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Persuasions: A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief

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I enjoyed this book very much because of its brevity as well as its readability. It introduces the application of pressupositional apologetics through series of dialogues with the "Evangelist". Much like in Pilgrim's Progress, Evangelist meets interesting characters each with different objections to Christianity.

Let me just name a few topics that are covered: Existence of God, Problem of Evil, Evolutionism, Antinomianism, Legalism, and Roman Catholicism. Doug Wilson manages to even address practical issues like Marriage! What¡¯s great about this book is that it lays down clearly what Reformed Christians believe without getting too technical.

Although I would highly recommend this book to anyone, my only regret is that this book could have done much more. At times, I felt like the dialogues just ended too abruptly leaving the reader hanging. Therefore, in some ways length of this book is its weakness as well as its strength. I felt that much more could have been discussed in each dialogues. Maybe even tell the reader, for instance, what Antinomianism is before the dialogue begins. In fact, I think there is an error in the table of content regarding Antinomianism (topics of John and Bill should be switched). You see, I wouldn't have known that if I weren¡¯t already familiar with the subject.

I¡¯m just hoping there¡¯s going to be a sequel. =)

Never before has apologetics been so easy to read and understand. Read this book, and then read Cornelius Van Til's excellent works.

This book is in the form of dialogues between a Christian and various people who have other world views (e.g., feminist, agnostic, pantheistic, etc.). Each dialogue is short and gets right to the point of showing the illogic of the other world view compared to the Christian world view. Outstanding!!

As a fairly new Christain and a student at a secular university, I would very strongly recommend reading this book. Apologetics is a daunting word to most (is was to me!) and this book is a gracious gift from God to those of us who want to learn more about the questions others have about the faith but in a very practical, conversational-type of manner. I just ordered it for a sweet friend of mine who is eager to learn more and I hope more Christians pick it up, to use the resources God has given to articulate better, why we can rest in our knowlegde of God.

Wilson lays easy to understand solutions against different worldviews. Page 44 is one of my favorite parts of this book:

"Your earlier chain of reasoning, and your statement just now, indicate that you believe in the validity of reason."

"That is correct."

"Why is that?"

"What do you mean, 'Why is that?'"

"Do you believe in the theory of evolution?"

"I certainly do. Science has settled the matter beyond question."

"So you believe that all we see around us is the result of time and chance acting on matter?"

"I do."

"And that nothing exists unless it is the result of this process?"

"Correct."

"So this is what lies behind my earlier question. Why do you believe in the validity of reason? How can time and chance, acting on matter, produce reason?"

This leaves many atheists virtually speechless or mute on the subject. You should make an effort to get Wilson's debate with Dan Barker. Furthermore, if you search any web enginge, you're liable to find Wilson's debate with Farrell Till and Theodore M. Drange.

Kudos to the author for an excellent primer on Christian apologetics. This semi-allegorical book is designed to equip the "average" Christian to understand the major criticisms of his faith, and how to refute them logically, lovingly, and effectively -- without needing a seminary degree!

The narrator relates his observations of Evangelist, who travels the road leading to the City, i.e. heaven. He meets a series of people traveling in the opposite direction, toward the Abyss which awaits at the other end of the road. Each mistakenly believes, however, that he is headed in the right direction. When Evangelist gently notes their error, each proceeds to explain to him why they are correct and he is wrong. Each dialogue is based on a different critique of Christianity, whether it be antinomianism, existentialism, or hypocrisy within the church, to name just a few. Each conversation ends with the traveler continuing on his way, with new ideas and implications to think about.

There are thirteen such encounters in all, each presented in a concise, easy to read chapter. The arguments follow a smooth logical flow, and the reasoning presented in each chapter is incisive. In short, this book enables the lay reader to quickly grasp and use some powerful tools to "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." This is an incredibly practical resource which can easily be read in one sitting. However, I definitely intend to re-read it when the opportunity arises. I commend this book to the reading of every committed believer in Jesus Christ.

I was a little surprised at first by how lean this book is - there's one page of ... not explanation, really, but setup, and then a series of isolated vignettes. And that's it. No conclusion, footnotes, afterward, nothing.

The vignettes, though, are gold - gentle but powerful reasoning between "Evangelist" and various folks who are headed the wrong way on the road. "Evangelist", of course, is Wilson, doing what he does so well - jousting with opponents in the hope that they will lay down their weapons and join him at the Table.

I can best describe Wilson's style of argumentation as "insisting that folks take responsibility for what they are saying, with all the implications." As in real life, it ends with either 1. opponent thoughtfully walking away, considering new thoughts, or 2. continued disagreement, but with everything out in the open, or 3. spluttering indignation and stubborn persistence in the opponents, who are now bereft of their veneer of reason. Whatever the outcome, the vignettes are a great read, and great examples of evangelism by conversation.

Anyone who likes to follow an argument will appreciate this

The book has 3 main virtues: it's short, smart, and gentle. The result shows how Christian thought can surround and correct external challengers ... and also internal deviations.

The thirteen topics are: immorality, antinomianism (the belief faith is sufficent for salvation, freeing Chrisitans from moral law), feminism, agnosticism, empty scholarship, atheism, election, marriage, hypocrisy in the church, salvation and sanctification, pantheism (New Age, etc.), evolution, Roman Cathoicism.

If for some reason none of these topics interests you, you will still profit by reading the book. 500-page apologetics books filled with footnotes, scholarly analysis, and invaluable data are vital, but putting them to effective use can be tricky. Most criticism of Christianity comes from incorrect reasoning which can be readily fixed by simply comparing it with correct reasoning. Which this book does.

The book's dialogues are practical ... they follow the flow of objections and criticisms anyone who has engaged unbelief will recognize, just as a fisherman learns to recognize the twitches on the line.

They are not fake dialogues designed to make response easy, but the criticisms found in hundreds of books, taught in colleges and many modern seminaries, and every time you flip on the TV, go to a movie, or read the newspaper.

Finally, the book avoids a harsh approach. They really are conversations "on the road" -- the imagery itself providing some "minds-eye relief" compared to, say, a treatise on symbolic logic.

In the end, if their objections flow only from what they believe is well-founded reason, those conversing with the Evangelist would be left with no avenue but graceful surrender. But pride and sin still have to be dealt with and, in the book, this means the people sometime just walk away.

Real-world application of these arguments is more likely to be met with emotionalism and rage, so things won't be so smooth, even if you are gentle.

I remember one time I found myself just talking in circles with one civil, proudly rational person. I was never able to progress despite careful explanations in many different ways. I then started asking him to repeat the sentence I just said to verify he was hearing and understanding me. He wasn't even able to bring himself to repeat the words, but had to alter them ... and refused to acknowledge he was altering them. We just kept going round and round and round. So pride and sin are still the main problems, not reason, but there are many others for who the reasoned arguments of this book will be very helpful.

I really enjoy reading Douglas Wilson. I agree whole-heartedly with him 80% of the time. Unfortunately that other 20% of disagreement is on the doctrine of justification, a notion that is bound up with the very heart of the gospel as evangelicals have formulated it since the time of the Reformation. This book is great though.


It is a fictional account between Evangelist and several objectors to the Christian faith. Evangelist is on his way to the City and along the way tries to warn and persuade people who are heading to the Abyss. Wilson is a great writer, very witty, sharp, and satirical at times. Wilson is also a Van Tilian presuppositionalist. This book is all example with no theory. It is a very refreshing and easy read. Here is the table of contents:

The Road
Randy--Immorality
John--Antinomianism
Janice--Feminism
Jack--Agnosticism
Rev. Howe--Empty Scholarship
Mark--Atheism
Robert--Election
Jim and Sarah--Marriage
Dorothy--Hypocrisy in the Church
Bill--Salvation and Sanctification
Miriam--Pantheism
Paul--Evolution
Michael--Roman Catholicism