Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer [Paperback]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2008

Atheistic and agnostic writers are aggressively attacking traditional religious beliefs. Philosopher and prolific writer Peter Kreeft is up to the challenge in this work of popular apologetics aimed at both teens and adults. The masterful Kreeft tackles sixteen crucial issues about the deeper meaning of life. The questions that Kreeft explores range from, "Is faith reasonable?," Can you prove there is a God?", and "Why is Jesus different?," to "Why is sex so confusing?," "Why is there evil?", and "Why must we die?"

Kreeft provides thoughtful, lucid, and persuasive answers for believers, unbelievers, and seekers to consider. As always, Kreeft is insightful, inspiring, and entertaining. This book is ideal for those exploring faith for the first time, as well as for confirmation and religious education classes. It's an intellectual and spiritual feast! This is vintage Kreeft.

"The good news of the Gospel is as exciting as a murder mystery. For at its heart there is a murder: the murder of God two thousand years ago in Jerusalem. And this God is the greatest of mysteries: who He is and why He put us here, and why He came here and what His plans are for us. The story is literally a matter of life or death - eternal life or death."
-- Peter Kreeft

"Be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you."
-- 1 Peter 3:15

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158617200X
• ISBN-13: 978-1586172008
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter J. Kreeft (Ph.D., Fordham University) is professor of philosophy at Boston College where he has taught since 1965. A popular lecturer, he has also taught at many other colleges, seminaries and educational institutions in the eastern United States. Kreeft has written more than sixty-seven books, including The Best Things in Life, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Fundamentals of the Faith and The Handbook of Christian Apologetics.

Dr. Kreeft's MP3 audio lectures can be purchased on Amazon, such as
"Christianity in Lord of the Rings".

Free articles, audio lectures, the speaking schedule and more info from Dr. Peter Kreeft can be found at his popular web site:
http://www.peterkreeft.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Confirmation Gift, March 19, 2008

By 

Rich Leonardi (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer (Paperback)

Peter Kreeft has distilled decades of wisdom about Thomistic theology and Catholic apologetics into a wonderful explanation of the Faith for young readers. Targeting students of Confirmation age -- adolescents to teens -- Kreeft poses a series of skeptical questions about God and gives thorough, charitable, and orthodox answers. While every chapter is praiseworthy, his answers to "Why is Jesus different?" are exceptional. Here is a sample:

"The center of Christianity is Jesus because Jesus is not just a great human being; Jesus is God. The center of Islam is not Muhammad, because Muhammad, like Moses, claimed only to be a prophet, not God. The center of Budddhism is not Buddha, because Buddha, like the Hindu gurus, claimed only to be an enlightened man, not God. ... But Jesus is the center of Christianity because Jesus claimed to be God, and Christians believe that claim. ... The divinity of Christ is the distinctive Christian belief: it is the one thing all Christians believe and no one else does. If a Christian ceases to believe this, he ceases to be a Christian. If a non-Christian comes to believe this, he becomes a Christian."

If any of what is excerpted above appeals to you, this is your book, as it is chock full of similar aphoristic expressions of Catholicism. There is a tremendous gap in catechetical materials for middle school-aged students; Peter Kreeft has helped fill it. Make "Because God Is Real" your standard Confirmation gift. (Yet readers of all ages will benefit from reading it.)

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For ALL Seekers of the Truth, January 14, 2009

By 

Mother Goose (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer (Paperback)

This book is written for younger Catholics, but I found it to be helpful for the adult reader as well. Its question/answer format answers the questions that many young adults ask. The answers are written in a clear/concise and understandable way. Peter Kreeft has an excellent command of the material and he delivers it in non-pandering way. I bought this book for my confirmation candidate and all of my godchildren. It is also great for non-Catholics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book to read with your teenagers, December 11, 2010

By 

M. Sparrow - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Because God Is Real: Sixteen Questions, One Answer (Paperback)

We read this book together with our teenaged kids, one chapter each week during Sunday dinner. It was thorough, tight and generated a lot of conversation. I would recommend every family doing this. I think we might read it together again in a year or two, just to see how our thoughts and understanding have changed.