Everyday Apologetics: Answering Common Objections to the Christian Faith Paperback – May 6, 2020

In 2016, Sean McDowell–who wrote the Foreword to Everyday Apologetics–was the editor of and contributor to A New Kind of Apologist (Harvest House Publishers), in which he claimed that our apologetics method of defending classical Christianity must adapt. He said that humility, relationships, knowledge, authenticity are the marks of a new kind of apologist. McDowell’s aim was to help readers see non-believers as people created in God’s image rather than as outsiders and enemies.So it’s not surprising that McDowell would be involved with this apologetics book published by Lexham Press edited by Paul Chamberlain and Chris Price. This book is less about the attitude of an apologist (though Chamberlain has contributed a chapter about that) and more just a concise handbook for Christians who want to understand how to respond to popular objections to the Christian faith.Sean McDowell, like his father, is known as an apologist. My first introduction to Sean was through his 2010 book, Is God Just a Human Invention? (Kregel) co-edited with Jonathan Morrow. That book was in response to the arguments put forth by the New Atheists, and it also included the proposal that Christians must “change the tone of this conversation.”In Everyday Apologetics, Chamberlain and Price explain that they wrote (and edited) this book to help Christians “become a humble and effective advocate for the gospel” (5). Their book “is written for non-experts who are unfamiliar with scholarly language and academic terminology” (5-6). And they hope their book will be “a book in season, useful for churches and individual Christians for such a time as this” (6). As someone who has read many apologetics books, I’m not sure I could pinpoint original material. This isn’t to say, however, that the book is defective. In fact, I agree with the main contention that it is an accessible, practical, and concise introduction to apologetics filled with personal stories and easy-to-understand logical argumentation.Even though the book is nearly 300 pages, it reads very quickly and doesn’t necessitate re-reading paragraphs or pages to grasp the meaning. This book covers less ground than the previous books I referenced by McDowell, but it is focused on “common” objections rather than providing a comprehensive take on all possible questions. I anticipate encouraging my young children to read this book as they mature and seek to understand the faith I am laboring to pass down to them.I received this book for free from Lexham Press and was not required to write a positive review.

Having dove headfirst into apologetics years back, I was a bit skeptical whether or not the book would teach me much of anything new, but was happy at least to read through a new apologetic resource for emerging generations.Overall a wonderfully done book for its size and purpose, providing many fresh answers from the latest research and arguments. Naturally the book cannot address every big issue, nor every issue within each one, but offers great jumping off points for those who wish to do some more digging. As with any collection of essays from various authors, some are better than others, but each chapter ultimately is done well and address their respective issues in a satisfactory way.It was organized well, divided into three major sections (defending the faith, answering questions, and building a positive case) and tackles several of the big issues. There is a natural progression to the ordering of the chapters that eases the reading experience, providing the book itself with a general giving a flow of thought, despite each chapter addressing distinct issues.Some chapters are more technical and complex (Chapter 7: The Reasonableness of Belief in God, for example) than others, but overall it is fairly accessible to the very people searching for answers that the book addresses.My favorite chapter would either have to be Chapter 8: Fine-Tuning Points Powerfully to God by Michael Horner (he handles what could be a technical and complex issue with the simplicity and grace of one who is knowledgable and experienced) or Chapter 9: The Hope of Resurrection by Mark Clark (he writes with refreshing frankness and humor that by no means takes away from the subject matter).I was a bit disappointed with the final chapter, Chapter 10: The Search for the Meaning of Life by Andy Steiger. There is only so much you can stuff into a single chapter, so naturally there are things you have to leave out. Nevertheless, in a chapter that addresses meaning and where to find it, there is no mention of the postmodernist viewpoint, which takes away from the chapter's relevancy in our day and age. In fact, it offers little in terms of counter perspectives. It naturally sets up Jesus' answer to the meaning of life as the best one, but does not do much in explaining why it is better than any of the others.I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher, Lexham Press, on Logos Bible software for an honest review. I was in no way required or asked to give a positive review in exchange for the copy, but only to give my own honest thoughts and feelings about the book.

Everyday Apologetics.I sincerely wish that this book could be used to supplement the Biblical teaching that teen-agers receive.As a youth I attended a church that taught two hours of biblical training every Sunday. I had many questions regarding our faith but was discouraged to compare our faith to "other religions". This lack of intellectual support made me a Christian in crisis during my formative years and lead me into rebellion against my faith.I read "Everyday Apologetics" in one day and found it flowing with reasonable arguments and fascinating perspectives that were new to me. The Authors present the Christian perspective as intellectually appealing and in a manner that is not insulting to skeptics.I perceive sincerity and love in the words of these authors. These works were presented in an enthusiastic manner which leaves the reader thirsting for more . This work is not an exhaustive exposition of apologetics....it is more of a Genesis in that I will study more, double-check the arguments, and be more confident to share a faith that is astounding and yet reasonable.

The writers addressed all the main questions I wonder about, and helped me to think well about them. Yet, it was surprisingly easy to read - interesting and not overly academic. And they helped me to really appreciate God and His ways. Highly recommended if you've got questions.