Christian faith? Are you an agnostic who is not really sure what to believe? Are you someone who has been deeply wounded by the church? Are you an atheist who thinks that Christianity is a fairy tale concocted by ignorant, flea-infested, leprosy-ridden Bronze Age sheep herders (thank you, Reddit)? No matter who you are, you need the gospel."
June 7, 2022
As society gets more secular in outlook and atheistic in practice, why should anyone consider religious beliefs? With the ongoing religious controversies and wars, why should we give religions a chance? Amid the religious scandals reported on mainstream media, religious outlook in general has taken a dive. With churches in the West registering sharp declines annually, why bother about Christianity at all? These are some of the questions that fly straight at anyone considering any religious beliefs, and in particular, Christianity. Even among religious believers, it is a tough sell to even get them to consider believing in Jesus. In this frank book about the merits of Christianity, author Neil Shenvi takes us through his personal journey of faith and how he is eventually convinced about the message of Jesus Christ. Like many earnest seekers, he sought to deal with the key questions such as:
- Are all religions true?
- Are they all subjectively true?
- Will there be true peace if all religions are eliminated?
- How do we make sense of the Resurrection?
- How do we deal with the arguments against Theism?
- What evidence is there for the existence of God?
- Can one be good without God?
- What is the uniqueness of the gospel of Christ?
- How do we understand sin and salvation from the Christian perspective?
All of these questions center around this: "Why should we think that Christianity is true?"
My Thoughts
===============
First, this book covers several key basics of Christian apologetics but updates the content for a modern audience. Beginning with the famous trilemma posed by CS Lewis, Shenvi helps address a large group missed out by Lewis: Bible skeptics. There were more people who trusted in the Bible then. Today, the tables have been turned. Even believers themselves are increasingly uncertain about the reliability of the Bible. Shenvi argues with support from science, archaeological findings, and rational thought. He shows us that theology is not mere history (as presumed by the Jesus Seminar form of scholarship) but teaches us a lot about theology. He takes the key resurrection event and builds a strong case for its truth.
Second, Shenvi shows us that science, math, and faith matters can co-exist. Thanks to his scientific background, he manages to engage skeptics at their level of interest: Rational thought. Even today, there are some who feel that Christianity is a cop-out religion or a type of faith where we can kiss our brains goodbye. Far from that. Shenvi uses modern science, philosophical thought, logical arguments, and reasonable arguments to help us engage intellectually. Along the way, he points out the limitations of modern science in trying to explain divine matters. Yet, he is still able to demonstrate the credibility of Christianity to a skeptical audience who is comfortable with all things science and logic.
Finally, I believe apologetic books like this are not meant to convert people. It is more likely to persuade people to be open to Christianity. Whether it is moving one from atheism to agnosticism, or skepticism to openness, the primary purpose is to invite people toward conversation rather than conversion. A wise professor once said to me that if people can reason themselves into belief, they could also reason themselves out of belief. It is God who moves in the hearts of people. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts. It is the love of Jesus that touches hearts. Apologetics cannot be the only tool in evangelism. The sharing of the gospel needs to be accompanied by good works and honest testimonies. Together, they will make a powerful combination to lead people toward the Truth of Jesus.
Neil Shenvi (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) has worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed papers. He is married to Christina and currently homeschools their four children.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
- Are all religions true?
- Are they all subjectively true?
- Will there be true peace if all religions are eliminated?
- How do we make sense of the Resurrection?
- How do we deal with the arguments against Theism?
- What evidence is there for the existence of God?
- Can one be good without God?
- What is the uniqueness of the gospel of Christ?
- How do we understand sin and salvation from the Christian perspective?
All of these questions center around this: "Why should we think that Christianity is true?"
My Thoughts
===============
First, this book covers several key basics of Christian apologetics but updates the content for a modern audience. Beginning with the famous trilemma posed by CS Lewis, Shenvi helps address a large group missed out by Lewis: Bible skeptics. There were more people who trusted in the Bible then. Today, the tables have been turned. Even believers themselves are increasingly uncertain about the reliability of the Bible. Shenvi argues with support from science, archaeological findings, and rational thought. He shows us that theology is not mere history (as presumed by the Jesus Seminar form of scholarship) but teaches us a lot about theology. He takes the key resurrection event and builds a strong case for its truth.
Second, Shenvi shows us that science, math, and faith matters can co-exist. Thanks to his scientific background, he manages to engage skeptics at their level of interest: Rational thought. Even today, there are some who feel that Christianity is a cop-out religion or a type of faith where we can kiss our brains goodbye. Far from that. Shenvi uses modern science, philosophical thought, logical arguments, and reasonable arguments to help us engage intellectually. Along the way, he points out the limitations of modern science in trying to explain divine matters. Yet, he is still able to demonstrate the credibility of Christianity to a skeptical audience who is comfortable with all things science and logic.
Finally, I believe apologetic books like this are not meant to convert people. It is more likely to persuade people to be open to Christianity. Whether it is moving one from atheism to agnosticism, or skepticism to openness, the primary purpose is to invite people toward conversation rather than conversion. A wise professor once said to me that if people can reason themselves into belief, they could also reason themselves out of belief. It is God who moves in the hearts of people. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts. It is the love of Jesus that touches hearts. Apologetics cannot be the only tool in evangelism. The sharing of the gospel needs to be accompanied by good works and honest testimonies. Together, they will make a powerful combination to lead people toward the Truth of Jesus.
Neil Shenvi (PhD, University of California, Berkeley) has worked as a research scientist at Yale University and Duke University and has published over thirty peer-reviewed papers. He is married to Christina and currently homeschools their four children.
Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.
conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Crossway Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.
May 25, 2022
Over the past few years, the name Neil Shenvi has become known among certain Christian circles. Shenvi, a PhD research scientist and homeschooling dad of four, has offered a great deal of helpful and gracious material regarding the issue of critical theory in a variety of arenas. So, when I saw that he was releasing an upcoming book offering a reasoned approach to the believability of Christianity, I immediately reached out to the publisher for my review copy. I was not disappointed!
In Why Believe, Shenvi takes his readers through a variety of thoughtful arguments that point to the reasonability and believability of the faith. Borrowing from thinkers such as C. S. Lewis, Shenvi challenges readers to seriously consider the claims of and about Jesus. Looking at science, Shenvi points to evidence for God in nature, even in astronomy. And, telling his own story, the author helps his readers to see how a reasonable, thoughtful, scientifically minded man moved from skepticism to belief.
As I read through this work, I found myself particularly enjoying the logical construction of Shenvi’s arguments. Perhaps this is because of his scientific background. Whatever the reason, I find that Shenvi’s writing is something I would not hesitate to recommend to a thoughtful person who is not sure about the veracity of the Christian claim. And, honestly, this is not something I would say about every apologetic text out there.
Understand what you are getting in picking up this book. Shenvi is not writing to solve every theoretical problem with the faith or to settle every objection potentially posed. This book is evidential apologetics and not presuppositional in nature—though Shenvi never attempts to find that elusive and nonexistent neutral starting point. He will not settle for you arguments about the age of the earth or the problem of evil. Instead, in many ways, Shenvi simply takes the objections to the faith that we often encounter and presents very reasonable responses to show that the faith is at least as credible as any alternative theory. For example, in response to naturalistic attempts to explain away the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, Shenvi points out that, when all evidence is weighed, the possibility of resurrection is only less likely if one assumes the impossibility of anything supernatural.
I happily recommend that believers interested in a new, clear, helpful evidential apologetics book pick up Shenvi’s work. Perhaps his words can open doors for skeptics to give consideration to the faith they assume to be illogical on its surface. Only the work of Almighty God can convert a soul, and I would certainly never suggest otherwise. But, perhaps the Lord will use these encouraging and well-reasoned arguments to at least make someone sit down and talk.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In Why Believe, Shenvi takes his readers through a variety of thoughtful arguments that point to the reasonability and believability of the faith. Borrowing from thinkers such as C. S. Lewis, Shenvi challenges readers to seriously consider the claims of and about Jesus. Looking at science, Shenvi points to evidence for God in nature, even in astronomy. And, telling his own story, the author helps his readers to see how a reasonable, thoughtful, scientifically minded man moved from skepticism to belief.
As I read through this work, I found myself particularly enjoying the logical construction of Shenvi’s arguments. Perhaps this is because of his scientific background. Whatever the reason, I find that Shenvi’s writing is something I would not hesitate to recommend to a thoughtful person who is not sure about the veracity of the Christian claim. And, honestly, this is not something I would say about every apologetic text out there.
Understand what you are getting in picking up this book. Shenvi is not writing to solve every theoretical problem with the faith or to settle every objection potentially posed. This book is evidential apologetics and not presuppositional in nature—though Shenvi never attempts to find that elusive and nonexistent neutral starting point. He will not settle for you arguments about the age of the earth or the problem of evil. Instead, in many ways, Shenvi simply takes the objections to the faith that we often encounter and presents very reasonable responses to show that the faith is at least as credible as any alternative theory. For example, in response to naturalistic attempts to explain away the accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, Shenvi points out that, when all evidence is weighed, the possibility of resurrection is only less likely if one assumes the impossibility of anything supernatural.
I happily recommend that believers interested in a new, clear, helpful evidential apologetics book pick up Shenvi’s work. Perhaps his words can open doors for skeptics to give consideration to the faith they assume to be illogical on its surface. Only the work of Almighty God can convert a soul, and I would certainly never suggest otherwise. But, perhaps the Lord will use these encouraging and well-reasoned arguments to at least make someone sit down and talk.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2022
It's a little difficult for me to actually rate this book, because I've previously encountered a lot of the information presented here in other apologetics texts. I appreciate Shenvi's just-the-facts-ma'am style of prose. There are large sections in which he deals with emotionally provocative topics that could easily devolve into impassioned diatribes; Shenvi avoids this. However, therein lies the rub. Shenvi acknowledges that humans don't make decisions about any religion-whether those decisions are positive or negative-based on reason. So presenting the rational evidence for one side or the other would seem like an exercise in futility. Still, as someone with a head-first (rather than a heart-first) bias, it's nice to find a succinct, no-nonsense treatment on the rationality of belief.
June 22, 2024
[Introductory Story]
The summer of 2016, before college, I attended a 2-week long Christian worldview apologetics camp which gave myself and the other 30ish 16-18 yr olds many arguments and evidences which support the truth of the Christian worldview.
For those that aren’t familiar, apologetics is the discipline of arguing for or defending a religion/faith.
The months that followed camp were filled with life-giving, meaningful conversations about God, Jesus, religion, and all things spiritual. I had felt nothing like it before, and believed the Holy Spirit was working through me.
Before continuing, let me make a distinction that needs made: proclaiming good reasons that support the Christian worldview is different from explicitly proclaiming the gospel message. While the Holy Spirit can work through both acts of sharing, they are different acts. I believe I conflated the two concepts into one during college. The result was that I was unintentionally and subliminally pushing a gospel which required/encouraged the overcoming of various intellectual obstacles before submitting one’s life to Christ.
Albeit conversations with nonbelievers were amazing; through many interactions I saw hearts being softened towards Christianity by hearing these evidences for the Christian worldview. My conversations with believers; however, were split: some appreciated learning new reasons which support the Christian worldview, while others just didn’t seem to see the value in it, which left me frustrated.
Now here I am 3 years after graduation in 2024 having finished this book in the context of a church small group, finally picking up the pieces of my frustration.
[Book Review]
The sum of evidences that Neil Shenvi compiles in the beginning 3/5 of [Why Believe?: A Reasoned Approach to Christianity] creates a compelling argument that the Christian worldview is not irrational.
Within the set of these evidences presented, many gave me great enjoyment to revisit what I previously encountered at the apologetics camp I attended 8 years prior, and many gave me great joy to learn anew (looking at you onomastics).
What struck me the most, however, is in the final 2/5 of the book when Shenvi presents what he claims to be the most compelling argument for Christianity: the gospel.
“The gospel presents us with two truths all of us must face as human beings:
1. We are all moral failures
2. We all need a Savior”
It all comes down to how we respond to those two truths! Here is one of Shenvi’s concluding statements:
“While people can be convinced (and I hope are convinced) by other arguments [that support the rationality and truth of the Christian worldview like the ones presented in this book], a profound awareness of our sin and need for rescue is not only necessary but sufficient to lead us to trust in Christ.”
How does this fit in with my story?
I love knowing things others don’t and sharing these things. It gives me great happiness to be able to share something new that other people haven’t heard of before. When left unchecked, this perhaps odd source of dopamine for me turns into indiscriminate sharing of arguments and reasons for Christianity that a lot of people just didn’t ask for and don’t need.
While we are called to share the gospel to all people, we are not called to share every apologetics argument we come across with all people.
The summer of 2016, before college, I attended a 2-week long Christian worldview apologetics camp which gave myself and the other 30ish 16-18 yr olds many arguments and evidences which support the truth of the Christian worldview.
For those that aren’t familiar, apologetics is the discipline of arguing for or defending a religion/faith.
The months that followed camp were filled with life-giving, meaningful conversations about God, Jesus, religion, and all things spiritual. I had felt nothing like it before, and believed the Holy Spirit was working through me.
Before continuing, let me make a distinction that needs made: proclaiming good reasons that support the Christian worldview is different from explicitly proclaiming the gospel message. While the Holy Spirit can work through both acts of sharing, they are different acts. I believe I conflated the two concepts into one during college. The result was that I was unintentionally and subliminally pushing a gospel which required/encouraged the overcoming of various intellectual obstacles before submitting one’s life to Christ.
Albeit conversations with nonbelievers were amazing; through many interactions I saw hearts being softened towards Christianity by hearing these evidences for the Christian worldview. My conversations with believers; however, were split: some appreciated learning new reasons which support the Christian worldview, while others just didn’t seem to see the value in it, which left me frustrated.
Now here I am 3 years after graduation in 2024 having finished this book in the context of a church small group, finally picking up the pieces of my frustration.
[Book Review]
The sum of evidences that Neil Shenvi compiles in the beginning 3/5 of [Why Believe?: A Reasoned Approach to Christianity] creates a compelling argument that the Christian worldview is not irrational.
Within the set of these evidences presented, many gave me great enjoyment to revisit what I previously encountered at the apologetics camp I attended 8 years prior, and many gave me great joy to learn anew (looking at you onomastics).
What struck me the most, however, is in the final 2/5 of the book when Shenvi presents what he claims to be the most compelling argument for Christianity: the gospel.
“The gospel presents us with two truths all of us must face as human beings:
1. We are all moral failures
2. We all need a Savior”
It all comes down to how we respond to those two truths! Here is one of Shenvi’s concluding statements:
“While people can be convinced (and I hope are convinced) by other arguments [that support the rationality and truth of the Christian worldview like the ones presented in this book], a profound awareness of our sin and need for rescue is not only necessary but sufficient to lead us to trust in Christ.”
How does this fit in with my story?
I love knowing things others don’t and sharing these things. It gives me great happiness to be able to share something new that other people haven’t heard of before. When left unchecked, this perhaps odd source of dopamine for me turns into indiscriminate sharing of arguments and reasons for Christianity that a lot of people just didn’t ask for and don’t need.
While we are called to share the gospel to all people, we are not called to share every apologetics argument we come across with all people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2023
I think i’m going to start my reviews with the highlight of each book i read…might stick to that and might not
HIGHLIGHT: The footnotes
the research done for this book is excellent, and I think that most academics would find the sources that Shenvi interacts with to be adequate. It is not just rhe quality of his research that makes the footnotes good though, it is what he writes and explains in them! TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FOOTNOTES.
REST OF REVIEW:
This book posits basically the same arguments you get in most classic christian apologetic books (i don’t have enough faith to be an atheist, etc.) but it does give great examples and better footnotes in my opinion. This book is also especially succinct which i appreciated and was written in such a way that i would feel confident in most high school students ability to read and understand it well. I have two real issues with the book (neither that serious). One is that he spends too much time opting out of fully explaining himself by saying things like “even if evolution is true that doesn’t necessarily contradict christianity.” I would have preferred he gave a more full description in some of the areas where he opted to do the above instead. The second is that his “gospel presentation” in the closing three chapters does not really share the gospel with the reader as much as make the case for human sinfulness. While that’s extremely important and clearly a major part of the gospel, he does not share the whole of the gospel. For example I believe he fails to included the resurrection in the closing three chapters. A missed opportunity.
I would highly recommend as a refresher, or an introduction to christian apologetics! It also provides the resources to dive into a deeper study if you want.
ALSO SOME OF MY COMPLAINTS ARE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ADDRESSED IN THE CONCLUSION CHAPTER. But i feel like people might skip that? maybe i’m wrong.
HIGHLIGHT: The footnotes
the research done for this book is excellent, and I think that most academics would find the sources that Shenvi interacts with to be adequate. It is not just rhe quality of his research that makes the footnotes good though, it is what he writes and explains in them! TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE FOOTNOTES.
REST OF REVIEW:
This book posits basically the same arguments you get in most classic christian apologetic books (i don’t have enough faith to be an atheist, etc.) but it does give great examples and better footnotes in my opinion. This book is also especially succinct which i appreciated and was written in such a way that i would feel confident in most high school students ability to read and understand it well. I have two real issues with the book (neither that serious). One is that he spends too much time opting out of fully explaining himself by saying things like “even if evolution is true that doesn’t necessarily contradict christianity.” I would have preferred he gave a more full description in some of the areas where he opted to do the above instead. The second is that his “gospel presentation” in the closing three chapters does not really share the gospel with the reader as much as make the case for human sinfulness. While that’s extremely important and clearly a major part of the gospel, he does not share the whole of the gospel. For example I believe he fails to included the resurrection in the closing three chapters. A missed opportunity.
I would highly recommend as a refresher, or an introduction to christian apologetics! It also provides the resources to dive into a deeper study if you want.
ALSO SOME OF MY COMPLAINTS ARE AT LEAST PARTIALLY ADDRESSED IN THE CONCLUSION CHAPTER. But i feel like people might skip that? maybe i’m wrong.
June 20, 2022
Why Believe? by Neil Shenvi is an intermediate book on apologetics that stresses a reasoned approach to Christianity. The author focuses his attention on several themes that include the reliability of the gospels, the claims of Christ, the deity of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ.
Dr. Shenvi interacts with philosophy (both Christian and non-Christian alike). One of the great strengths of this book is the author’s gracious tone. He never compromises the truth of Scripture but he is kind to his opponents.
The closing chapters that focus on the gospel prove to be very helpful as the author discusses the uniqueness of Christianity, sin, and salvation. He contrasts historic Christianity with the major world religions.
The conclusion is worth the price of the book as Shenvi challenges readers to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Shenvi’s work draws on classical thought but does not deviate from Scripture. This work is recommended especially for skeptics and anyone who wrestles with the arguments of historical Christianity.
Dr. Shenvi interacts with philosophy (both Christian and non-Christian alike). One of the great strengths of this book is the author’s gracious tone. He never compromises the truth of Scripture but he is kind to his opponents.
The closing chapters that focus on the gospel prove to be very helpful as the author discusses the uniqueness of Christianity, sin, and salvation. He contrasts historic Christianity with the major world religions.
The conclusion is worth the price of the book as Shenvi challenges readers to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Shenvi’s work draws on classical thought but does not deviate from Scripture. This work is recommended especially for skeptics and anyone who wrestles with the arguments of historical Christianity.
May 31, 2022
Why Believe?
A Reasoned Approach to Christianity
by Neil Shenvi
Pub Date 21 Jun 2022 |
Crossway
Christian
I am reviewing a copy of Why Believe? through Crossway and Netgalley:
Skeptics have disputed the claims of Christianity such as belief in an eternal God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ arguing that they simply cannot be accepted by reasonable individuals. Furthermore, efforts to demonstrate the evidence and rational basis for Christianity through apologetics are often deemed too simplistic to be taken seriously in intellectual circles.
Neil Shenvi, an apologist and theoretical chemist, engages some of the best contemporary arguments against Christianity, presenting compelling evidence for the identity of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels, his death and resurrection, the existence of God, and the unique message of the gospel.
I give Why, Believe five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
A Reasoned Approach to Christianity
by Neil Shenvi
Pub Date 21 Jun 2022 |
Crossway
Christian
I am reviewing a copy of Why Believe? through Crossway and Netgalley:
Skeptics have disputed the claims of Christianity such as belief in an eternal God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ arguing that they simply cannot be accepted by reasonable individuals. Furthermore, efforts to demonstrate the evidence and rational basis for Christianity through apologetics are often deemed too simplistic to be taken seriously in intellectual circles.
Neil Shenvi, an apologist and theoretical chemist, engages some of the best contemporary arguments against Christianity, presenting compelling evidence for the identity of Jesus as portrayed in the Gospels, his death and resurrection, the existence of God, and the unique message of the gospel.
I give Why, Believe five out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
July 14, 2023
I am thankful for Shenvi’s ministry. He is objective, consistent, honest, and transparent. This book is not necessarily a new apologetic but he does a great job. He does a good job explaining the Christian and non-Christian viewpoint, and his background makes him a great resource at understanding the more naturalist perspective. I love how he does give the philosophical reasons for faith but grounds everything in Scripture and the gospel—he has a Christ centered lenses by which does the apologetic task. Also, this book is concise, clear, easy to follow without losing depth.
May 1, 2024
For context, I’m an agnostic who is culturally Christian through family but have never been practicing. This is an excellent book. Shenvi is a chemistry PhD who came to find faith in grad school, and his background shines throughout. He is very methodical in his treatment of the subject, applying formal logic to structure his arguments and gives fair treatment to what he considers the most promising arguments against his thesis. The book can largely be read as a series of independent chapters — I personally enjoyed the chapters discussing evolution’s compatibility with Christianity, the trilemma, and the historicity of the Gospels the most compelling. But it’s all quite good, and while not at the point of getting a total nonbeliever into church every Sunday definitely raises very interesting points and is worth your time reading.
December 14, 2022
Academic but accessible. Loved it.
June 20, 2023
Excellent introduction to the core arguments for Christianity but explained in a very coherent and compelling way. I enjoyed it!
December 30, 2024
Confession: sometimes I feel burnt out on apologetics books. But I found this one really encouraging. Some of the arguments were ones I’d heard before and some I’d never considered. Shenvi is just a brilliant mind, and while I wouldn’t say it was light reading, he manages to communicate complex philosophical arguments in a coherent and down-to-earth way.
I think my favorite section was where he argues that the gospel itself is one of the best arguments for Christianity. His example is (in my own poorer words): if you get injured and one person says you need a bandaid, one says you need an ice pack, and one says you need surgery and a cast, who do you believe? Well, if you know you can’t put weight on your leg and you see there’s a bone sticking out, you believe the last person, because their assessment aligns with what you know is true about your condition. Christianity’s assessment of both our problem and its seriousness is different than any other religion, as is its solution.
I was considering letting my middle schooler read this, and I think it would be great except for the chapter on human violence. Shenvi gives some graphic statistics and examples about crimes, genocide, etc. While I think it was pertinent to his argument (that humans are not naturally innocent and do have a sin problem), it would be too much for my child right now.
I also took issue with some things he said about repentance. While he did say that it means a change of mind, he also (like many Christians, sadly) said that real repentance means changing your life. While Christians should absolutely change their life after they change their mind, pointing to that as part of or proof of salvation mixes works into the gospel of grace and faith. Salvation and discipleship are distinct things. Salvation is by faith alone apart from works—discipleship is obedience to Christ as our Lord.
Still, overall I loved this. Sometimes I wonder, “Is the truth about God some random religion that I’ve never heard of?” Thinking about how deeply logical and rationally supported Christianity is and how well it answers the deepest questions of reality is very grounding.
I think my favorite section was where he argues that the gospel itself is one of the best arguments for Christianity. His example is (in my own poorer words): if you get injured and one person says you need a bandaid, one says you need an ice pack, and one says you need surgery and a cast, who do you believe? Well, if you know you can’t put weight on your leg and you see there’s a bone sticking out, you believe the last person, because their assessment aligns with what you know is true about your condition. Christianity’s assessment of both our problem and its seriousness is different than any other religion, as is its solution.
I was considering letting my middle schooler read this, and I think it would be great except for the chapter on human violence. Shenvi gives some graphic statistics and examples about crimes, genocide, etc. While I think it was pertinent to his argument (that humans are not naturally innocent and do have a sin problem), it would be too much for my child right now.
I also took issue with some things he said about repentance. While he did say that it means a change of mind, he also (like many Christians, sadly) said that real repentance means changing your life. While Christians should absolutely change their life after they change their mind, pointing to that as part of or proof of salvation mixes works into the gospel of grace and faith. Salvation and discipleship are distinct things. Salvation is by faith alone apart from works—discipleship is obedience to Christ as our Lord.
Still, overall I loved this. Sometimes I wonder, “Is the truth about God some random religion that I’ve never heard of?” Thinking about how deeply logical and rationally supported Christianity is and how well it answers the deepest questions of reality is very grounding.
July 25, 2022
Excellent. For me, Shenvi presents clear arguments on the problem of evil. Worth it just for that section.
July 12, 2022
Shenvi is next in a long line of apologists. C.S. Lewis, the McDowells, Strobel and Wallace all have made an impact in the apologetics space through their books and ministry.
Shenvi tells you why you can and should believe in Christianity.
Scratch that. He doesn't tell you, he reasons with you. He hears your protests and offers a clearer and surer answer. Even better, he doesn't deal with *your* arguments because most readers have not fully studied the different topics (What Caused the Universe?, How Can Objective Moral Values and Duties Exist?, The Problem of Evil, and more).
What you want is to see Shenvi engage with scientists, philosophers and other experts who should put up a good 'fight'. He puts the problem before the reader, shows us what the other side thinks, believes and speculates, and shows us that the Christian claims are not just rational but ultimately, more importantly, true.
Detailed 3,242 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
Shenvi tells you why you can and should believe in Christianity.
Scratch that. He doesn't tell you, he reasons with you. He hears your protests and offers a clearer and surer answer. Even better, he doesn't deal with *your* arguments because most readers have not fully studied the different topics (What Caused the Universe?, How Can Objective Moral Values and Duties Exist?, The Problem of Evil, and more).
What you want is to see Shenvi engage with scientists, philosophers and other experts who should put up a good 'fight'. He puts the problem before the reader, shows us what the other side thinks, believes and speculates, and shows us that the Christian claims are not just rational but ultimately, more importantly, true.
Detailed 3,242 word review: https://readingandreaders.com/podcast...
October 19, 2022
As a starter apologetics book, it is fairly good, but as an apologetics book in 2022 it is not that impressive. Neil Shenvi does have a lot of good sources and arguments, but he is not adding much to the genre, rather he is sometimes stuck fifty years back and does little to give the latest(rather he usually is stuck at the "new atheist" arguments, that are easy to attack as they are bad). It is apparent all from the beginning as he chooses to begin with the trilemma, but does not manage to do the opponents justice - and instead uses it as a springboard to the reliability of the bible. Every single bit in this book, I think, is written better in other places. It sounds like I find it not good at all, but it is a totally fine book - but maybe more so if one has not read a lot, and then this book may be a better book and a good starting point for apologetics. It is also a very preachy book, as Shenvi does not shy away from using a lot of time nudging you to take a stance - something that I always find a bit cringy.
Read
January 12, 2023Other people are apathetic toward religion. Why should they bother with the claims of Christianity if they can live happy, compassionate, spiritual lives without it? And what if we see Christianity as outdated and irrelevant?
I had always assumed that Christianity could not possibly be accepted by thoughtful, intelligent people, at least not by people as thoughtful and intelligent as me. Surely, Christianity was for well-meaning and sometimes not-so-well-meaning people with substandard educations and a streak of
intellectual fear bordering on dishonesty.
At this point, what’s most interesting to me about these events was how little they had to do with what we normally think of as evidence. Why? Probably because I had never rejected Christianity on the basis of evidence in the first place. My beliefs about morality, religion, and God were largely the unreflective product of ideas I had picked up from my peers, my friends, my parents, books, television, and movies. I had never questioned my assumptions about the nature of religious truth or engaged with opposing views. What C. S. Lewis, my future wife, and my church in Berkeley provided was not new evidence but the realization that some of my reasons for ignoring Christianity were highly dubious.
Should We Avoid Religious Truth Claims for the Sake of Peace?
of the 1,763 wars listed in the Encyclopedia of Wars, “only 123 have been classified to involve a religious cause, accounting for less than 7 percent of all wars and less than 2 percent of all people killed in warfare.” - ONLY??
the key to long- term peace and human flourishing is not found in one particular religion. Are we sure that this claim is true?
I had always assumed that Christianity could not possibly be accepted by thoughtful, intelligent people, at least not by people as thoughtful and intelligent as me. Surely, Christianity was for well-meaning and sometimes not-so-well-meaning people with substandard educations and a streak of
intellectual fear bordering on dishonesty.
At this point, what’s most interesting to me about these events was how little they had to do with what we normally think of as evidence. Why? Probably because I had never rejected Christianity on the basis of evidence in the first place. My beliefs about morality, religion, and God were largely the unreflective product of ideas I had picked up from my peers, my friends, my parents, books, television, and movies. I had never questioned my assumptions about the nature of religious truth or engaged with opposing views. What C. S. Lewis, my future wife, and my church in Berkeley provided was not new evidence but the realization that some of my reasons for ignoring Christianity were highly dubious.
Should We Avoid Religious Truth Claims for the Sake of Peace?
of the 1,763 wars listed in the Encyclopedia of Wars, “only 123 have been classified to involve a religious cause, accounting for less than 7 percent of all wars and less than 2 percent of all people killed in warfare.” - ONLY??
the key to long- term peace and human flourishing is not found in one particular religion. Are we sure that this claim is true?
October 9, 2022
Many apologetics books run the risk of doing more harm than good to the skeptic by inadvertently raising more questions than answers. This is not one of those books, for two reasons. The first is that Shenvi offers the right answers in the right way. There is a temptation in apologetics to present an answer that will slam the door on doubt. These are rarely successful. What is needed instead is an argument that will leave the door open for belief. Shenvi does this repeatedly and effectively. The second is that Shenvi takes a truly Christian approach, not only addressing the intellect but also the heart. After prying the door open to belief, Shenvi uses the final three chapters to explore how the gospel diagnoses the human condition and also provides the remedy. This is much needed and often wanting in apologetics books.
For me this is among the top books on apologetics (I would also include Tim Keller’s “Reason for God” and “Making Sense of God”, Greg Koukl’s “Tactics”, C. S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity”, and Lee Strobel’s “Case for Christ”) More importantly, this is now the first book I would recommend to a curious non-Christian or a doubting Christian, and it is the only one I could recommend with a degree of confidence that the book will not do more harm than good.
For me this is among the top books on apologetics (I would also include Tim Keller’s “Reason for God” and “Making Sense of God”, Greg Koukl’s “Tactics”, C. S. Lewis’s “Mere Christianity”, and Lee Strobel’s “Case for Christ”) More importantly, this is now the first book I would recommend to a curious non-Christian or a doubting Christian, and it is the only one I could recommend with a degree of confidence that the book will not do more harm than good.
October 19, 2022
It was an interview with the author on Kevin DeYoung's podcast that motivated me to read this book. I'm glad I did so. It is a good collection of various topics related to defending the faith--science, ethics, philosophy, physics, Scripture, the resurrection, etc. Shenvi treats the topics ably, with a relatively swift, no-nonsense approach. He closes with an angle that often goes overlooked. Call it the "gospel argument" for Christianity. If mankind is truly sinful, and if Jesus' actions on the cross truly provided the only antidote, then that is powerful evidence for accepting the faith. And yes, Shenvi spends adequate time demonstrating that mankind really is plagued by sin, and that Jesus' coming really was the only way to deal with this problem. The author points out that most people come to Christ via this route, yet apologists spend little effort discussing it. He does not make that mistake.
November 14, 2024
To be honest I was a little disappointed with this book. There is a lot of good information in this book! A few chapters were extremely captivating! But a majority of the book struggled to keep my attention. The author often cites people like CS Lewis which is great if you are a Christian but if not you could probably care less. The conclusion section also seemed like a very weird catch all. I think the book more than a carpenter accomplishes the same task (just better and easier to read) that this book attempted to. I would recommend reading that first. But this did have some nice supplemental information to that book so if you have already read more than a carpenter feel free to skim through this one!
April 12, 2024
This was a really well done work by someone who is not every day toiling in the field of theology or pastoral care. It was refreshing to have a perspective of such a knowledgeable and humble person who has walked the same questions discussed in the book. I hesitate to add the fifth and final star to this review because it is, a bit dense and at times seems unapproachable. That is discussed to be purposeful in the book, as it is written on a much more technical and scientific scale than some other apologetic books. Still, it is well worth a read and a very modern update to some classic Works such as reason for God, etc.
February 10, 2023
While a good book by itself, I find nothing Shenvi offered added anything original to the ongoing discussion of apologetics. Nearly everything he wrote, from points he made to illustrations he used, have already been used in other, more thought out works. While I appreciate his desire to write chapters independent of each other, this led to a rather disjointed reading. While I appreciate his effort and intelligent style of writing, I wish he had focused his apologetic work around his area of expertise in chemistry rather than rehashing other works
September 22, 2022
A very good introduction to the Christian faith- which could be a good resource for those asking questions or to help a new Christian grow in conviction or even useful for those mature in the faith refreshing themselves on the truths which support our belief. This book was a little unique amongst apologetic works in that the last 3 chapters of the book are walking through the truth of Christian belief of sin, salvation, and the gospel.
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