24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great For Applying Apologetics to Witnessing, August 15, 2000
This review is from: Intellectuals Don't Need God and Other Modern Myths (Paperback)
This book is an excellent example for Christians to learn how to use apologetics not to win arguments, but to win people for Christ. It gives an excellent base of information to use regarding atheism, modernism, postmodernism, religious pluralism, the new age, marxism and many worldviews/philosophies. The great thing is not just that he gives arguments and examples of how other worldviews are lacking, but he also shows how to use these arguments to share Christianity in a loving way. The key is not just to slam someone in an argument, but to show them the truth of Christ. This book is clearly an excellent example of how Christians can learn to show God's truth with respect and love.
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18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a thoughtful book, June 16, 2003
This review is from: Intellectuals Don't Need God and Other Modern Myths (Paperback)
Though faintly dry and reading like a guidebook, McGrath's knowledge of the history of apologetics, coupled with his unique approach, make this short book a good addition to any Christian library.
Possessing both a Ph.D in microbology and theology, Alister McGrath is exactly the sort of person the postmodern apologetic movement needs: someone with an appreciation of science from the inside. Many theologians who write concerning Christianity understand science very little, and their essays betray a hostility that science as a discipline doesn't deserve. In his book, McGrath is able to differentiate between science and scientific rationalism, the philosophy that poses the problems to a Christian worldview.
"Apologetics is not about winning arguments-- it is about winning people," McGrath mentions several times, calling into question the traditional approach (solely through reason) that has dominated apologetics for the past millenium. "Creative apologetics" is what he seeks: the melding of reason and the art of listening, responding, and understanding what brings people to faith. Thus, the first part of the book is about points of contact with the people one wishes to help; the third is about putting apologetics into action.
In-between is the meat of the book: sections on other philosophies and religions, and common reasons people are repulsed by Christianity. He seems to spend a great deal more time on Marxism than is necessary for today; however, given that this book was published in 1992, that is understandable. An updated version with an expanded section on paganism would be excellent.
There were three discussions that particularly caught my attention and made me think: firstly, McGrath (who happens to be a member of the Church of England, for those who want to know the denomination) notes that since God made man in his own image, man is capable of knowing God exists. I never thought of that, though it strikes me as an old idea. The obvious difference between the likes of the Lord of Heaven and mankind is incredible. But I can see how such a view as to remember we are in His image would both give us hope and boost our confidence that the world is knowable and reasonable, as God is. Perhaps such a view helped perpetuate scientific inquiry in the minds of certain famous monks we all know.
Secondly, the idea of the fallen world affecting the Church came into discussion. McGrath mentioned his belief that it is only through God's grace that His message comes through the tainted institution of the Church. It is hard to take that kind of idea for those of us who grew up with the Church being venerated! But if one considers history, the Church has definitely shown itself to be a fallen institution. Everything on this earth is tainted with the shadow-- God's grace does indeed abide and assist. Such an emphasis on goodness and light has been in vogue recently, that one forgets the vile world we live in.
The third idea that caught on my mind was that of sin: sin in Christians, what sin really is, and the differentiation of acts of sin from a sinful nature. We seldom hear fire and brimstone sermons any longer-- it was never very good for winning converts. But I think we're missing something from the de-emphasis on sin. People forget what it is, and that it is real, and because of it, we NEED the forgiveness of God! We are all born in a sinful, fallen state. Sin itself is not a moral thing, as McGrath says: "How can we talk of infants being immoral?" Sin is the state of man in the fallen world: the gap that seperates us from God. Acts of sin are what people think of when they hear the word, 'sin'. These are products of our fallen state, but a person could live a holy life and still be seperated from God by his sinful nature alone, which is with us all from our birth.
That definition of sin really helped clarify to me how the spiritual world works. It also helps answer that perennial question: Why do Christians still sin? Christianity isn't a perfection movement. The Church is, to borrow McGrath's excellent metaphor, a hospital, where those with an illness come to be cured by the Great Physician. We may be taking medicine, and sticking with the diet perscribed by the Doctor, but we are not well yet.
All in all, the best compliment I can give is that this book made me think. Regardless of writing style or other content, that alone should recommend the small volume to you.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Contend for the Faith without being contentious, January 26, 2001
This review is from: Intellectuals Don't Need God and Other Modern Myths (Paperback)
Here McGrath provides the churh with a resource for entering the arena of idea exchange without coming off as elitist or contentious.
This is not an academic approach, i.e. with all the arguments displayed and chronicled and sorted, but rather a practical, useful tool for even the layperson who wants to dialogue with the various other worldviews.
I've used this book with Adult Bible Studies with great success. Many springboarded from this into more profound and exhaustive apologetics study with the likes of Craig, Geisler, etc.
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