"Why Believe" (Neil Shenvi)

TITLE: Why Believe? A Reasoned Approach to Christianity
AUTHOR: Neil Shenvi
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2022, (272 pages).
 

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

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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.