Book Review: Reasonable Faith

Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig is a tour de force of thorough, scholarly apologetic work. Craig’s overall goal is to present a comprehensive background of the primary apologetic arguments for God, Scripture and Christ. He does this by hitting the main issues, exploring the history of each issue, showing the strengths and weaknesses offered by the arguments, and then delving into the practical application of the issues covered.

Most notable about Reasonable Faith could be its depth. Craig doesn’t hit every conceivable topic in apologetics. He starts at the beginning and then leads it straight to the core and central issue of Christ and the Resurrection. Throughout the entire process, Craig carefully deals with all of the pertinent and weighty objections and opposing views. The reader will surely not get a one-sided argument.

One particular quote stood out. It was a quote from one of Craig’s apologetic teachers: “We should know our subject profoundly and share it simply.” Craig truly fulfills the spirit of this philosophy. He teaches the history, philosophy, and the practical application.

Craig is at his best in his presentation of the Kalam Cosmological Argument, which argues the existence of God from the beginning of the Universe. Craig explores how space, time, and the cosmos point to the existence of God. Craig leaves the atheist only one way out, and that is to posit that the Universe “popped into existence” from nothing for no reason.

Craig is equally powerful in his presentation of the historical evidence for the Resurrection. After presenting a thorough and compelling case for the Resurrection, Craig leaves the skeptic to only a few alternative options – and these, of course, are admittedly absurd options.

There are many things that can be admired and learned from Craig’s apologetic approach. First, he does the scholarly work. Craig lacks nothing in credibility, as he has obviously done the “heavy lifting” required to master his subject. Second, he majors on the major issues. He argues and elaborates on the centralities, never getting sidetracked on nonessential issues. And finally, he comes across humbly, and he keeps the focus on Christ.