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Truth in a Culture of Doubt: Engaging Skeptical Challenges to the Bible
All too often Christians, and even Christian leaders, don’t know how to deal with skeptical challenges of the Bible and the Christian faith. Few churches address the historical questions about the Bible and the theological questions concerning the God who, believers claim, has inspired the Bible. Too often Christian scholarship has been kept at arm’s length and even viewed with suspicion by the church. Speaking and writing in this kind of environment, Bart Ehrman—professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and author of four New York Times bestsellers—has found a captive audience. Ehrman’s popularity is due in large part to the fact that he is talking about things most people never learned about in church. Some have long given up on Christianity, and Ehrman is only reinforcing their decision to depart from their Christian upbringing. Others are trying to reconcile their faith with rational arguments and find Ehrman’s books both interesting and disturbing if not appealing.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes a closer look at the key arguments skeptical scholars such as Ehrman keep repeating in radio interviews, debates, and in his their popular writings. If you are looking for insightful responses to critical arguments from a biblical perspective, easily accessible and thoughtfully presented, this book is for you. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive response to Ehrman’s popular works. It is presented in such a way that readers can either read straight through the book or use it as a reference when particular questions arise. Responding to skeptical scholars such as Ehrman, Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes readers on a journey to explain topics such as the Bible’s origins, the copying of the Bible, alleged contradictions in Scripture, and the relationship between God and evil. Written for all serious students of Scripture, this book will enable you to know how to respond to a wide variety of critical arguments raised against the reliability of Scripture and the truthfulness of Christianity.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes a closer look at the key arguments skeptical scholars such as Ehrman keep repeating in radio interviews, debates, and in his their popular writings. If you are looking for insightful responses to critical arguments from a biblical perspective, easily accessible and thoughtfully presented, this book is for you. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive response to Ehrman’s popular works. It is presented in such a way that readers can either read straight through the book or use it as a reference when particular questions arise. Responding to skeptical scholars such as Ehrman, Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes readers on a journey to explain topics such as the Bible’s origins, the copying of the Bible, alleged contradictions in Scripture, and the relationship between God and evil. Written for all serious students of Scripture, this book will enable you to know how to respond to a wide variety of critical arguments raised against the reliability of Scripture and the truthfulness of Christianity.
194 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 13, 2014
I am quite familiar with the arguments of New Testament scholar Bert Ehrman. I have heard a few of his lectures, seen/heard a few of his debates and read "Forged". Despite my many, many disagreements with his conclusions, he is an engaging speaker and clearly a very good in his field of textual criticism. Though he usually gets the facts correct, at least in textual criticism, his conclusions are biased and way off.
This book by Andreas Kostenberger, Darrell Bock and Josh Chatraw is an excellent response to some of the claims Dr. Ehrman has made throughout the years. They address various topics such as the reliability of the New Testament (Corruption and alleged contradictions), why variety of "Christianities" in the early church and alleged forgeries in the New Testament. The latter two were the best chapters in the book, though Dr. Kostenberger and Dr. Koger gave a much deeper analysis of the dishonest and poor historical work of Dr. Ehrman view on there being no consistent orthodox belief in the early church in their book called "The Heresy of Orthodoxy". An excellent book.
I say Dr. Ehrman is dishonest because he either barely interacts with opposing views or just ignores them completely. For example, the authors of this book mentioned (pg 62) that Dr. Ehrman never addresses Richard Baukman's excellent work on Christology, "Jesus and The Eyewitnesses", in his book "How Jesus became God". How often have I read conservative biblical scholars interacting with the ridiculous, hypothetical "Q" document that liberal biblical scholars consistently bring up? The fair treatment is rarely given to the other side.
The chapter "Are many New Testament documents forged?" was quite difficult to get through, but easily the best chapter. It was difficult due to the almost amateurish arguments that Dr. Ehrman puts out in his book "Forged". Dr. Ehrman is excellent in his field, but as an exegete of scripture, he is not. His reasoning to exclude Ephesians, for example, from the Pauline corpus is because there are really long sentences. He states there are 90 or so new words in that epistle in comparison to an equal length Pauline written Philippians. However, the authors of this book careful pick that apart mentioning that Ephesians is actually 33% longer than Phillipians, which Ehrman thinks is Pauline, AND Phillippians has 6.2 terms per page used only once in the New Testament, while Ephesians has 4.6 terms per page. (page 151).
Dr. Ehrman is a hyper-skeptic, almost in the lines of the Dr. Robert Price from the Jesus Seminary. When asked, during a debate with Dr. Dan Wallace, on how much evidence he would he need to trust in the reliability of the New Testament, this was his answer (pg 104):
"Well if we had early copies, if we had copies of Mark..suppose next week, there is an archaeological find in Egypt, say, it's in Rome, an archaeological find in Rome, and we have reason to think that these 10 manuscripts that are discovered were all copied within a week of the original copy of Mark, and they disagreed in 0.001% of their textual variation, then I would say, that's good evidence and that's precisely what we don't have"
Wow.
This book by Andreas Kostenberger, Darrell Bock and Josh Chatraw is an excellent response to some of the claims Dr. Ehrman has made throughout the years. They address various topics such as the reliability of the New Testament (Corruption and alleged contradictions), why variety of "Christianities" in the early church and alleged forgeries in the New Testament. The latter two were the best chapters in the book, though Dr. Kostenberger and Dr. Koger gave a much deeper analysis of the dishonest and poor historical work of Dr. Ehrman view on there being no consistent orthodox belief in the early church in their book called "The Heresy of Orthodoxy". An excellent book.
I say Dr. Ehrman is dishonest because he either barely interacts with opposing views or just ignores them completely. For example, the authors of this book mentioned (pg 62) that Dr. Ehrman never addresses Richard Baukman's excellent work on Christology, "Jesus and The Eyewitnesses", in his book "How Jesus became God". How often have I read conservative biblical scholars interacting with the ridiculous, hypothetical "Q" document that liberal biblical scholars consistently bring up? The fair treatment is rarely given to the other side.
The chapter "Are many New Testament documents forged?" was quite difficult to get through, but easily the best chapter. It was difficult due to the almost amateurish arguments that Dr. Ehrman puts out in his book "Forged". Dr. Ehrman is excellent in his field, but as an exegete of scripture, he is not. His reasoning to exclude Ephesians, for example, from the Pauline corpus is because there are really long sentences. He states there are 90 or so new words in that epistle in comparison to an equal length Pauline written Philippians. However, the authors of this book careful pick that apart mentioning that Ephesians is actually 33% longer than Phillipians, which Ehrman thinks is Pauline, AND Phillippians has 6.2 terms per page used only once in the New Testament, while Ephesians has 4.6 terms per page. (page 151).
Dr. Ehrman is a hyper-skeptic, almost in the lines of the Dr. Robert Price from the Jesus Seminary. When asked, during a debate with Dr. Dan Wallace, on how much evidence he would he need to trust in the reliability of the New Testament, this was his answer (pg 104):
"Well if we had early copies, if we had copies of Mark..suppose next week, there is an archaeological find in Egypt, say, it's in Rome, an archaeological find in Rome, and we have reason to think that these 10 manuscripts that are discovered were all copied within a week of the original copy of Mark, and they disagreed in 0.001% of their textual variation, then I would say, that's good evidence and that's precisely what we don't have"
Wow.
February 17, 2016
This book was pretty much a polemic against Bart Ehrman. If you've read Köstenberger's other work "Heresy of Orthodoxy", then you will be rereading lots of material. There's definitely a tone of bitterness in the writing, and I suppose it's warranted in some ways. Anyone interested in reading Ehrman Should read this book. These guys are top-notch scholars, and their style of writing is accessible for scholars and ministers alike.
June 5, 2019
This book is a response to various claims made by Bart Ehrman throughout most of his popular, mass-market books on Christianity, the Bible, and historical Jesus studies. The authors do a good job of dealing with the various problematic claims of Ehrman.
This isn’t a highly complex book. It’s written to the same level audience as Ehrman’s books. And its bibliography is a plus for anyone wanting to go deeper.
This isn’t a highly complex book. It’s written to the same level audience as Ehrman’s books. And its bibliography is a plus for anyone wanting to go deeper.
October 8, 2021
Challenging an Influential Atheist
"In . . . 2003, Derrick McCarson (entered) . . . the University of North Carolina . . . . A committed Christian, Derrick enrolled in . . . 'Introduction to the New Testament.' On the first day of class, he was surprised to see that nearly five hundred students had enrolled in the same class. The professor, Bart Ehrman, walked in and started abruptly, 'I'd like to see a show of hands. How many Bible-believing Christians do we have in the auditorium today? Come on. Don't be bashful.' After about a half dozen students raised their hands, Ehrman said, 'That's good. It looks like we have a few Christians here today. Welcome to Intro to the New Testament. My goal this semester will be to change everything you Christians think you know about the Bible and about Jesus.'" (from "Evidence for God" edited by William A. Dembski and Michael R. Lincona)
Bart Ehrman is one of the most influential atheists in America. Once a committed Christian, he became an ardent atheist during his studies at Princeton University. Ironically, he is a distinguished professor of New Testament studies, a commentary in itself of how academia increasingly views faith, particularly Christianity. He is author of several popular and successful books and a frequent contributor in the media and in speaking engagements. He seems to have made discrediting and dismantling of Christianity his major goal in life and is quite effective in that endeavor, reflecting our present cultural skepticism that seeks reasons to doubt more often than seeking actual truth.
In “Truth in a Culture of Doubt”, the authors, while acknowledging his expertise, challenge Ehrman’s claims against Christianity with thoroughness and objectivity. They make a convincing case that his claims are often misleading, contradictory, erroneous, and presented without evidence. He regularly, the authors assert, presents his views as widely accepted by scholars without addressing the opposing views held by many, or most, other experts and scholars. In other words, his claims are largely one-sided. They point out that our culture of skepticism and doubt makes the untrained person vulnerable to these kinds of one-sided arguments, whether by Ehrman or others. “Truth in a Culture of Doubt” succeeds in effectively countering the claims of the popular atheistic influencers, and gives the untrained believer and unbelieving skeptic alike a complete picture that is lacking from the atheists.
At the end of the book Ehrman himself is quoted from one of his university classes regarding the lack of engagement with the Bible and religious training by today’s frequently nominal Christians: “But if God wrote a book . . . wouldn’t you want to see what he has to say?” Indeed.
Highly recommended!
"In . . . 2003, Derrick McCarson (entered) . . . the University of North Carolina . . . . A committed Christian, Derrick enrolled in . . . 'Introduction to the New Testament.' On the first day of class, he was surprised to see that nearly five hundred students had enrolled in the same class. The professor, Bart Ehrman, walked in and started abruptly, 'I'd like to see a show of hands. How many Bible-believing Christians do we have in the auditorium today? Come on. Don't be bashful.' After about a half dozen students raised their hands, Ehrman said, 'That's good. It looks like we have a few Christians here today. Welcome to Intro to the New Testament. My goal this semester will be to change everything you Christians think you know about the Bible and about Jesus.'" (from "Evidence for God" edited by William A. Dembski and Michael R. Lincona)
Bart Ehrman is one of the most influential atheists in America. Once a committed Christian, he became an ardent atheist during his studies at Princeton University. Ironically, he is a distinguished professor of New Testament studies, a commentary in itself of how academia increasingly views faith, particularly Christianity. He is author of several popular and successful books and a frequent contributor in the media and in speaking engagements. He seems to have made discrediting and dismantling of Christianity his major goal in life and is quite effective in that endeavor, reflecting our present cultural skepticism that seeks reasons to doubt more often than seeking actual truth.
In “Truth in a Culture of Doubt”, the authors, while acknowledging his expertise, challenge Ehrman’s claims against Christianity with thoroughness and objectivity. They make a convincing case that his claims are often misleading, contradictory, erroneous, and presented without evidence. He regularly, the authors assert, presents his views as widely accepted by scholars without addressing the opposing views held by many, or most, other experts and scholars. In other words, his claims are largely one-sided. They point out that our culture of skepticism and doubt makes the untrained person vulnerable to these kinds of one-sided arguments, whether by Ehrman or others. “Truth in a Culture of Doubt” succeeds in effectively countering the claims of the popular atheistic influencers, and gives the untrained believer and unbelieving skeptic alike a complete picture that is lacking from the atheists.
At the end of the book Ehrman himself is quoted from one of his university classes regarding the lack of engagement with the Bible and religious training by today’s frequently nominal Christians: “But if God wrote a book . . . wouldn’t you want to see what he has to say?” Indeed.
Highly recommended!
November 4, 2024
Excellent and honest critique of Bart Ehrman's ultra skepticism towards the Bible and Christianity. The authors point out a few systematic weaknesses in the way Ehrman popularizes his theories, e.g.
- in his books, he doesn't engage much with his scholarly opponents, thus leaving the impression that his opinions are based on scholarly consensus (ch. 2: Does the Bible Contradict itself, claim 5; ch. 5: The NT Documents Real or Counterfeit, claim 1). This, I consider a scholarly sin.
- his unrealistic expectations for a historical source to be reliable (ch. 3: The Danger is in the ditches).
- the inconsistencies in his thinking, e.g. his argument against God's goodness in the face of all the evil in the world; caring about people if all we are is a collection of physical matter and all we have is this life; while he claims that the NT is not reliable historically, he still claims that he can know what Jesus did not say and did not do.
- in his books, he doesn't engage much with his scholarly opponents, thus leaving the impression that his opinions are based on scholarly consensus (ch. 2: Does the Bible Contradict itself, claim 5; ch. 5: The NT Documents Real or Counterfeit, claim 1). This, I consider a scholarly sin.
- his unrealistic expectations for a historical source to be reliable (ch. 3: The Danger is in the ditches).
- the inconsistencies in his thinking, e.g. his argument against God's goodness in the face of all the evil in the world; caring about people if all we are is a collection of physical matter and all we have is this life; while he claims that the NT is not reliable historically, he still claims that he can know what Jesus did not say and did not do.
February 5, 2019
This is a good book.
September 5, 2014
Rating: 5 Stars for Excellent
Source: Free copy from B and H Publishing in exchange for a review. All reviews expressed are from my own opinion.
Summary:
Truth in a Culture of Doubt is: "Written for all serious students of Scripture, this book will enable readers to respond to a wide variety of arguments raised against the reliability of Scripture and the truthfulness of Christianity." Back cover.
The writing team of Andreas J. Kostenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw, has written Truth in a Culture of Doubt, in response to Bart D. Ehrman's work to discredit the Bible, Christianity, and Jesus Christ.
In five chapters covering a wide sphere of arguments that Ehrman has raised in his speeches and "best-seller" books, the writing team of Truth in a Culture of Doubt, addresses each argument in penetrating theology and Bible knowledge.
Without argument, nor acerbic slander, the veil is removed from Ehrman's carefully crafted ambition to tarnish the image of Christ.
Bart D. Ehrman Ph.D., states on his website he is a "historian and not a believer." Yet, people have been "taken-in" by his heresy, because they do not read nor understand the Bible. They've allowed other people, such as Ehrman to tell them what the Bible is really all about, or that Jesus is not really who we think he is, nor what the disciples thought he was. The Gospel message has all been a sad fairy tale.
"We haven't written this book to convince Bart Ehrman or other skeptical scholars of our views. Ehrman, we trust, knows most of the information we set forth in these pages and has chosen to follow his own line of reasoning due to a variety of factors. Instead, we are writing for those of you who have encountered Ehrman's arguments (or others like them) and need to better understand the other side of the argument." Page 11.
The five chapters are:
1. "Is God Immoral Because He Allows Suffering?"
2. "Is the Bible Full of Irresolvable Contradictions?"
3. "Are the Biblical Manuscripts Corrupt?"
4. "Were There Many Christianities?"
5. "Are Many New Testament Documents Forged?"
My Thoughts:
Suffering is one of the reasons many Christians walk away from God. They cannot understand how a loving God allows suffering. The first chapter in Truth in a Culture of Doubt address this argument first. Rare, does a person who is remarking on suffering in the world, bring in God's plan for suffering. God sent His Son Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin, in order that we have a way out of an eternal existence of suffering. The life in the flesh is not all there is, it is only a whisper, a fleck, in the span of the universe. Jesus not only identifies with us because He lived in the flesh on earth, but he took on our sin while on the cross in order that we will have eternal life in Him.
"Despite these intuitions that point to something greater, Ehrman ultimately says that if the God of the Bible did exist, he would be responsible for the evil in the world. Instead, the Bible says that suffering entered the world because God's creatures rebelled. Despite this rebellion God entered into his creation to remind his creatures that he not only cares enough to suffer with us, but he also cares enough to establish a plan to make this world right again." Page 30-31.
A favorite area of the book for me is on Peter. From chapter five, exploring Peter the "uneducated, common men." The quote is from Acts 4:13.
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." ESV.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt, expounds on the question of Peter's intellectual qualities, fishermen and what Scripture has showed us about Peter. For example: Fishermen were business men, it was necessary for them to be able to read and write (signing their name, or other business dealings such as a tax collector), or a scribe was used, but still some literate knowledge was necessary. Ehrman has taught that Peter was an "illiterate peasant." Further, reading Peter's speech in Acts 3 and 4, Peter spoke with boldness, clarity, and knowledge." In defining the word "uneducated" it means lacking "formal education."
Throughout the book I kept wondering why Ehrman pushes against Christianity so much. What is he running from? Why is he rebelling? With the same dogmatic fundamentalist background he came from, he has the same gusto in seeking to tarnish Christ's name. Because this is the real fight he has, with Jesus Christ. What he fails to see because of the thick veil from Satan, is there will come a day when Ehrman will give an account for his life. I'm praying for him, and this is not a flippant statement, I am praying for him.
Source: Free copy from B and H Publishing in exchange for a review. All reviews expressed are from my own opinion.
Summary:
Truth in a Culture of Doubt is: "Written for all serious students of Scripture, this book will enable readers to respond to a wide variety of arguments raised against the reliability of Scripture and the truthfulness of Christianity." Back cover.
The writing team of Andreas J. Kostenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw, has written Truth in a Culture of Doubt, in response to Bart D. Ehrman's work to discredit the Bible, Christianity, and Jesus Christ.
In five chapters covering a wide sphere of arguments that Ehrman has raised in his speeches and "best-seller" books, the writing team of Truth in a Culture of Doubt, addresses each argument in penetrating theology and Bible knowledge.
Without argument, nor acerbic slander, the veil is removed from Ehrman's carefully crafted ambition to tarnish the image of Christ.
Bart D. Ehrman Ph.D., states on his website he is a "historian and not a believer." Yet, people have been "taken-in" by his heresy, because they do not read nor understand the Bible. They've allowed other people, such as Ehrman to tell them what the Bible is really all about, or that Jesus is not really who we think he is, nor what the disciples thought he was. The Gospel message has all been a sad fairy tale.
"We haven't written this book to convince Bart Ehrman or other skeptical scholars of our views. Ehrman, we trust, knows most of the information we set forth in these pages and has chosen to follow his own line of reasoning due to a variety of factors. Instead, we are writing for those of you who have encountered Ehrman's arguments (or others like them) and need to better understand the other side of the argument." Page 11.
The five chapters are:
1. "Is God Immoral Because He Allows Suffering?"
2. "Is the Bible Full of Irresolvable Contradictions?"
3. "Are the Biblical Manuscripts Corrupt?"
4. "Were There Many Christianities?"
5. "Are Many New Testament Documents Forged?"
My Thoughts:
Suffering is one of the reasons many Christians walk away from God. They cannot understand how a loving God allows suffering. The first chapter in Truth in a Culture of Doubt address this argument first. Rare, does a person who is remarking on suffering in the world, bring in God's plan for suffering. God sent His Son Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin, in order that we have a way out of an eternal existence of suffering. The life in the flesh is not all there is, it is only a whisper, a fleck, in the span of the universe. Jesus not only identifies with us because He lived in the flesh on earth, but he took on our sin while on the cross in order that we will have eternal life in Him.
"Despite these intuitions that point to something greater, Ehrman ultimately says that if the God of the Bible did exist, he would be responsible for the evil in the world. Instead, the Bible says that suffering entered the world because God's creatures rebelled. Despite this rebellion God entered into his creation to remind his creatures that he not only cares enough to suffer with us, but he also cares enough to establish a plan to make this world right again." Page 30-31.
A favorite area of the book for me is on Peter. From chapter five, exploring Peter the "uneducated, common men." The quote is from Acts 4:13.
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus." ESV.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt, expounds on the question of Peter's intellectual qualities, fishermen and what Scripture has showed us about Peter. For example: Fishermen were business men, it was necessary for them to be able to read and write (signing their name, or other business dealings such as a tax collector), or a scribe was used, but still some literate knowledge was necessary. Ehrman has taught that Peter was an "illiterate peasant." Further, reading Peter's speech in Acts 3 and 4, Peter spoke with boldness, clarity, and knowledge." In defining the word "uneducated" it means lacking "formal education."
Throughout the book I kept wondering why Ehrman pushes against Christianity so much. What is he running from? Why is he rebelling? With the same dogmatic fundamentalist background he came from, he has the same gusto in seeking to tarnish Christ's name. Because this is the real fight he has, with Jesus Christ. What he fails to see because of the thick veil from Satan, is there will come a day when Ehrman will give an account for his life. I'm praying for him, and this is not a flippant statement, I am praying for him.
December 14, 2014
There has been an effort in recent years by authors such as liberal scholar Bart Ehrman to try and present Scripture as being in error. Such challenges, while really nothing new in the history of the church, do present an issue for the believer, especially due to the widespread popularity of books that oppose Scripture as the source of truth or that try and confuse and twist the Word of God. It is vital for believers to be well grounded in matters of the faith so they coherently address those who seek to present God’s Word as nothing but fairytales. Andreas Kostenberger, Darrell Bock, and Josh Chatraw, in their timely and relevant book Truth in a Culture of Doubt, provide the reader with the tools by which they can address the skepticism of our day.
The contributors to this book address five key issues championed by skeptics, namely “Is God Immoral Because He Allows Suffering?”, “Is the Bible Full of Irresolvable Contradictions?”, “Are the Biblical Manuscripts Corrupt?”, and “Were There Many Christianities?”. Each chapter provides a list of claims that will be addressed, an analysis of Bart Ehrman’s issues with Scripture, astute biblical responses to the skeptical claims made by Ehrman, concluding with discussion questions that provide an opportunity for the reader to dig into the subject matter a bit further.
There is much to enjoy in this book and the authors do not shy away from engaging some of the more difficult apologetical topics. For instance, in addressing the often thorny subject of why does God allow suffering, the authors note, “The more Ehrman builds his case against God based on morality, and the more he urges people to help others, the more the problem surfaces: Where is Ehrman getting his morality?” In order for there to even be a proper discussion on issues of morality such as why suffering exists to begin with, a foundation has to be established as to how one even defines morality. Since Ehrman has rejected the truth found in Scripture as the basis for how one understands matters of right and wrong, let alone how we understand God, it appears each individual in his estimation gets to decided right or wrong for themselves.
Another favorite line of the skeptics is declaring that the biblical manuscripts were corrupt and thus God’s Word cannot be trusted as being without error. Ehrman is a vocal proponent of this line of thinking and why not as after all, if one can demonstrate the source of truth, in this case Scripture, to be fallible, then the entire foundation will then fall. In response to Erhman’s assertions, the authors clearly demonstrate the truly false claims being made by Ehrman and others to include the inconsistent manner in which they approach ancient manuscripts. A notable and extremely strong response to Ehrman’s vitriol is the fact that the “New Testament not only has more manuscript evidence than any other book from a similar time period” and furthermore, “it also has the smallest time gap between surviving manuscripts and original manuscripts of any work of antiquity.”
Ultimately, this book is less about the failures of Ehrman to support his wild accusations. It is more about demonstrating the clear reality that God’s Word can be trusted. Skeptics will come and go; however, God’s Word continues so stand despite the continual efforts to undermine it. Since we live in a culture that so easily latches on to skepticism of Scripture it is important for believers to be well equipped to they can respond to these repeated accusations made by Ehrman and many others. In an age of doubt, only the truth will reign supreme and that truth is found in Scripture.
I highly recommend this book for all believers. It is scholarly yet very accessible and is a valuable apologetical tool to have in one’s arsenal, in particular when it comes to responding to the popular yet incorrect accusations made against Scripture by the likes of Bart Ehrman. The responses provided in this book are ones the reader can utilize in conversation with others whether that is in personal conversation or discussions on social media. I know I will utilize this book as a source of information and reading it has given me a greater appreciate for the Word of God.
I received this book for free from B&H Academic for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
The contributors to this book address five key issues championed by skeptics, namely “Is God Immoral Because He Allows Suffering?”, “Is the Bible Full of Irresolvable Contradictions?”, “Are the Biblical Manuscripts Corrupt?”, and “Were There Many Christianities?”. Each chapter provides a list of claims that will be addressed, an analysis of Bart Ehrman’s issues with Scripture, astute biblical responses to the skeptical claims made by Ehrman, concluding with discussion questions that provide an opportunity for the reader to dig into the subject matter a bit further.
There is much to enjoy in this book and the authors do not shy away from engaging some of the more difficult apologetical topics. For instance, in addressing the often thorny subject of why does God allow suffering, the authors note, “The more Ehrman builds his case against God based on morality, and the more he urges people to help others, the more the problem surfaces: Where is Ehrman getting his morality?” In order for there to even be a proper discussion on issues of morality such as why suffering exists to begin with, a foundation has to be established as to how one even defines morality. Since Ehrman has rejected the truth found in Scripture as the basis for how one understands matters of right and wrong, let alone how we understand God, it appears each individual in his estimation gets to decided right or wrong for themselves.
Another favorite line of the skeptics is declaring that the biblical manuscripts were corrupt and thus God’s Word cannot be trusted as being without error. Ehrman is a vocal proponent of this line of thinking and why not as after all, if one can demonstrate the source of truth, in this case Scripture, to be fallible, then the entire foundation will then fall. In response to Erhman’s assertions, the authors clearly demonstrate the truly false claims being made by Ehrman and others to include the inconsistent manner in which they approach ancient manuscripts. A notable and extremely strong response to Ehrman’s vitriol is the fact that the “New Testament not only has more manuscript evidence than any other book from a similar time period” and furthermore, “it also has the smallest time gap between surviving manuscripts and original manuscripts of any work of antiquity.”
Ultimately, this book is less about the failures of Ehrman to support his wild accusations. It is more about demonstrating the clear reality that God’s Word can be trusted. Skeptics will come and go; however, God’s Word continues so stand despite the continual efforts to undermine it. Since we live in a culture that so easily latches on to skepticism of Scripture it is important for believers to be well equipped to they can respond to these repeated accusations made by Ehrman and many others. In an age of doubt, only the truth will reign supreme and that truth is found in Scripture.
I highly recommend this book for all believers. It is scholarly yet very accessible and is a valuable apologetical tool to have in one’s arsenal, in particular when it comes to responding to the popular yet incorrect accusations made against Scripture by the likes of Bart Ehrman. The responses provided in this book are ones the reader can utilize in conversation with others whether that is in personal conversation or discussions on social media. I know I will utilize this book as a source of information and reading it has given me a greater appreciate for the Word of God.
I received this book for free from B&H Academic for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
July 23, 2016
In a world saturated with skepticism and doubt, there remains few books that are more important and helpful than Truth in a Culture of Doubt by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw. This conservative trio seeks to critically examine the claims of one of today's leading skeptics, Bart D. Ehrman, and provide a rational defense of biblical Christianity and the reliability of the Bible. The result has given Christian leaders one of the most noteworthy books for equipping the church to engage the culture in recent times.
The book is comprised of five chapters. Each chapter seeks to tackle Ehrman's challenges to Christianity or the Bible one by one. Chapter one, "Is God Immoral because He allows suffering?" begins the conversation with a look at several of Ehrman's claims arising out of his book God's Problem. Köstenberger, Bock, and Chatraw address claims such as "the Bible's explanation of suffering and evil are not satisfying" and "the God of the Bible is immoral, and therefore, he doesn't exist." The interaction of the authors is well suited for those wrestling with such claims and helpful and informative for those who don't but are engaging with those who do. Chapter two, "Is the Bible full of irresolvable contradictions?" addresses an onslaught of common attacks on the unity of the Bible.
Chapter three, "Are the biblical manuscripts corrupt?" does an excellent job getting to the heart of Ehrman's skepticism and examining how his skeptical presupposition flavor his reading of the evidence. Chapter four, "Were there many Christianities?" dismantles Ehrman's repackaging of the Bauer Thesis. This is familiar ground for the authors, especially Köstenberger who authored The Orthodoxy of Heresy (Crossway, 2010) with Michael J. Kruger. Chapter five, "Are many New Testament documents forged?" the issue of authorship is addressed, and done so with a keen awareness of the underlying issues that bolster the skeptical claims of Ehrman and others. This final chapter is among the most beneficial for those familiar with the conversations that take place in the public sphere.
There are a number of helpful features of this book that make it especially useful for Christian leaders and those seeking to assist others to engage better with skeptical challenges to the Bible. For example, each chapter concludes with a handful of discussion questions to facilitate group reflection. Moreover, each chapter opens with a brief list of the claims addressed within the chapter, and the chapter proceeds to address each claim one by one. This organization is especially helpful for quick reference. Speaking of quick reference, the book concludes with a glossary of terms, a quick response section, and a general index. The quick response section provides short answers to each of the claims treated more fully in the chapter—an indispensable addition to an already useful book.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw is a book that deserves a spot on the bookshelf of all serious students of the Bible. Those who engage with culture and have yet to engage with this book are likely ill-equipped for such task. Köstenberger, Bock, and Chatraw have provided a clear, concise, and calculated resource that will strengthen your faith and equip you to present truth in a culture of doubt. It comes highly recommended!!
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
The book is comprised of five chapters. Each chapter seeks to tackle Ehrman's challenges to Christianity or the Bible one by one. Chapter one, "Is God Immoral because He allows suffering?" begins the conversation with a look at several of Ehrman's claims arising out of his book God's Problem. Köstenberger, Bock, and Chatraw address claims such as "the Bible's explanation of suffering and evil are not satisfying" and "the God of the Bible is immoral, and therefore, he doesn't exist." The interaction of the authors is well suited for those wrestling with such claims and helpful and informative for those who don't but are engaging with those who do. Chapter two, "Is the Bible full of irresolvable contradictions?" addresses an onslaught of common attacks on the unity of the Bible.
Chapter three, "Are the biblical manuscripts corrupt?" does an excellent job getting to the heart of Ehrman's skepticism and examining how his skeptical presupposition flavor his reading of the evidence. Chapter four, "Were there many Christianities?" dismantles Ehrman's repackaging of the Bauer Thesis. This is familiar ground for the authors, especially Köstenberger who authored The Orthodoxy of Heresy (Crossway, 2010) with Michael J. Kruger. Chapter five, "Are many New Testament documents forged?" the issue of authorship is addressed, and done so with a keen awareness of the underlying issues that bolster the skeptical claims of Ehrman and others. This final chapter is among the most beneficial for those familiar with the conversations that take place in the public sphere.
There are a number of helpful features of this book that make it especially useful for Christian leaders and those seeking to assist others to engage better with skeptical challenges to the Bible. For example, each chapter concludes with a handful of discussion questions to facilitate group reflection. Moreover, each chapter opens with a brief list of the claims addressed within the chapter, and the chapter proceeds to address each claim one by one. This organization is especially helpful for quick reference. Speaking of quick reference, the book concludes with a glossary of terms, a quick response section, and a general index. The quick response section provides short answers to each of the claims treated more fully in the chapter—an indispensable addition to an already useful book.
Truth in a Culture of Doubt by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Darrell L. Bock, and Josh D. Chatraw is a book that deserves a spot on the bookshelf of all serious students of the Bible. Those who engage with culture and have yet to engage with this book are likely ill-equipped for such task. Köstenberger, Bock, and Chatraw have provided a clear, concise, and calculated resource that will strengthen your faith and equip you to present truth in a culture of doubt. It comes highly recommended!!
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
March 13, 2021
This book deals with currently one of the most popular critics of the New Testament, Bart Ehrman. Having read some of Ehrman's writing, watching his lectures, and listening to his debates, I agree with the authors of the book that Ehrman's reputation is well earned. There is a reason he has become popular with the general public especially in this day of scoff at Christianity rising.
What this book does is takes the major works of Ehrman. pull out some of the main topics in each, and addresses/answers them. What the authors do is hit Ehrman from a four fold approach of a presuppositional standpoint. They look at Ehrman's presuppositions (and find them self-refuting or inconsistent); they look at the evidence from a historical point of view (and find that Ehrman lacks a lot of understanding in the field of study). They look at the claims from a logical standpoint (and show that Ehrman does not show the care that he should on major points that undercut his claims or are just wrong); and they look at the moral claims made by Ehrman (and find that they too don't hold up in Ehrman's own worldview).
This book is a great one-stop-shop for those looking for 1) a book addressing all the major claims of Bart Ehrman and 2) looking at a good primer on a lot of great areas of study that promote a high view of Scripture and confidence in the Word of God. The section of textual criticism, for instance, was easy to understand but didn't glance too shallow as not make a good case against Ehrman. It's also not too difficult for those who haven't heard much about the topic.
The book offers a great study that many, MANY in the church would benefit from learning about. If they did, people like Ehrman (and really the current weak state of the church today) would disappear and the witness of Jesus Christ as seen in His Church would render even more glory to God's Kingdom. Final Grade - A
What this book does is takes the major works of Ehrman. pull out some of the main topics in each, and addresses/answers them. What the authors do is hit Ehrman from a four fold approach of a presuppositional standpoint. They look at Ehrman's presuppositions (and find them self-refuting or inconsistent); they look at the evidence from a historical point of view (and find that Ehrman lacks a lot of understanding in the field of study). They look at the claims from a logical standpoint (and show that Ehrman does not show the care that he should on major points that undercut his claims or are just wrong); and they look at the moral claims made by Ehrman (and find that they too don't hold up in Ehrman's own worldview).
This book is a great one-stop-shop for those looking for 1) a book addressing all the major claims of Bart Ehrman and 2) looking at a good primer on a lot of great areas of study that promote a high view of Scripture and confidence in the Word of God. The section of textual criticism, for instance, was easy to understand but didn't glance too shallow as not make a good case against Ehrman. It's also not too difficult for those who haven't heard much about the topic.
The book offers a great study that many, MANY in the church would benefit from learning about. If they did, people like Ehrman (and really the current weak state of the church today) would disappear and the witness of Jesus Christ as seen in His Church would render even more glory to God's Kingdom. Final Grade - A
March 16, 2015
This book is a thoughtful response to claims made by atheist author Bart Ehrman in several bestselling books. If you were captivated by Ehrman's engaging style and slick arguments, you owe it to yourself to read this (and/or any of the many responses quoted or cited by the authors) before blindly accepting Ehrman's worldview. Köstenberg, Bock, and Chatraw present their case clearly and convincingly. They are not writing to entertain, and certainly not to prove that God exists, but simply to set the record straight on many points that Ehrman overlooks or deliberately disregards — many of which you may not have heard in church.
September 11, 2014
This is excellent, clear, & well organized, a book you will want to read & give to others. The authors have taken the arguments against Christianity that (although not new) are popular & have gained ground because of how they are communicated by Bart Ehrman.
April 20, 2015
Some parts were interesting but just not my favorite. I think it was too deep theologically to hold my attention and by the time I would return to it, I had forgotten the points of the previous chapters.
September 2, 2015
I enjoyed this book from start to finish would recommend not just to an apologist but to any looking to dive deeper into some of the more popular arguments against Christianity. Does a great job of both displaying the arguments made by Ehrman and responding to them.
September 28, 2015
It was okay. I already knew much of it. I was surprised that it was mostly a counter-argument to Ehrman, a prominent anti-Christian skeptic.
April 16, 2016
Good and timely resource.
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