One in all my favorite ebook genres is Christian apologetics. I’ve at all times appreciated books that make the case for Christianity.

The Bible is evident that Christians should be capable to defend their religion. 1 Peter 3:15 even states that Christians needs to be ready to make a defence when requested to offer a cause for the hope that they’ve. That is no straightforward process, significantly since a lot of Canadian society is more and more hostile to Christianity.

For instance, not can we assume that the majority Canadians take as a right the existence of God, the need of absolute ethical values, or the fact of goal fact. Every of those primary philosophical propositions should now be defined and defended. As soon as that is achieved, we additionally must defend the reliability of the Bible, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the declare that Jesus is the one approach to God.

Briefly, defending the Christian religion can seem to be a herculean process and it’s typically arduous to know the place to start. Happily, there are well-educated students who present Christians with the instruments they should just do that. Right here in southeastern Manitoba, we’re blessed to have certainly one of these students in our midst.

Dr. Hendrik van der Breggen is a philosophy professor who lately retired from Windfall College Faculty. Not solely did Dr. van der Breggen spend a few years doing scholarly analysis in his subject, however he’s additionally uniquely gifted at translating his findings for a well-liked viewers. His newest ebook, Apologia: The Columns, is a weighty, but extremely readable, protection of the Christian religion.

Lengthy-time readers of The Carillon would possibly keep in mind Dr. van der Breggen’s former opinion column. Each week Dr. van der Breggen tackled a standard problem to the Christian religion and offered an inexpensive reply to that problem. Matters lined on this column included issues resembling the character of fact, frequent logical fallacies, proof for the resurrection, and the issue of evil. Apologia is a extremely readable compilation of those articles.

Nevertheless, Dr. van der Breggen has achieved way more than merely compile his columns in a single place. His ebook consists of copious footnotes with references backing up every declare he makes. Advised readings are additionally included all through the ebook. Thus, Apologia is not only a group of opinion articles. Quite, it’s a hefty reference work the place readers can discover a complete defence of the Christian religion.

One factor I significantly respect about this ebook is the best way during which Dr. van der Breggen graciously and respectfully interacts along with his critics. Far too many well-meaning Christians take a hyper-aggressive method to apologetics that turns folks off. Whereas it is crucial that we be capable to make a defence of our religion, it’s equally necessary that we achieve this “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:16).

You’ll not discover any advert hominem assaults in Dr. van der Breggen’s ebook, nor will you discover him debunking strawman arguments. Quite, you’ll find sound, sober reasoning that takes opposing viewpoints severely. His ebook is a mannequin of what Christian apologetics ought to appear to be.

I’m additionally happy to say that I do know Dr. van der Breggen personally. He’s a gracious Christian gentleman who lives out his religion in his every day life. Whereas it’s typically stated that you must by no means meet your heroes, in terms of Dr. van der Breggen, that stipulation doesn’t apply.

Apologia: The Columns is offered at Hull’s Household Bookstore. Run, don’t stroll, to Hull’s and purchase a duplicate now. Higher but, purchase a number of copies and provides them away to pals and colleagues. You received’t remorse it.

Michael Zwaagstra is a highschool instructor and a Steinbach metropolis councillor. He may be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.

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