Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Aneko Press (2016), 4th ed., 206 pages
Description
Surprised by Faith will strengthen your own faith in God, in the reliability of the Bible, and in the truth of Jesus Christ.- Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelistic AssociationThe world is changing so rapidly that many are shaken with uncertainties. This is compounded by an erosion of confidence in absolute truth and traditional values. The result is a floundering search for a reliable source of purpose and meaning in life. Fear, not anticipation, fills some hearts as people think about the future. Some contend that turning to faith is anti-intellectual. "God is about religion," they say, "a crutch for the weak." These are mere caricatures resulting from ignorance. This book confronts false stereotypes and examines the astonishing body of scientific and historical evidence supporting the truth that God exists and cares about people's future. This is the Gospel with evidence.As a college student, amid academic success and athletic achievement, Don Bierle began searching for answers to the important questions of life. He found there is more to life than what can be seen, touched, and measured! Using the scrutiny and logic of his scientific training he tested the foundations for faith, and was surprised--and changed--by the answers he discovered. Hundreds of thousands of people have now discovered these answers through his book Surprised by Faith. For them, the discovery has been an "Ah-ha!" experience resulting in transformation and a life of peace and hope.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member tuckerresearch
Take some stuff from McDowell and some stuff from C. S. Lewis, put it in a blender, and you have this book. A good synthesis, however. Probably a bit more accessable than McDowell and a lot less long-winded than Lewis, it gets the job done.
LibraryThing member jhgreen
My review of this book is independent of any beliefs I have about the validity of the author’s thesis, but is based on whether evidence he provides would be convincing to someone skeptical about faith and religion as he states he was during his undergraduate days. His doubts were eventually
The four Gospels provide the main evidence of what Jesus said and did, but these were written well after Jesus’ death. Most biblical scholars believe they were written from about 70 to 100 A.D., i.e. 40 to 70 years after Jesus’ death, so the authors were not eyewitnesses. Their original manuscripts have been lost and the documents that now exist have gone through multiple generations of handwritten copies, the origin of which were oral accounts, leaving plenty of opportunity for error. The author concedes this, and satisfies himself that the volume of copies available is evidence of textual integrity of the New Testament. He cites publications that validate the existence of historical figures such as Pontius Pilate, King Herod, and Caesar Augustus, archaeological evidence, testimony of scholars and so forth, all of which seem credible, but leave the skeptic unsatisfied. Some skeptics have denied that Jesus ever existed, but this seems unlikely, particularly as the world’s Muslims and Jews acknowledge his existence, but deny the Christian religion’s interpretation.
The author acknowledges that the crux of the issue is whether events such as the miracles in the Gospels actually happened. The resurrection, in particular, is fundamental to Christian belief and could have happened as portrayed in the Gospels only if God was manipulating events. Most of the miracles are in direct contradiction to the physical laws of the universe and all subsequent human experience. A skeptic requires some explanation for these.
The author’s explanation centers on his account of Jesus’ divinity, but his logic is fallacious because it amounts to circular reasoning: Jesus was God because in statements attributed to him in the Gospels he said that he was God. Moreover, Jesus’ wording is often subject to alternate interpretation, as in his interrogation by Pontius Pilate in John 18:28-19. The author of the book of John could not have been eyewitness to Pilate’s cross-examination, but who was and how did the gospel author obtain the information—or did he invent it?
The author suggests that if Jesus wasn’t the Lord the only other explanation has to be that he was either a liar or a lunatic. Since no other explanation is possible, according to the author, he concludes that Jesus was God so these accounts must be true. But a skeptic immediately sees a credible alternate explanation. Eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable. No court will accept testimony from witnesses who merely repeat what they were told. When oral testimony passes through multiple recitations and the stories are not documented until several decades after the event by people who wrote for reasons and audiences we know nothing about, we cannot reach any valid conclusions about their veracity. The stories in the Gospels are all hearsay.
Despite its failure to accomplish its objective of convincing skeptics, this book has value to those who are already convinced. Such readers will find it interesting to follow the investigations the author made. From my other studies on the topic I conclude that his research is reasonably reliable, but his conclusions don’t justify any escape from the reality that religion is based on nothing more tangible than faith and belief.
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satisfied by a course of study that led him to believe in the truth of the New Testament, which, he concludes, is a reliable source of first century history. His first condition for testing his belief was to establish whether a trustworthy historical record of Jesus exists. The scientific method requires standards of proof that can’t be applied to history, so some other source of evidence is required. Most court cases are settled by circumstantial evidence so that seems to be a reasonable test of truth. The four Gospels provide the main evidence of what Jesus said and did, but these were written well after Jesus’ death. Most biblical scholars believe they were written from about 70 to 100 A.D., i.e. 40 to 70 years after Jesus’ death, so the authors were not eyewitnesses. Their original manuscripts have been lost and the documents that now exist have gone through multiple generations of handwritten copies, the origin of which were oral accounts, leaving plenty of opportunity for error. The author concedes this, and satisfies himself that the volume of copies available is evidence of textual integrity of the New Testament. He cites publications that validate the existence of historical figures such as Pontius Pilate, King Herod, and Caesar Augustus, archaeological evidence, testimony of scholars and so forth, all of which seem credible, but leave the skeptic unsatisfied. Some skeptics have denied that Jesus ever existed, but this seems unlikely, particularly as the world’s Muslims and Jews acknowledge his existence, but deny the Christian religion’s interpretation.
The author acknowledges that the crux of the issue is whether events such as the miracles in the Gospels actually happened. The resurrection, in particular, is fundamental to Christian belief and could have happened as portrayed in the Gospels only if God was manipulating events. Most of the miracles are in direct contradiction to the physical laws of the universe and all subsequent human experience. A skeptic requires some explanation for these.
The author’s explanation centers on his account of Jesus’ divinity, but his logic is fallacious because it amounts to circular reasoning: Jesus was God because in statements attributed to him in the Gospels he said that he was God. Moreover, Jesus’ wording is often subject to alternate interpretation, as in his interrogation by Pontius Pilate in John 18:28-19. The author of the book of John could not have been eyewitness to Pilate’s cross-examination, but who was and how did the gospel author obtain the information—or did he invent it?
The author suggests that if Jesus wasn’t the Lord the only other explanation has to be that he was either a liar or a lunatic. Since no other explanation is possible, according to the author, he concludes that Jesus was God so these accounts must be true. But a skeptic immediately sees a credible alternate explanation. Eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable. No court will accept testimony from witnesses who merely repeat what they were told. When oral testimony passes through multiple recitations and the stories are not documented until several decades after the event by people who wrote for reasons and audiences we know nothing about, we cannot reach any valid conclusions about their veracity. The stories in the Gospels are all hearsay.
Despite its failure to accomplish its objective of convincing skeptics, this book has value to those who are already convinced. Such readers will find it interesting to follow the investigations the author made. From my other studies on the topic I conclude that his research is reasonably reliable, but his conclusions don’t justify any escape from the reality that religion is based on nothing more tangible than faith and belief.
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LibraryThing member wulf
Dr Don Bierle's Surprised by Faith seems to have been around for sometime - the front matter pins the original publication to 1992 and includes prefaces for first, second and third editions - although I don't recall having come across it before. The content is a solid, evangelical apologetic. Dr
Experienced Christians will probably get a fair glimpse of the content from the chapter headings: why am I here, is the Bible true, is Jesus really God, can faith be reasonable, where am I, how can I know God - and the final chapter, taking the next step. I see from some reviews of the book that the arguments are infallibly efficacious but, next time I meet someone wondering what life is about and entertaining the notion that maybe Jesus has something to do with it, Dr Bierle will join my list of recommendations.
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Bierle presents a series of areas of consideration which lay out a reasonable basis for Christian faith. If anything, what surprises me most is that I haven't come across it before.Experienced Christians will probably get a fair glimpse of the content from the chapter headings: why am I here, is the Bible true, is Jesus really God, can faith be reasonable, where am I, how can I know God - and the final chapter, taking the next step. I see from some reviews of the book that the arguments are infallibly efficacious but, next time I meet someone wondering what life is about and entertaining the notion that maybe Jesus has something to do with it, Dr Bierle will join my list of recommendations.
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LibraryThing member nirrad
I always enjoy reading about someone who tries to disprove Christianity then becomes a Christian in the process. Dr. Bierle is a great example of this, and admits to being better because of it. I enjoyed his book, and am looking forward to reading more of his books.
LibraryThing member heymay
This book is likely one of the most accessible Christian apologetics books that I have read, distilling the great works of C.S. Lewis and countless other authors into a compelling narrative that takes readers on a journey with both thoughtful questions and answers. The visual elements break down
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key concepts within Christian faith into a clear and understandable manner. Surprised by Faith provides one of the best definitions of faith that I have encountered to date; the analogy of faith being translated from the head to the heart to the hands and feet will remain with me as a simple way to explain the concept. Dr. Bierle's background as a scientist shines through in this book as it is laid out logically with teachings progressively building on each other. For skeptics and believers, the content in this book is both an intellectual and a personal challenge that is well worth investigating. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
206 p.; 5.5 inches
ISBN
1622454138 / 9781622454136
Local notes
FaithSearch.org