Author: Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell
Target Audience: Josh wrote the book "hoping that it would help followers of Jesus to respond to questions about their faith, and inspire spiritual seekers to honestly investigate the claims of Jesus." -pg. ix
How I Found It: Honestly, I found this when I signed up for an online book club (not recommended. The deals look good, till you realize you have to buy a book every month or so). All I knew was that I recognized the authors and that it was about apologetics.
Content - The Facts: Josh McDowell first sat down hoping to record his journey from skepticism to belief in Jesus Christ. This book begins with that journey, and then delves into the proofs that led him to belief. In the revised edition that came out in 2009, Josh's son Sean joins him as they tackle various challenges to the reliability and veracity of the Christian faith. In More Than a Carpenter, the McDowells offer philosophical arguments for the identity of Jesus, archeological and other proofs for the reliability of the Bible, and thought-provoking arguments challenging the thinking of New Atheism. With 180 endnotes, the arguments presented are well-documented and can be pursued for further research and investigation.
Content - My Impressions: Now, as many of you know, I'm a Christian. It is up to you whether or not that affects your opinion of the validity of what I have to say about a book that was written to prove the validity of my faith. Regardless of your opinion, I believe that this book was well written. It reads quickly and doesn't use difficult language without breaking down the concepts into easier to understand ideas.
Josh begins the book with his story, explaining how he went about from thing to thing searching for meaning and purpose. He had tried religion, education, prestige, partying, and more, yet did not find the fulfillment that he longed for. A fateful conversation with some friends led him to pour himself into researching the validity of Christianity, for the sole purpose of disproving it. I loved how he walked through the knowledge that he had come across, backing his writings and opinions up with the research of many, many educated and esteemed people. This short book (only 168 pages in the body!) reads quickly and deals with a wide variety of challenges and questions that people may have for Christianity.
The Bottom Line: I recommend this book for new Christians who want to learn more about the reliability of their faith; for "old" Christians who want to brush up on the latest apologetic information; and for those who aren't Christians, whether they don't think Christianity has an ounce of credibility or they are curious to learn more about the veracity of Christianity.
Favorite
Quotes:
"The New Atheists place enormous trust in their own powers of reason, but their atheistic worldview undermines any basis for such confidence." -pg. 50"The apostles thought they had a good cause to die for, but they were stunned and disillusioned when that good cause died on the cross." -pg. 105
"This is what God has done for us: He has said, 'I forgive you.' But he paid the price for the forgiveness himself through the Cross." -pg. 157
Feedback:
What do you think about the review? Does the format work well? Am I too wordy? Do I need to tone down my use of difficult words or explain them better?
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