Offers a friendly and conversational inquiry about basic Christian beliefs from a sceptical viewpoint. This book poses fifty simple questions about Christianity that will hopefully foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. It is designed to promote constructive dialogue on the subject.
Written in a respectful and conversational style, this unique book is designed to promote constructive dialogue and foster mutual understanding between Christians and non-Christians. The author, a skeptic and journalist, asks basic questions about Christian belief. What is the born-again experience? Why would God want to sacrifice his only son for the world? Do miracles really happen? How reliable is the Bible? What is the rapture? Why isn't everyone a Christian? Each question is followed by commentary and analysis that is skeptical and tough but never argumentative or condescending.Christians will find the book useful as a basis for developing their apologetics, while skeptics will welcome Harrison's probing rational analysis of religious claims.
“The insight here into a skeptic’s mind compares to theologian Gregory Boyd’s
Letters from a Skeptic…. Both Christians and skeptics will enjoy this book for different reasons. Recommended for Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens fans as well as fans of apologetics such as Timothy Keller’s
Reason for God.”
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Library Journal “These are some great questions, and those serious about their religion should reasonably ask them at some point.”
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San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review “A creative, witty, and engaging book.... Although (at least ostensibly) written for Christians, I urge atheists to read
50 Simple Questions. While the questions and answers themselves are entertaining, it is Harrison’s approach that is most innovative and important. We skeptics would do well to adopt Harrison’s method of encouraging the religious to question their beliefs, since respect, rather than clearly displayed contempt, is far more likely to win hearts and minds.”
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The American Rationalist “Carl Sagan taught us that we make life significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers. Harrison offers fifty such questions for Christians to better know their own religion. A thought-provoking, revealing, and friendly book.”
Cameron M. Smith, author of
The Fact of Evolution
“A sober, thoughtful, and engaging series of inquiries for us Christians. Answering them or at least responding to whether they are ‘simple’ or the ‘correct’ questions is the kind of challenge we should embrace wholeheartedly.”
Rev. Barry Lynn, author of
Piety & Politics