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Everything You Always Wanted to Know about God
We all have questions about God. But very few of us get the answers we’re looking for–if those answers even exist! Do they? Where (in heaven’s name) do you go to find out?
Eric Metaxas understands. That’s why he’s written this refreshingly down-to-earth take on the big questions everyone asks (but not always out loud).
Finally a book that takes questions about God seriously enough to get silly (where appropriate). Wonderfully conversational and often very funny, this book joins you in wondering:
·How can a good God create a world that has evil and suffering?
·Is God anti-sex?
·Doesn’t science make God obsolete?
·What’s the real story on miracles?
·If God is everywhere, why go to church?
·Don’t we already have God within us?
·Isn’t God too busy running the universe to care about the details of my day?
·What does the Bible say about things like UFOs, ESP, and the afterlife–and what about Bigfoot?
These questions (and many more like them) get straight answers that don’t hide behind dull and confusing theological language. So get the lowdown on the big questions everyone asks–but please try not to laugh (because it’s a very serious topic).
Eric Metaxas understands. That’s why he’s written this refreshingly down-to-earth take on the big questions everyone asks (but not always out loud).
Finally a book that takes questions about God seriously enough to get silly (where appropriate). Wonderfully conversational and often very funny, this book joins you in wondering:
·How can a good God create a world that has evil and suffering?
·Is God anti-sex?
·Doesn’t science make God obsolete?
·What’s the real story on miracles?
·If God is everywhere, why go to church?
·Don’t we already have God within us?
·Isn’t God too busy running the universe to care about the details of my day?
·What does the Bible say about things like UFOs, ESP, and the afterlife–and what about Bigfoot?
These questions (and many more like them) get straight answers that don’t hide behind dull and confusing theological language. So get the lowdown on the big questions everyone asks–but please try not to laugh (because it’s a very serious topic).
241 pages, Paperback
First published October 18, 2005
38 people are currently reading
700 people want to read
About the author
Eric Metaxas
134 books2,262 followersIn a decidedly eclectic career, Eric Metaxas has written for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, Rabbit Ears Productions and the New York Times, four things not ordinarily in the same sentence. He is a best-selling author whose biographies, children’s books, and works of popular apologetics have been translated into more than 25 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 23, 2013
With a couple of small exceptions, I found this to be a very readable & helpful book on basic Christian apologetics – in other words, a book that answers questions about what Christians believe & why. The author, Eric Metaxas, uses a dialogue format that is shot through with humorous asides & cultural references both new & old (he manages to quote Pink Floyd, reference Aretha Franklin, and even bag on Barney… and then quote major chunks of William Blake, the English poet.) An example:
Q: What happens when you die?
A: Well, it depends, but typically the lawn goes unmowed for a while, and the newspapers really pile up.
This is not your typical apologetics book… which is a good thing.
I esp. like how he dealt with the questions about the difference between religion & Christianity. As well, I like that he doesn’t claim to have perfect answers for difficult questions like “Why does God allow suffering?” or “How does prayer work?” Instead of trying to cobble together something pithy & quotable that panders to the churchified crowd, he honestly presents ways those questions have been answered, admitting that the answers may not be satisfying to some.
I did mention at the beginning that I found a place or two where I didn’t agree with his arguments. I think his facts about the number of deaths from the Inquisition & Crusades are wrong – but he hasn’t sourced them where I can check them out. Still, I don’t think an error of 10x magnitude here undermines his basic argument, so it’s not that big a deal.
This book is not going to convince a militant nonbeliever that they’re wrong – actually, I don’t think any book can do that by itself. But I do think it could be very helpful for folks who are asking questions about faith… and for those who believe who’ve never worked through these kinds of issues.
Q: What happens when you die?
A: Well, it depends, but typically the lawn goes unmowed for a while, and the newspapers really pile up.
This is not your typical apologetics book… which is a good thing.
I esp. like how he dealt with the questions about the difference between religion & Christianity. As well, I like that he doesn’t claim to have perfect answers for difficult questions like “Why does God allow suffering?” or “How does prayer work?” Instead of trying to cobble together something pithy & quotable that panders to the churchified crowd, he honestly presents ways those questions have been answered, admitting that the answers may not be satisfying to some.
I did mention at the beginning that I found a place or two where I didn’t agree with his arguments. I think his facts about the number of deaths from the Inquisition & Crusades are wrong – but he hasn’t sourced them where I can check them out. Still, I don’t think an error of 10x magnitude here undermines his basic argument, so it’s not that big a deal.
This book is not going to convince a militant nonbeliever that they’re wrong – actually, I don’t think any book can do that by itself. But I do think it could be very helpful for folks who are asking questions about faith… and for those who believe who’ve never worked through these kinds of issues.
April 24, 2012
I bought this book a while back and just got around to reading it. I really just couldn't get into it. At first I thought the Q&A writing style was cool, then as the book went on, I began to dislike it. As for the content, I liked some of the author's points, but some of the other points didn't really agree with me.
I like that he tried to find real world examples to compare some of his points with, but some of the information didn't seem right (I couldn't find any evidence of some of the claims online). I was relieved that the author didn't bash science or parts of evolution, but other things bothered me and ended up sounding a bit pretentious. I also felt that most of the comparisons were just silly and irrelevant. Like comparing a person wanting to have sex with a kid wanting to eat cotton candy every day. Yeah . . .
Anyway, this book just wasn't for me. However, my relationship with God has been very challenging for a while due to many events and many people (the Christians who make everyone look bad), and this book has somewhat inspired me to become a little more serious about mending my relationship with God so I'll give it more than one star for that reason alone.
As I understood it, this book was supposed to have a humorous edge, but I rarely found any parts I thought were that funny. I did like this line, however: When Jesus said, "I am the door," he didn't mean to imply that he was made of wood or that he swung on hinges." Overall, I didn't much care for it and will be giving my copy away to someone who will hopefully enjoy it better.
I like that he tried to find real world examples to compare some of his points with, but some of the information didn't seem right (I couldn't find any evidence of some of the claims online). I was relieved that the author didn't bash science or parts of evolution, but other things bothered me and ended up sounding a bit pretentious. I also felt that most of the comparisons were just silly and irrelevant. Like comparing a person wanting to have sex with a kid wanting to eat cotton candy every day. Yeah . . .
Anyway, this book just wasn't for me. However, my relationship with God has been very challenging for a while due to many events and many people (the Christians who make everyone look bad), and this book has somewhat inspired me to become a little more serious about mending my relationship with God so I'll give it more than one star for that reason alone.
As I understood it, this book was supposed to have a humorous edge, but I rarely found any parts I thought were that funny. I did like this line, however: When Jesus said, "I am the door," he didn't mean to imply that he was made of wood or that he swung on hinges." Overall, I didn't much care for it and will be giving my copy away to someone who will hopefully enjoy it better.
February 24, 2012
Not impressed with this book. The author tries to keep the subject matter light-hearted by interjecting bits of stupidity. He writes a paragraph at the start of a chapter and then goes into a question and answer format, which I find annoying. Who's asking the questions? It's like he's asking and answering his own questions. I don't agree with much of what he says based on my study of the Bible, which is solely my interpretation.
February 25, 2017
This is an easy-to-read conversation about the basic tenets of Christianity and the most common hang-ups for those who are searching for God. Believers and non-believers will benefit from these discussion starters, which also make for great launchpads for further study and prayer.
I highly recommend this book for anyone, no matter where they are on their walk.
[A complementary copy of the book was provided to me as part of a re-release program by the publisher.]
I highly recommend this book for anyone, no matter where they are on their walk.
[A complementary copy of the book was provided to me as part of a re-release program by the publisher.]
May 1, 2016
I think Eric Metataxas is a great writer and speaker.
The book is a dialogue style question and answer about "life, God and other small topics". The answers given are not too pat and I could see it opening the dialogue when done with actually a real person.
The book is a dialogue style question and answer about "life, God and other small topics". The answers given are not too pat and I could see it opening the dialogue when done with actually a real person.
December 11, 2008
I really liked it. Open-minded, humorous, straight forward approach. I am not afraid to ask anymore!
August 29, 2024
I like how the book is written as a Q&A between 2 people having a casual conversation about God, the Bible, Jesus, evolution, etc.
March 8, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Blogging For Books/Multnomah Press. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
I have to admit that I was surprised by this book, although not surprised in a bad way, I must say. I have some familiarity in reading the author's works [1], and look forward to more familiarity with it in the future. Most of the material I have read by the author has been in his biographical mode, where the author takes on serious subjects--and one can imagine little that is more serious, for example, than his treatment of Bonhoeffer, or his work on William Wilberforce and the end of the slave trade--and this book is not like that at all. I have talked with some people who listen to his show from time to time and have noted that the author is more than a little bit witty and flippant and somewhat expansive in enjoying having a good time talking, and this book is more along that vein. Being a similar sort of person myself, I cannot exactly complain as this book is entertaining, but it is certainly a far less serious treatment of apologetics [2] than I am used to. I should have figured it out from the title, given the obvious Woody Allen joke it makes, but I must admit I was surprised anyway.
In terms of its contents, this slightly longer than 200 books consists mostly of an imaginary dialogue between Metaxas and a stand-in for a somewhat skeptical but open-minded reader who queries him about various aspects of Christianity. Metaxas deserves a lot of credit for not dodging difficult questions as he takes a tour of apologetics from proof of God's existence to such areas as the problem of evil, free will and determinism, the angelic and demonic realm, the paranormal, sex, God's view of gays and women, religion and superstition, comparative religion, the forbidden fruit and the imago dei, heaven and hell, fanaticism, textual criticism, the importance of relationship, prayer, faith and reason, the identity of Jesus Christ, how God reveals himself in general and specific revelation, and the meaning of conversion. Even if I may not find all of the author's conclusions satisfying, something that deserves a longer comment, the book is full of Metaxas at his most witty and sarcastic addressing someone who is ignorant of the Bible and showing a combination of verbal pyrotechnics and gracious humor, along with a love of irony and paradox.
Again, this is an entertaining book and there is a lot to like about this book. The book is fast to read and is the sort of book that gives one a sense that one is reading a conversation that one can visualize and that is interesting. Even so, the one criticism I have of this book is that it demonstrates the perspective of Hellenistic and not biblical Christianity, something that is particularly noticeable when the author discusses heaven, hell, and the immortal soul. In all such cases his argument goes to nonbiblical ideas, and he shows no awareness of the first and second resurrection (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4, and Revelation 20) that take place after the return of Christ and after the Millennium, respectively, which present a different picture than the author does. This is a problem that comes up a few times in the effort, and detracts some from the enjoyment of the book. Other than that, though, this book is enjoyable to read, and is the sort of book that gives a reader a sense of who Metaxas is. If you like the idea of an intelligent and witty person who does not take himself too seriously writing a book about serious subjects in faith and culture, this is a worthwhile effort.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
I have to admit that I was surprised by this book, although not surprised in a bad way, I must say. I have some familiarity in reading the author's works [1], and look forward to more familiarity with it in the future. Most of the material I have read by the author has been in his biographical mode, where the author takes on serious subjects--and one can imagine little that is more serious, for example, than his treatment of Bonhoeffer, or his work on William Wilberforce and the end of the slave trade--and this book is not like that at all. I have talked with some people who listen to his show from time to time and have noted that the author is more than a little bit witty and flippant and somewhat expansive in enjoying having a good time talking, and this book is more along that vein. Being a similar sort of person myself, I cannot exactly complain as this book is entertaining, but it is certainly a far less serious treatment of apologetics [2] than I am used to. I should have figured it out from the title, given the obvious Woody Allen joke it makes, but I must admit I was surprised anyway.
In terms of its contents, this slightly longer than 200 books consists mostly of an imaginary dialogue between Metaxas and a stand-in for a somewhat skeptical but open-minded reader who queries him about various aspects of Christianity. Metaxas deserves a lot of credit for not dodging difficult questions as he takes a tour of apologetics from proof of God's existence to such areas as the problem of evil, free will and determinism, the angelic and demonic realm, the paranormal, sex, God's view of gays and women, religion and superstition, comparative religion, the forbidden fruit and the imago dei, heaven and hell, fanaticism, textual criticism, the importance of relationship, prayer, faith and reason, the identity of Jesus Christ, how God reveals himself in general and specific revelation, and the meaning of conversion. Even if I may not find all of the author's conclusions satisfying, something that deserves a longer comment, the book is full of Metaxas at his most witty and sarcastic addressing someone who is ignorant of the Bible and showing a combination of verbal pyrotechnics and gracious humor, along with a love of irony and paradox.
Again, this is an entertaining book and there is a lot to like about this book. The book is fast to read and is the sort of book that gives one a sense that one is reading a conversation that one can visualize and that is interesting. Even so, the one criticism I have of this book is that it demonstrates the perspective of Hellenistic and not biblical Christianity, something that is particularly noticeable when the author discusses heaven, hell, and the immortal soul. In all such cases his argument goes to nonbiblical ideas, and he shows no awareness of the first and second resurrection (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4, and Revelation 20) that take place after the return of Christ and after the Millennium, respectively, which present a different picture than the author does. This is a problem that comes up a few times in the effort, and detracts some from the enjoyment of the book. Other than that, though, this book is enjoyable to read, and is the sort of book that gives a reader a sense of who Metaxas is. If you like the idea of an intelligent and witty person who does not take himself too seriously writing a book about serious subjects in faith and culture, this is a worthwhile effort.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...
March 16, 2017
After receiving this book as part of the re-launch team from the publisher, I was anxiously eager to dive in to it. I love Metaxas as a biographer and was interested to see where he landed in the theological realm. I was a little hesitant after reading his last book, If You Can Keep It, because I differed in opinion on some of his conclusions from that book. But this book was actually pretty solid. His theological worldview is squarely Protestant evangelical in the way he explains the Christian faith. There are some doctrinal differences that I easily recognized between us right away but nothing that puts the Christian message at risk. As for the structure and apologetic of the book go, Metaxas chose a unique Q&A format that worked pretty well. His winsomeness and wit came through that anyone that has heard him speak would be expecting. Overall this is a pretty solid book to answer some basic questions of the Christian faith. There are some deeper and stronger works out there that would be more appropriate for hardcore cynics but this would be a good resource for someone with questions that had a genuine desire to start somewhere to seek truth and needed something easily accessible to read. Overall I'd go 4/5 stars and will keep this in my library.
November 2, 2017
This is such an amazing book filled with questions I never thought to ask but always wondered about. This is the perfect book for any young or old adult. Being head of the Worship at my Church I purchased copies for all of our Graduates to take to College with them. I know when I was young and starting life I questioned so much. Had I had this book when I was that age I feel that I would have given my life over to Christ so much sooner. If you have a young one or someone who is questioning their faith I highly recommend this book to them!
February 24, 2017
Eric Metaxas brilliantly answers some of our deepest questions about God in an easy to understand way throughout this whole book. This is a must read for those who have grown up in the church as well as those who are just beginning to discover who God is. With humor, clear explanations and scientific facts, Eric introduces his readers to our Creator and helps put to rest some of the most common questions about the mysteries of a God we cannot see.
September 30, 2016
For a brand-new seeker interested in getting their feet wet in the core concepts of Christianity, Eric Metaxas does a great job keeping the topics light and understandable. I don't necessarily agree with all the comparisons he used, but to each his own.
Like I said, the subject matter isn't super deep, so not really for the apologist, but great for helping to teach and clarify the basics!
Like I said, the subject matter isn't super deep, so not really for the apologist, but great for helping to teach and clarify the basics!
September 2, 2018
Silly and interesting this book was a quick read and occasionally made some points i had never heard before. The quick nature and Q&A form made it a fun read that doesn’t take itself too seriously or feel exceedingly preachy. I will say some of the metaphors and similes were not very effective but the point could be understood every time. Would recommend!
June 28, 2017
This book is definitely geared toward a non-believer audience with worldy connotations throughout in a conversational question and answer style. Some things I didn't agree with, like the big bang DID cause creation? Well, it could have, but I wouldn't say it did.
July 2, 2017
Written entirely as a dialogue between “Q” and “A,” this book is quick and witty, while filled with much for your consideration. Metaxas covers all the bases and then some. His humor is quirky, fresh and fun, even as he dives into most important things.
February 1, 2008
Really interesting apologetic responses to basic questions, but Metaxes uses a light-hearted (borderline silly) tone at times that unfortunately seems to mute the points.
January 3, 2011
Amazing book!! I now want to read his updated version!!
May 29, 2011
Great, fast read. If you are looking for some quick info to share with folks curious about God, this is a great book.
push-to-the-limited
March 29, 2014want to read
June 14, 2017
This question and answer format book all about God is great for readers in all walks of spiritual life, and may give insight to those that aren't.
July 25, 2017
Learned a few things about
god that I did not know. Interesting book.
god that I did not know. Interesting book.
December 27, 2022
Maybe a 2.5 which I will bump up to a 3 since you cannot give half stars. To be fair, I am not the target audience for this book. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior going on 20 years coming up in October 2023 (October 29th, 2023 to be exact). I am a licensed Pastor in the Assemblies of God and have an M.Div from Liberty. The book would be best suited for someone who is seeking out answers or very new about their faith. I do appreciate the books conversational format. I will say though, even if it is for extremely new believers or those seeking out answers, I think it would have been more appropriate for Scripture to have been used throughout the book. One of the things I love about reading books by Billy Graham (and listening to his sermons, interviews, etc.) is how much Billy incorporated Scripture. To him it was absolutely crucial. There are some references throughout and in the notes at the end, but honestly, while you may not want someone to get "bogged down, I think it would have been more important to show there is Scripture evidence for what you are claiming. Some of the chapters were frankly quite weak. Eric could have been so much bold in giving the complete answer. I honestly don't think I would recommend this book to even someone who was seeking answers (maybe my rating should have been lower). I think Eric Metaxas best stuff is when he is writing biographies (Bonhoeffer, Luther, etc.). I could see where the laid back approach could appeal to someone though. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong in it and if it can help even one person come to Christ, it would have served it's purpose. Again, not being the intended audience, I probably cannot fully appreciate it the way others would be able to. But there were times where I think Metaxas failed in giving the full answer (some were answered extremely well).
April 17, 2020
This was a really quick read and, while I didn't completely agree with the words he used to answer every question, I feel the book, in general, was relatively sound in its content. I liked the conversationalist structure he used to write the book as it make it a little more easy to read and slightly entertaining. I also appreciated the somewhat simple responses for some of the really hard questions - we don't know! Because the truth is that we, as believers, don't know. But we're not out to prove anything. If it was as simple as black and white, it wouldn't take faith. We believe and step out in faith. Eric's book does a good job of being honest, frank, and getting non-believers and believers to question what they believe and why they believe it. However, it skims the wave-tops and if you're really interested in taking a deep dive into some of these questions (in a cerebral exercise), I'd recommend Lee Strobel's Case for Faith and Case for Christ along with C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.
October 27, 2022
This was exactly the kind of book I was looking for and needed. I can't wait to read the others in the series and other writings by this author. Of course, I still have about 1,000 questions. But the simple, logical, straight-forward perspectives are easy to consume and think about. I'm not sure I agree with all of it but I definitely appreciate having this book to read through again and continue my own growth with.
March 27, 2023
I don't agree on all points. Especially when the author mentions you can call sin whatever you want. No. Sin is sin. And it is this that separates us from God. Giving us the need for Jesus and His salvation.
Beyond that section, I appreciate his effort to invite people to read the all too common questions regarding God and his existence. As well as his attempt to help guide readers with logical and reasonable answers ending each chapter by posing thoughts to evaluate introspectively.
Beyond that section, I appreciate his effort to invite people to read the all too common questions regarding God and his existence. As well as his attempt to help guide readers with logical and reasonable answers ending each chapter by posing thoughts to evaluate introspectively.
September 30, 2021
Another great book by Eric Metaxas!
Another great book by Eric Metaxas! If you are searching for God and you want some answers about who God is, please check out this book. Eric Metaxas has answered all of your questions about God. I would highly recommend this book for you to read and have many of your questions answered!
Another great book by Eric Metaxas! If you are searching for God and you want some answers about who God is, please check out this book. Eric Metaxas has answered all of your questions about God. I would highly recommend this book for you to read and have many of your questions answered!
September 7, 2024
Plain Talk about Difficult Topics
This book is a great aid when you're sharing with others about your Christian walk. Easy to read and a bit lighthearted as well, but still biblically sound.
This book is a great aid when you're sharing with others about your Christian walk. Easy to read and a bit lighthearted as well, but still biblically sound.
April 24, 2020
This was a very interesting read. Answered some hard questions but made it a little bit more light hearted and easier to understand.
January 7, 2025
Why Christianity? A book for every person.
A compelling look at the whys and wherefores of the Christian faith, entertainingly delivered with wisdom, depth, clarity, and humor.
A compelling look at the whys and wherefores of the Christian faith, entertainingly delivered with wisdom, depth, clarity, and humor.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews