Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics [Paperback]

Paul Copan (Editor), William Lane Craig (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

Come Let Us Reason is the third book in a series on modern Christian apologetics that began with the popular Passionate Conviction and Contending with Christianity’s Critics. The nineteen essays here raise classical philosophical questions in fresh ways, address contemporary challenges for the church, and will deepen the thinking of the next generation of apologists. Packed with dynamic topical discussions and informed by the latest scholarship, the book’s major sections are:

• Apologetics, Culture, and the Kingdom of God
• The God Question • The Gospels and the Historical Jesus
• Ancient Israel and Other Religions
• Christian Uniqueness and the World’s Religions

Contributors include J. P. Moreland (“Four Degrees of Postmodernism”), William Lane Craig (“Objections So Bad That I Couldn’t Have Made Them Up”), Gary R. Habermas (“How to Respond When God Gives You the Silent Treatment”), Craig Keener (“Gospel Truth: The Historical Reliability of the Gospels”), and Paul Copan (“Does the Old Testament Endorse Slavery?”).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Copan is a professor and the Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Marquette University.

William Lane Craig is research professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. His Ph.D. in Philosophy is from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: B&H Academic (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1433672200
• ISBN-13: 978-1433672200
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Human Reason came from a Reasonable Mind > Reasonless universe March 27, 2012

By Cornell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I will continue to add on to this review as I read further, but for right now this book is excellent.

I'm happy to see some names that I've never particularly heard about to join into today's debate in regards to Christian apologetics, as well as names that I've heard about (Matthew Flannagan and MaryJo Sharp) in which I'm glad to see an essay from.

We have three elite Christian apologists in William Lane Craig, JP Moreland and Paul Copan.

Gregory Ganssle who is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Yale as well as Mark Foreman who is a professor of philosophy and religion at Liberty University

We have great Bible scholars in Gary Habermas, Mike Licona, Richard Hess and Craig Keener

One of the topics I was interested in before even reading this book was Dr. Craig's essay regarding the top 10 layman objections to the Kalam Cosmological Argument. Dr. Craig addresses these horrific arguments against the credibility of the KCA that one usually hears from village atheists which in conclusion WLC dismantles these layman criticisms with ease.

I was also looking forward to JP Moreland's 4 degrees of postmodernism as well.

The only thing missing is that we do not see anything from philosophers Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, Alexander Pruss or Richard Swinburne (though three of them are mentioned). Although it still doesn't take anything away from this book, as I'm seeing some great contributions from lesser known apologists such as Michael Edens and Barbara Pemberton.

Topics include:

The credibility of Authorship in the NT

Flaws of Naturalism

Four degrees of Postmodernism

The Divine Hiddeness of God

Did God command genocide on the Caananites?

Was the OT God one who endorsed slavery?

Did Christianity mimic other pagan religions

Thoughts on the teachings of the Qu'ran

Terrible objections to the Kalam Cosmological Argument

Rebuttal to the Zeitgeist Movie

I'd say this book is geared for the intermediate level apologist, however a beginner can get by. It doesn't hurt for an advanced apologist or a teacher to have this wonderful writing in their library as well, as I can see this book being used in apologist classes in the near future. I can see Theologians, Philosophers and Bible Scholars (Which are all crucial to apologetics) all being interested in "Come Let Us Reason".

So far this book is living up to it's potential!!! I highly recommend to anyone who wants to gain in Wisdom and understanding, as *good* theology and philosophy does indeed matter.

"All truth is given by revelation, either general or special, and it must be received by reason. Reason is the God-given means for discovering the truth that God discloses, whether in his world or his Word. While God wants to reach the heart with truth, he does not bypass the mind."

- Jonathan Edwards

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars new and fresh apologetics April 5, 2012

By CAM Book Reviews

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Many at first, thought that the arrival of the nasty New atheists was a curse to the world, but it turns out that the belligerent new atheists helped spur a massive resurgence of christian apologetics. the goal of destruction only helped prompt masses of people into apologetics and the world gets a tremendous amount of fresh apologetic material. And that's one of the nice things about Copan's and Craig's "Come let Us Reason," new and fresh insights from a host of apologists and philosophers.
many atheists declare that Christianity is opposed to reason. they try to tell us that faith is unreasonable--simply an illusionary. They follow Freud who said that people of faith are fearful of reason when it scrutinizes religion- he said "where questions of religion are concerned, people are guilty of every possible kind of insincerity and intellectual misdemeanor." But when I have spoken with scoffers, atheists, and agnostics, I have found the most nasty ones are guilty of logical offenses. these intellectual outlaws not only despise the scrutiny of reason and revelation, but generally throw mere bombast and then take off as they run when the heat of truth is brought to bear on their view of reality.

in "come Let us reason' you get 19 good essays that are very easy to understand and help arm you to share the truth with nonChristians. This book is endorsed by rick warren, craig hazen, and lee strobel. It's a basic level type of book with lots of different subjects including:

* The Question of God
* apologetics and culture
* the historicity of the Gospels and Jesus Christ
* israel and Other Religions
* Christian exclusivity and the world's religions

This is an easy thing to read and to grasp with 315 pages and some mostly unknown apologists getting their national break. Good for copan and craig to help open doors while giving solid answers.
Some chapters have been dealt with by so many apologists it's way to redundant and should not have been included; like dealing with the old false idea of mystery/pagan religions having gods just like Jesus who died and rose again.

Some atheists, when asked why reason is useful, will say, "it just is--it helps with our evolutionary survival." accordingly, this sort of atheist rests on sightless faith. atheists are short of ultimate answers for reality and that shortness is exposed in this book. Unbelievers live in a world that they cannot explain.
other apologetic books with really fresh stuff are:
Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God: The Defense of the Rational Assurance of Christianity
maybe buy: Cosmos, Creator and Human Destiny: Answering Darwin, Dawkins, and the New Atheists

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read September 19, 2012

By Patrick S

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's in depth and powerful and anyone who needs their apologetics thirst quenched will not be left wanting after reading it. I loved Part 3, "The historical Jesus and New Testament reliability. Some chapters are a bit harder and require much background understanding for example chapter 12 "Did Yaweh have a Wife?" but overall its an accessible book for those who take defending their faith seriously, I highly recommend it!