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But they do provide further food for thought. The son tries to answer these complex questions, and one might not always agree with his explanations. Letters from a Skeptic will make you think and may result in some lively discussions with fellow believers, agnostics, atheists, and members of other faiths. This is an excellent book for all those who like the challenge of asking many questions about their basic Christian convictions. The author's father, the skeptic, asked many important questions about the nature of God, the problem of evil, human freedom and sufering, the Bible, heaven and hell, sin, etc.
It is not preachy; it does distiguish the difference between religion and christianity. Down to earth answers are given. Wonderful and insightful. I would recommend this book for everyone. The content of this book asks questions that every Christian and non-Christian have asked of God.
Have a dialog with someone where softball questions are posed to the other person and the other person then gives the answer that will change the mind of the original person(in this case the senior Boyd)and never up with any refuting comments of what his son as just said, but rather, give a milk toast response in the following letter.What would have made this a very intersting response is if some one like Robert M. Boyd's half-baked ideas on his verson of what God is, or on what the scriptures mean.Others have commented (particularly those that have given one star ratings) that his scholarship on the bible and his interpretation of the bible leaves a lot to be desired.
Don't buy it. I agree, but for different reasons.Thank God is was only 190 pages in length.
A friend gave me this book after I had complained about The Shack, and how I felt the ultimate question in The Shack was never answered. Now, you have a discussion, and what you wouldn't have had is Dr.
Not worth the time and energy. I deemed the question to be: "why does God allow bad things to happen to good people." Well, at least I didn't waste my money purchasing this book.The format utilized is as old as time itself.
Price, or Burton Mack, or Earl Doherty had responded to the PhD son.
I find it encouraging to see how God was at work in both of their lives bringing them to belief in Jesus as who He says He is. The primary intended audience for this book is Christians as stated by Greg in the beginning, so the we would be strengthened in our efforts with skeptics in our lives.I do not see how anyone could say the father (Ed) was not a skeptic.
Every skeptic has their own uniqueness, and each will take his/her own path as Christians seek to love and have dialogue with skeptics. It took three years for him to come to the point of committing his life to belief in Jesus.
This is unlike any other "apologetic" book I have read, in that it is very personal as the son (Greg) responds to his father's questions about the Christian faith. The book has "gut-level" responses from both the father and son, which is very refreshing.
While there are certainly some ideas from this book I can use with a skeptic I love very much, his questions and responses will differ, and the encouragement I received from the book is to never give up - not that I, or Greg, or anyone else, has all the answers. This made it a much more interesting read for me, wanting to see the dialogue between them.I agree with those who say this is for Christians.
It is in a relationship, and taking time with someone that is the difference; not simply intellectual reasons for belief.
in the chapter entitled "Why does God make believing in him so difficult.", the author's stereotypical response is: "So even if God did address everyone with a message in the sky, this might convert many at that moment, but the lasting effect would, I suspect, be nil." (pg.123)Or how about this gem on pg.147 in response to "Why are there so many differing interpretations of the Bible.". This isn't a book for skeptics or people looking to broaden their horizons. This book is clearly written by Christians, for Christians. the author's oh-so-insightful response is ".these differences are all but totally irrelevant next to the central message of the New Testament which rings forth loud and clear: Jesus Christ died for you and is the Lord and Savior of all who believe"The title of my review says it all. It's shallow, a good read for the intellectually stunted. Nowhere do you find a real skeptic in this book. just (allegedly) an old angry man who has questions and accepts anything the author says.For an example of the shallow and absurd answers this book offers.
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