A Ready Defense The Best Of Josh Mcdowell [Paperback]

Josh McDowell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1992

Be prepared "in season and out" with this handy reference book of faith. Timely and biblically based, Josh McDowell's work offers defenses in 60 of the most-challenged areas of faith. All in one easy-to-reference volume, this book will strengthen your commitment and help you stand firm against challenges to the truth.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0840744196
• ISBN-13: 978-0840744197
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Josh McDowell has been reaching the spiritually skeptical for almost five decades. Since beginning ministry in 1961, Josh has delivered more than 24,000 talks to over 10 million young people in 118 countries. He is the author or co-author of 120 books, with over 51 million copies distributed worldwide; including More Than a Carpenter (over 15 million copies printed in 85 languages), and The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, recognized by World magazine as one of the twentieth century's top 40 books. Josh continues to travel throughout the United States and countries around the world, helping young people and adults strengthen their faith and understanding of Scripture. Josh will tell you that his family is his ministry. He and his wife, Dottie, have been married for 39 years and have four children and four grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very thorough and intriguing work of apologetics, June 24, 2005

By 

Corum Seth Smith (Hendersonville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Ready Defense The Best Of Josh Mcdowell (Paperback)

Before I begin my assessment, just let me quote a previous critic:
"Being a student of religion, I can honestly say that I have never read a more sophomoric attempt at apologetics than McDowell's "A Ready Defense" and his "Evidence..." It is indisputable that the Mr. McDowell has targeted the ignorant and superstitious masses as his prime victims for an audience."

I get the impression he/she? doesn't like it, so let me offer a different perspective. This critic reminds me of another unbeliever of whom I have recently read: Sigmund Freud. The attempt of some to categorize every explanation of faith as "delusion" or "ignorance" is an ad hominem sidestep to the real question: Does God exist? If so, what is God like?
More particularly, is Christianity a religion revealed by God? This is the main issue that McDowell addresses.

McDowell attempts to argue that the Old and New Testaments do have a foundation in divine inspiration. He himself admits that part of the conclusion of the matter must ultimately be one of faith.

Furthermore, McDowell addresses some of the most pertinent questions as to the historical Jesus. He does a better job (in my estimation) than Crossan, Schweitzer, and Bultmann; he admits up front the bias of Christian apologist where the latter cannot straightforwardly admit a presupposition of skepticism (hence a "hermeneutic of suspicion").

And perhaps McDowell again shows us that humility is a necessary ingredient for this faith, Christianity. We do not elevate ourselves above the "ignorant masses" but sympathize with them in their pain and console them with what we believe to be truth. We confess our own ignorance and attempt to gain wisdom from the beginning point of humility. For we are all one in the common struggle of humanity, if nothing else.

Another critic confesses being turned off, but is at least honest enough to admit that he skipped to random pages and did not read the work as a whole. Reading only parts of the book one critiques seems illogical.

Logical thinking requires some sort of proposition that affirms or denies some truth and then proceeds to prove that course of thought. McDowell discusses in this order: Gospel authenticity, the historical Jesus, how Christianity is different from other religions in a comparative review, and questions about faith in general. This is how the argument progresses.

Beginning with the authenticity of the Gospels is a shrewd move for McDowell because this is where many skeptics turned believers (CS Lewis, for example, and McDowell himself) became increasingly uncomfortable before their ultimate assent to faith.

Additionally, in reiterating the classic Lunatic, Liar, or Lord argument, McDowell insists that if the Gospels do not intercede with historical fact in some way, then the Christian faith is meaningless. McDowell is willing to admit that he could be wrong; ironically his critics don't share the same proclivity.

Candidly, I am a former religion student, like the first critic, and a graduate of a divinity school, and also a student of philosophy, and Josh engages me quite seriously not despite my learning, but rather because of it. Bacon once said (I'm paraphrasing) that belief was directly proportional to the amount of study one put forth (the very antithesis of the Freudian worldview). So are ignorance and belief necessarily connected at the hip?

McDowell's thorough attempt to refute the popular forms of Bultmannian Christology would suggest that one does not have to divorce oneself from belief before he or she engages in academic study and serious thought. In short, McDowell disengages from the "hermeneutic of suspiction" so prevalent in religious scholarship today. For this reason alone, I applaud the very thorough and well documented effort that McDowell has put on the table.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Scholarly overview in an easy-to-read format, July 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Ready Defense The Best Of Josh Mcdowell (Paperback)

Josh McDowell combines the skill of a research scholar with the ability of a seasoned writer. This book is a must for those seeking to know not just what they believe but (maybe more importantly) why they believe it. This book has been a thorn in the side of heretics and atheists alike because it dares to say that Christianity is different, unique and the ONE truth. Unlike other publications, Josh reasons from logic and evidence as to why you should believe. If after reading this, you still choose NOT to believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven... it will certainly not be for a lack of clear, articulate, scholarly evidence. It is a must read for every Christian as well as serious skeptics.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Help, April 27, 2001

By 

Dan Cole - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Ready Defense The Best Of Josh Mcdowell (Paperback)

I speak with several people about the Lord Jesus Christ every week. I have found that this book is a great resource to help me have a ready explanation for the Hope that we have in the Lord. The topics are very informative, but they are not overpowering. With this resource you are able to look up a topic quickly so that we can share our promises from our Lord quickly and accurately. I would recommend this book to ANYONE that speaks of our Lord to others. You don't need to be a "full-time evangelist" to find this book helpful. This book helps you to speak of the Lord from whatever starting point the person you are talking with is at (see how Phillip did it with the Ethiopian). If you would like to have accurate information about Christianity at your fingerips, this is a great book to have. When you read it, I would recommend that you look up the Bible references that are in it. This book is a great help. Remember that it does not replace the Bible. The Bible was written by God and this was written by men. But I would strongly suggest for any Christian to have this book to help find the information that you would like to share. If you are a Christian, get this book! It will not only help you share the Lord Jesus with others, but it will also be encouraging for you.