Apologetics, philosophy, archaeology and science are hot topics among Christians. Confident Christianity provides a one-stop shop for anyone wishing to engage thoughtfully and convincingly with these subjects.  
Chris Sinkinson does the church a real service by bringing together such a range of material under one heading in an accessible manner. The result is both enlightening and heart-warming.  
This book will not only equip you to evangelize - it will fire you up.

Chris Sinkinson

Confident Christianity

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Apology for apologetics

Apologetics and evangelism

Apologetics and philosophy

Limits of apologetics

2. Apologetics and philosophy

Thinking straight

You must be mistaken!

Keep it simple

3. Christian persuaders

By faith alone

The evidence demands faith

Reformed apologetics

Conclusion

4. For the sake of argument

Choosing an approach

Know your audience

Francis Schaeffer the apologist

C. S. Lewis the apologist

Apologetics in dialogue

5. Apologetics through the ages

Where did it begin?

It's all Greek to me

The early church

Augustine the apologist

The proof for God's existence

Undoubting Thomas

The Reformation

The Age of Enlightenment

6. Brave new world

Spirits in the material world

The Christian response

Liberal apologetics

Common-sense Christianity

Modernism in decline

Optimism disappointed

The death of God

Postmodernism

The Gulf War did not take place. Apparently.

Post-postmodernism

7. Digging up the Bible

A load of rubbish

Proving the Bible

The cultural context of Genesis

Moses and the exodus

Historical records of biblical events

Manuscripts matter

Dead Sea documents

Summary

8. Science friction

The conflict myth

The argument from design

Darwin and religion

The Christian response to Darwin

The molecular record

An inconclusive theory

Creation and the Big Bang

The Kalam cosmological argument

Avoiding creation

Science and progress

9. Dealing with diversity

What about other world religions?

Pluralism

The uniqueness of Scripture

When was the New Testament written?

Dating the Gospels

The right stuff

Excluded books

The uniqueness of Jesus

Dead man walking

In what sense unique?

A unique salvation

10. Everybody hurts

The great question

Alternative explanations

Christianity as a force for good

The conquering Christ

Textbooks on apologetics

C. S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer

The history of apologetics and philosophy

Contemporary culture

The reliability of the Bible

The challenge of science

Jesus and the world religions

The problem of evil

Apologetics reference texts

Apologetics in action: books to give to a non-Christian friend

Notes

The Good Book Stall

‘Apologetics.’ Probably not a word that warms the typical Christian heart! But I found Chris Sinkinson’s excellent new book on the subject readable and rewarding. He defines ‘apologetics’ as simply ‘defending’ the faith. While it’s related to theology and philosophy, it is really ‘a dimension of evangelism’. Chris gives an overview of the three main methods used by apologists, and explains fideism, evidentialism and presuppositionalism. While some Christians argue that we must choose between the three, as they are mutually exclusive, Chris considers that in practice we draw upon something of each. The context of our discussion is all-important. Francis Schaeffer and C.S.Lewis are quoted frequently. The book contains helpful material on philosophy, and something of a ‘whistle-stop-tour’ of thought from Plato to Postmodernism. By the author’s own admission, this book takes us on a ‘wide-ranging journey’. There are substantial chapters on archaeology in Bible lands (all providing evidence for the general reliability of the Bible); science and religion (the image of them in conflict is ‘a popular misunderstanding’. Science neither proves nor disproves faith. Christians disagree about many matters, e.g. how to interpret Genesis, but ‘the broader argument for design is a key component of Christian apologetics’); other religions and the uniqueness of Jesus; and evil and suffering. ‘Christian apologetics is nothing more than a conversation leading to the cross’ and to ‘Christ crucified,’ ‘the solution to the problem of sin and evil.’ Reading this book will help us present a confident case for Christianity in our conversations, albeit a gracious and humble one. I recommend it.

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