There are four more shopping days until Christmas, time (especially if you have Amazon Prime with free two-day shipping) to buy for someone who needs it Trevor Sutton’s new book Why Should I Trust the Bible?
Trevor is the author of another good book, Being Lutheran. He is a young pastor and an excellent, enjoyable-to-read writer. (I’m going to be collaborating with him on a project–more on that later.) This book takes on the confusions, untruths, and half-truths that undermine confidence in the Scriptures. It makes a strong positive case that the Bible is a unique book whose foundation is Jesus and which is utterly reliable. This work of lively apologetics will connect with the young and the old, the faithful and the questioning.
I especially like the organization of the book, which breaks down the different issues (the charge that the Bible is myth, that it is full of errors and inconsistencies, that the canon was an imposition of power, that the translations are unreliable, etc.). It deals with each objection thoroughly. At the end of each chapter is an excursus that looks at the issue in terms of another work of literature (The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Gettysburg Address, Shakespeare’s history plays, etc.), showing how the Bible comes across better.
After the jump, more description from Amazon.
Review
If you’ve never been asked why the Bible can be trusted, you will be. If you ve never asked that question yourself, you should. And this brief, nontechnical volume will be of great help in beginning to formulate an answer. With both humor and humility, Trevor Sutton guides readers through some of the most common objections to Scripture s trustworthiness, answering each winsomely and wittily and pastorally. Highly recommended for youth and adult Bible studies and for all parish libraries. –Rev. Dr. Korey Maas, assistant professor of history
Many have been troubled by the glib, shallow, and often ill-informed challenges to the Christian faith that permeate our society, even in its most well-respected secular news and information media. This is a book for any layperson who has been bothered by the sincere and, at times, cynical but misleading repetition of these challenges. Rev. Sutton explains the basic issues in straightforward, understandable language without getting bogged down in technicalities, which can be left to later exploration of particular issues. This book is the entry point for anyone who wishes to fortify their defense of the Christian faith with knowledge of the facts. Its inclusion of discussion items for each chapter makes it a convenient way to probe the issues with others who are also seeking to grow in their knowledge, or they can be used simply for one s own review and as a spur for further study. –Rev. Dr. Andrew Steinmann, distinguished professor of theology and Hebrew, Concordia University Chicago
In a time in the world when there are so many more questions than answers, this book speaks with great clarity and great precision about the reliability of the Holy Scriptures. While the thinking is deep and detailed, the writing is warm and pastoral. The author has a simple formula that leads the reader to understanding God s plan of salvation: Grace + Faith = Salvation. Simple is good! Thank you, Pastor Sutton, for this fine work. –Rev. Timothy M. Klinkenberg, senior pastor
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