by William Lane Craig
Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig is an excellent book that serves as a foundational Apologetics work and reference guide for those interested in understanding and exploring the Christian faith. The book was written by Craig, a Christian philosopher and leading proponent of Christianity.
Purpose of Reasonable Faith
The book’s purpose is to appeal to those struggling with their faith and those seeking to strengthen it. Craig cogently argues for the existence of God through a logical and rational framework. He includes detailed explanations and explorations of Christian doctrines, such as the existence of an immortal soul, the validity of miracles, and the historical accuracy of the Bible.
In the book, Craig also addresses topics such as faith and doubt, the question of suffering in the world, and even how to bridge the gap between religion and science. He does so in a way that both respects and honors secular sources of knowledge while still demonstrating the validity of the Christian faith.
Craig’s main objective is to help the reader defend and understand the Christian faith clearly and concisely. His arguments are often straightforward and understandable, making navigating the book easy for the reader. In addition, Craig often draws on personal experience to illustrate how the concepts he discusses are applied in everyday life.
A Quality Apologetic Book
The fact that this book is written from a Christian perspective does not detract from its general applicability. Despite being rooted in Christian doctrine, Craig does not glorify or demonize other beliefs and offers his logical arguments as a way to find the truth. He also successfully broaches abstract, theoretical concepts with a clarity that any reader will appreciate.
All in all, Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig is a compelling, detailed, and thoughtful book. It provides a quick and easy way to gain a philosophical understanding of the Christian faith and equips the reader with the tools needed to defend it rationally. Craig’s writing style is engaging and accessible while still simply articulating intellectually challenging points.
Book Reviews
“It is hard to overstate the impact that William Lane Craig has had for the cause of Christ. He is simply the finest Christian apologist of the last half century and his academic work justifies ranking him among the top 1 percent of practicing philosophers in the Western world. Besides that, he is a winsome ambassador for Christ, an exceptional debater, and a man with the heart of an evangelist. I know him well and can say that he lives a life of integrity and lives out what he believes. I do not know of a single thinker who has done more to raise the bar of Christian scholarship in our generation than Craig. He is one of a kind and I thank God for his life and work.”
J. P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University
“In admirably clear prose, Professor Craig presents important philosophical and historical issues relevant to Christian beliefs. With extraordinary erudition, he sketches the arguments of major thinkers of both past centuries and recent times, and he presents his own reasons for concluding that traditional Christian doctrines about God and Jesus are credible. His replies to those skeptical of the existence of God, of historical knowledge, of the occurrence of miracles, and in particular of the resurrection of Jesus, take debates over those difficult topics an important stage further. Here is an admirable defense of basic Christian faith.”
C. Behan McCullagh, Philosophy Program, La Trobe University
“Although my philosophical predilections often differ from Dr. Craig’s (as they do from those of everyone else I know), I have found that he is very knowledgeable about science and current cosmological ideas. He provides interesting insights into their implications for our shared Christian beliefs.”
Don Nelson Page, Professor of Physics, University of Alberta
“Bill Craig is one of my personal heroes! He is among today’s finest defenders of Christianity. He offers a powerful mix of authentic faith, intellectual firepower, debating skill, and the gentleness and respect that the Bible requires.”
Lee Strobel, author, The Case for Christ and The Case for Faith
“Especially regarding his breadth of scholarship, no contemporary Christian apologist surpasses Bill Craig. Some of Bill’s wide range of interests are evident in this third edition of Reasonable Faith. To be introduced to crucial topics such as God’s existence, creation, Scripture, and the historicity of Jesus, including his deity and resurrection, all under one cover, is an enormous treat. Not a single student of apologetics should miss this volume by a major scholar. Crossway Books deserves much credit for continuing its strong tradition of Christian textbooks.”
Gary R. Habermas, Distinguished Research Professor and Chair, Department of Philosophy, Liberty University
“Craig’s work is philosophically and theologically first rate, though accessible to the educated layman. All Christians-Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox-can gain so much from reading and mastering Craig’s 3rd edition of Reasonable Faith.”
Francis J. Beckwith, Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies and Associate Director of the Graduate Program in Philosophy, Baylor University
