Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics

by William Lane Craig

"Evangelicals have been living on the periphery of responsible intellectual existence. The average Christian does not realize that there is an intellectual war going on in the universities and in the professional journals and scholarly societies. Christianity is being attacked from all sides as irrational or outmoded, and millions of students, our future generation of leaders have absorbed this viewpoint. This is a war which we cannot afford to lose.... "In addition to serving, like the rest of theology in general, as an expression of our loving God with all our minds, apologetics specifically serves to show to unbelievers the truth of the Christian faith, to confirm that faith to believers, and to reveal and explore the connections between Christian doctrine and other truths.... Apologetics... is a theoretical discipline that tries to answer the question, What rational defense can be given for the Christian faith?" This book by respected philosopher and theologian William Lane Craig has been thoroughly revised and updated to equip believers in the successful proclamation of biblical truth claims. The author gives careful attention to crucial questions and concerns, How Do I Know Christianity Is True?, The Absurdity of Life Without God, The Existence of God, The Problem of Miracles, and The Resurrection of Jesus. An invaluable scholarly resource for all committed defenders of the Christian faith.

Genres: Philosophy, Christian, Religion, Christianity, Theology, Nonfiction, Faith

350 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

William Lane Craig is Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. He and his wife Jan have two grown children.

At the age of sixteen as a junior in high school, he first heard the message of the Christian gospel and yielded his life to Christ. Dr. Craig pursued his undergraduate studies at Wheaton College (B.A. 1971) and graduate studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.A. 1974; M.A. 1975), the University of Birmingham (England) (Ph.D. 1977), and the University of Munich (Germany) (D.Theol. 1984). From 1980-86 he taught Philosophy of Religion at Trinity, during which time he and Jan started their family. In 1987 they moved to Brussels, Belgium, where Dr. Craig pursued research at the University of Louvain until assuming his position at Talbot in 1994.

He has authored or edited over thirty books, including The Kalam Cosmological Argument; Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus; Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom; Theism, Atheism and Big Bang Cosmology; and God, Time and Eternity, as well as over a hundred articles in professional journals of philosophy and theology, including The Journal of Philosophy, New Testament Studies, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, American Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophical Studies, Philosophy, and British Journal for Philosophy of Science.

Reviews

[Sean]

Considering how many books the 'New Atheists' sell, I think it's an absolute crime how few Christians even know about this guy, let alone his work

My first experience with the author's work was watching a youtube video of his debate with Frank Zindler on 'Does God Exist?' After hearing WLC's opening speech in the debate where he laid out his five main arguments for the existence of God (all covered in this book), my jaw actually dropped. His case sounded too solid, too full-proof to be valid. I was certain his opponent had counter arguments to put everything he just said into question. To my surprise though, Mr Zindler could offer nothing in rebuttal. He avoided addressing any of the points Dr. Craig brought up, he offered no reason to believe God doesn't exist, and resorted to a feeble attack on Biblical passages that showed his understanding of the Bible to be equivalent to a toddler's understanding of M-Theory.

I then found myself watching numerous other debates (including Hitchens and Harris), I wanted to find Atheists' answer to Dr. William Lane Craig. The short answer is: they don't have one. He just annihilates his opponents every time. I've heard some people argue "he's just a professional debater". Well this book has been out for 17 years and includes all his major arguments for God and Christianity in detail. It's not like his attack plan in these debates are a secret now are they? That would have to mean that either his opponents are ALL ignorant laymen on the given topic (which they aren't), or that his apologetics really are that strong.

So what then can a reader get out of this book? Well as I said it includes all of the major arguments he brings up in debates involving the existence of God and the truth of Christianity by successfully arguing the validity of the gospels and Christ's resurrection. Each chapter starts by going over the history of the issue, trends in philosophy that shaped and developed the argument, where the debate on the issue stands right now, his professional exploration on the matter, objections that have been raised and their refutation, and then of course his conclusions.

Now some might classify this as a 'popular book' rather than say a 'textbook', but I think that's a little misleading. First, WLC has two PHDs (Philosophy and Theology), which means he knows the subject exceptionally well and is within his educational right to be considered an authority on the matter. Second, the book contains far more concrete information per paragraph than plenty of textbooks I had in college, I actually had to give my brain a rest when I read too much in a sitting. Third, the book's fluidness and consistency (a trait I wouldn't attach to most textbooks) is a testament not to his 'elegant prose' but to his solid understanding of the subject matter. In other words this is an exceptional Christian Apologetics 101 textbook that won't put you to sleep.

Who should read this book?
Well obviously anyone interested in Christian Apologetics. I strongly recommend this to Christians who are at a point where they're questioning their faith, wondering if it's a blind one. Though, to be sure, every Christian should be familiar with this material, you may not need it for assurance, but it equips you with answering some very tough questions like the historical reliability of the gospels to a skeptic.
I would also recommend it to an agnostic, someone who is legitimately inquiring as to what each side of the argument has to say and is able to read the material objectively without rolling their eyes at the mere mention of 'God' - a lot of the material presented here is available on the reasonablefaith.org website in the Q&A section, he also covers a LOT in podcasts.

I would not simply hand this to a 'devout atheist' friend and tell them to read it in the hopes they'll somehow drop to their knees and convert. The old saying "no one gets argued into the kingdom of God" is still true. You're better off studying this book and having an intelligent discussion with them on the issues which will lead them hopefully to the conclusion that your faith isn't irrational but rather, it's 'reasonable'.

Friends at work were surprised the other day when they found out I was Christian (in my defense, I thought they knew) They both assumed I was an atheist because "well you're like...smart...not uptight" There's this misconception today that ALL Christians subscribe to a 'blind faith' mentality and are judgmental prudes. Well to the latter I say that lies on a believer practicing scripture rather than just reading it. To the former I would say "Reasonable Faith" as the title entails is an excellent place to start in dispelling that perception of 'blind' faith in Christianity today.

[Winston Jen]

Craig's own quotes demonstrate his dearth of reason. He has claimed, repeatedly, that the internal witness of the holy spirit is enough to quench any evidence that opposes his religious views. How is that reasonable in the slightest?! If that wasn't enough, he insults all non-Christians by accusing them of loving darkness rather than light. And all this IN THE INTRODUCTION!

According to Craig, nothing has any meaning unless it lasts forever. Besides being patently condescending and just plain wrong, it implies that an eternity of repetitive and wearisome kowtowing would somehow be enjoyable.

"When they say that Christian beliefs about Jesus are derived from pagan mythology, I think you should laugh. Then look at them wide-eyed and with a big grin, and exclaim, 'Do you really believe that?' Act as though you've just met a flat earther or Roswell conspirator.

William Lane Craig, "Question 90: Jesus and Pagan Mythology", Reasonable Faith, 2009"

How ignorant does one have to be to spew such drivel!?

1. But the argument is still unsound, because the first premise is false: there are other unmentioned alternatives, for example, that Jesus as described in the gospels is a legendary figure, so that the trilemma is false as it stands. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 39.]

2. What, then, should be our approach in apologetics? It should be something like this: 'My friend, I know Christianity is true because God's Spirit lives in me and assures me that it is true. And you can know it is true, too, because God is knocking at the door of your heart, telling you the same thing. If you are sincerely seeking God, then God will give you assurance that the gospel is true. Now, to try to show you it's true, I'll share with you some arguments and evidence that I really find convincing. But should my arguments seem weak and unconvincing to you, that's my fault, not God's. It only shows that I'm a poor apologist, not that the gospel is untrue. Whatever you think of my arguments, God still loves you and holds you accountable. I'll do my best to present good arguments to you. But ultimately you have to deal, not with arguments, but with God himself.' [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 48.]

3. Therefore, when a person refuses to come to Christ it is never just because of lack of evidence or because of intellectual difficulties: at root, he refuses to come because he willingly ignores and rejects the drawing of God's Spirit on his heart. No one in the final analysis really fails to become a Christian because of lack of arguments; he fails to become a Christian because he loves darkness rather than light and wants nothing to do with God. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), pp. 35-36.]

4. Should a conflict arise between the witness of the Holy Spirit to the fundamental truth of the Christian faith and beliefs based on argument and evidence, then it is the former which must take precedence over the latter, not vice versa. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 36.]

5. The Bible says all men are without excuse. Even those who are given no good reason to believe and many persuasive reasons to disbelieve have no excuse, because the ultimate reason they do not believe is that they have deliberately rejected God's Holy Spirit. [William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, (Revised edition, Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), p. 37.]

Pure disingenuous drivel. The man is a professional liar.

And to add insult to injury, Christianity has caused his compassion to implode on himself. He has defended genocide in the bible on his website:

[...]

"So whom does God wrong in commanding the destruction of the Canaanites? Not the Canaanite adults, for they were corrupt and deserving of judgement. Not the children, for they inherit eternal life. So who is wronged? Ironically, I think the most difficult part of this whole debate is the apparent wrong done to the Israeli soldiers themselves. Can you imagine what it would be like to have to break into some house and kill a terrified woman and her children? The brutalizing effect on these Israeli soldiers is disturbing."

[Miguel Cisneros Saucedo]

What is presented here as a foundation for Christian apologetics is, in reality, a painfully dry, repetitive manifesto that reduces the Christian faith to a series of defensive arguments in a culture war. Both its style and its central message are deeply flawed, making this a frustrating and uninspiring read.

The style of the text is exhausting. It is dense, academic, and suffocatingly self-referential. The author defines apologetics as a "theoretical discipline" and defending its existence against imaginary critics, rather than actually demonstrating its value. The prose is joyless and circular, filled with statements that sound profound but collapse under scrutiny. The metaphors are alarmist and militaristic, painting an us-versus-them picture. We are told we must not send our children into "public high school and university armed with rubber swords and plastic armor". This kind of fear-based, combative rhetoric is exhausting. The author laments that society is on an "unchecked slide into secularism", framing the world as a hostile battleground rather than a place to encounter diverse perspectives. The highlighted text repeatedly emphasizes a defensive posture, treating faith as something to be "rationally justified" against a backdrop of a "naturalistic picture" that threatens to swallow it whole.

The message is even more problematic. The author creates a false and damaging dichotomy between the intellect and the heart. It dismisses those who argue "no one comes to Christ through arguments" with a superficial shrug, insisting that because a "young man" lost his faith after reading an apologetics book, we must double down on intellectual rigor. It belittles those who prioritize "emotional intimacy" in worship, implying that unless you can defend the existence of God with a philosophical syllogism, your faith is somehow second-rate. The underlying message is that Christianity is fundamentally a set of propositions to be debated, not a transformative relationship to be lived. The author insists that "Christianity remains a live option for thinking men and women", but the book's tone suggests that it is only an option for those willing to engage in endless debates. He then laments that "nobody comes to Christ through arguments", yet his solution is simply to provide "better" arguments, completely ignoring the role of grace, the Holy Spirit, and personal experience.

Furthermore, the author claims that apologetics is the key to "shaping culture" and that without it, the church will be "reduced to but another voice in a cacophony of competing voices". This is an incredibly grandiose claim for a discipline that the author admits "cannot guarantee perseverance". Craig then comments that a "postmodern culture" is "a myth", while simultaneously acting as if the mere existence of this book is the only thing standing between civilization and ruin. It is a textbook example of intellectual snobbery masquerading as spiritual concern. In summary, the author writes as if drafting a doctoral thesis for a panel of theologians, rather than communicating a transformative truth.

"Augustine of Hippo states that the credibility of reports regarding miracles and prophecies must be accepted on faith, not grasped by the intellect". "Thomas Aquinas draws a distinction between truths of reason and truths of faith". "John Locke argued that God's existence can be proven through a cosmological argument". The text is an endless parade of names, dates, and tradition, yet Craig never pauses to explain why any of this matters or connects it to real human experience. His arguments are dry and academic, devoid of metaphors, concrete examples, or anecdotes. It is like reading a stack of index cards stitched together with wire.

The author devotes page after page to debating whether faith should rest on reason or authority, whether miracles constitute sufficient evidence, and whether the Bible authenticates itself. Yet all this intellectual effort leads to a circular conclusion: ultimately, the author falls back on the "internal testimony of the Holy Spirit" as the basis of Christian faith. In other words, after dismissing blind faith and demanding rational arguments, he ends up asserting that the only true guarantee is a subjective, ineffable, and incommunicable personal experience. This is no solution; it is a leap into the void. The author cites Alvin Plantinga to argue that the Spirit authenticates itself, yet he offers no criteria for distinguishing this alleged inner voice from a mere intuition, a wish, or a hallucination. The circularity is bothersome: Craig knows Christianity is true because the Spirit tells him so, and he knows the Spirit is true because the Bible tells him so. BUT, what if the "Spirit" is really the Devil? Oh, don't worry, "the experience of the Spirit's witness is self-authenticating for him who really has it". Problem solved, I guess.

Worse still, Craig mocks those who say "no one comes to Christ through arguments", dismissing them as shortsighted. It scoffs at "emotional intimacy with God" as if it were an inferior form of piety. For this author, authentic faith is that which can be dissected into syllogisms, defended in a university debate, and which cites Augustine and Locke with the same ease with which others quote the Psalms. Yet he forgets that Christian faith, at its core, is not a logical proposition: it is a relationship of trust, an act of surrender, a way of life. By reducing it to a series of theses that must be "rationally justified", the author strips it of its transformative power and turns it into a list of memorized premises.

Furthermore, the treatment of history is simplistic and biased. Augustine is portrayed as a champion of authority over reason; Aquinas as a rationalist (give me a break); Locke as an apologist. Everything fits into a narrative leading to the author's own position. There's no acknowledgment of these authors' internal contradictions, and no dialogue with other Christian denominations. It is a history of apologetics told from a single viewpoint, that of the author, who sets himself up as the judge of two thousand years of thought. The book also makes the mistake of treating non-believers as adversaries to be "defeated" in debate. Apologetics, as presented here, is a weapon in a war. There is talk of "meeting challenges", "defending the faith", and "providing a rational justification". The tone is defensive, almost paranoid. There is no love for the person being addressed, no desire to understand their doubts, and no humility. There is only the need to be right.

In short, these kinds of authors are a perfect example of how misunderstood arguments can become as an obstacle to faith rather than a bridge to it. It's not enough to quote Fyodor Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and such (Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre) without engaging with their ideas, but to enlist them as authorities in a rhetorical war. This is suffocating and melodramatic. We are told that without God, we are "Cosmic Orphans", that life is a "dread doom", a "purposeless universe", a "spark in the infinite blackness". Yeah, right... The author swallows this existential dread, using emotionally charged language like the "threat of non-being" and the "horror of modern man" to prey on the reader's natural fear of death and meaninglessness. The metaphors are alarmist and manipulative: the atheist is trapped in a "purposeless life", a "catastrophe" of "restlessly violently headlong" despair. It reads less like a philosophical inquiry and more like a sermon designed to leave the reader terrified and compliant. Of course anyone would want to avoid all of this. But is the void or nothingness worse than eternity in Hell?

In the end, the core argument is the "practical impossibility of atheism". Craig argues that because atheists (like Sartre) cannot live consistently with their worldview (because, supposedly, they inevitably fall back on humanism, lack of ethics, and meaning), atheism must therefore be false. This is silly. The fact that a belief system is difficult to live out does not make its truth claims invalid. Furthermore, the author's treatment of atheism is a grotesque caricature. He asserts that without God, "everything is permitted" (again, what's with the appeal for Dostoyevsky?) and that this leads inevitably to nihilism, moral relativism, and the Holocaust. The invocation of the Holocaust to prove the necessity of belief in God is not just intellectually lazy; it is morally repugnant. The author implies that atheists have no basis for condemning Hitler, completely ignoring the vast ethical philosophies and non-religious moral frameworks that have fiercely opposed fascism and tyranny. Also, can we dismiss Christianity based on the enormous list of crimes and cruelty it has created over centuries?

What bothers me the most is that Craig reduces Sartre's complex philosophy of radical freedom and responsibility to an inconsistent despair, and it reduces Friedrich Nietzsche's critique of morality to a simple, destructive nihilism. The author seems incapable of understanding the idea that meaning can be created by humans, that love and brotherhood have value without a divine legislator, or that ethics can be grounded in human empathy and reason rather than fear of eternal punishment.

With regard to pages 93 to 173, well, we can dismiss them altogether. Let’s stop normalizing the idea that someone who never studied physics, astronomy, or anything in between can claim to debate with authority whether the universe had a beginning. It is one thing to hold a personal belief or an opinion; it is quite different to step into a debate as if one’s views carried the same weight as those of someone trained in the field. It is a matter of distinguishing between having an opinion and possessing knowledge. To seriously "debate" science, watching documentaries, reading books, or talking about it on a podcast isn't enough (the fact that Craig doesn't understand that nobody debates or proves anything in science is enough to be skeptical of his take on this). You need to have studied the discipline and be familiar with its methods, history, and current experiments. Craig doesn't even hold a basic degree in the field, so he can certainly ask questions, learn, and even disagree as a layperson, but he cannot claim any authority. He has never set foot in a physics laboratory, let alone conduct an experiment on his own, so his opinions are dismissed.

Craig then moves to defend the "moral argument" and "ontological argument". I won't even consider the second, as it is pure nonsense. I don't think this theologian really understands what the hell he is talking about when he says that "a maximally great being is intuitively a coherent notion". As for the "moral argument", almost everything Craig says contradicts the most basic principles of psychology (my discipline).

1) If God does not exist, objective moral values do not exist. 2) They do exist. 3) Therefore, God exists.

To defend premise 2, the author throws out the usual alarmist rhetoric, painting "naturalism" as a weak, meaningless wasteland where humans are "accidental byproducts of nature", "machines for propagating DNA", and where "all things are permitted" (yes, Craig loves Dostoyevsky, we get it). It leans heavily on citing people like Richard Dawkins, Michael Ruse, and such to argue that without a divine lawgiver, morality is just an illusion of biological survival. The author then triumphantly declares that because we feel moral duties are objective, a transcendent ground (God) must be necessary. Once again, Craig is relying on tired strawman arguments about what atheism must logically lead to, rather than observing how non-believers actually live and construct ethical systems.
Basically, the author's entire premise rests on the assumption that moral values must be "objective": that is, independent of human thought or perception, like mathematical truths or divine commandments. He treats morality as an abstract, metaphysical substance that needs an ontological being.
This is a massive error. Moral judgments are not objective, immutable properties of the universe. Rather, they are deeply contextual, culturally defined, and socially constructed. What constitutes a "moral good" is specified in relation to culturally defined virtues. Right and wrong are not discovered like the laws of physics; they are developed through implicit learning of peer group norms and cultural socialization. Just read "The emotional dog and its rational tail: a social intuitionist approach to moral judgment" by Haidt's study in 2001.

Moral intuitions are anchored in the social groups to which we belong (or hope to belong) and are used to affirm our shared identities. This explains why different religious groups disagree so profoundly, not because one side is failing to access "objective moral truth", but because they are living within different cultural frameworks. There is no universal moral value in specific actions; the same behavior can acquire entirely different moral meanings depending on the social context in which it is displayed and the relationships between the actors involved. See Giner-Sorolla's 2012 study "Judging passions: Moral emotion in persons and groups".

By ignoring this social and evolutionary evidence, Craig's central argument (as well as the entire book) falls apart. The author insists that because moral duties feel obligatory, they must originate from a cosmic authority. But the empirical evidence shows that moral obligation stems from human social contracts, empathy, and the deeply ingrained need for group cohesion. You do not need a deity to feel a profound moral duty toward your community, your family, or a stranger; you need socialization, empathy, and shared human values. This is based on Rai and Fiske's 2011 research, "Moral psychology is relationship regulation: Moral motives for unity, hierarchy, equality, and proportionality".

To conclude, I do not recommend this author to anyone. Especially after verifying his claims regarding my field, psychology. I can only imagine what the vast majority of physicists and historians would feel when reading this book, but I get an idea. Do NOT believe what a theologian, or more specifically, an ignorant person, will claim just because he or she sounds intellectual.
Ultimately, this book offers no positive, compelling case for Christianity. It does not explore the implications of faith, the relationship with the divine, or the radical belief system of Jesus, as Craig himself is not poor, doesn't live in isolation from society, and instead makes a living by accumulating enormous amounts of wealth through bookselling, course-lecturing, and a position of power and influence at a Christian "university". I am not a theologian, but, aren't you supposed to follow Jesus' way of life (a life of misery and poverty)?

For Craig, then, Atheism is too scary and too difficult, so we must believe in God to avoid the abyss. This is not faith; it is emotional blackmail. Craig then bombards the reader with endless quotes and appeals to authority from other authors, to the extent of even quoting Charles Dickens and other non-academic authors, as if that will convince anyone.

[Joel]

It is easy to see why William Lane Craig is heralded as one of the major champions of current apologetics. His handling of the apologetic process is not unique in any way but it is entirely direct. It is a sad fact that most apologists (both current and past) have problems with keeping their focus on the issue at hand. It is important to focus on a step-by-step procedure to take the reader from square one towards the truth of the gospel. While a lot of apologists tend to only present and dispute the obvious objections it is nice to see a thinker who will approach the grey areas of uncertainty (i.e. If the universe is infinitely old how could God create it?). Not only does WLC incorporate the classic apologies from authors such as Anselm and Augustine and Aquinas but he is very thorough in his explanations and examples that help the readers comprehend some of the more abstract theories.

My qualm with this book is my qualm with any apologetic treatise: Who cares? I believe that there are some answers in rational thinking and in accurate philosophy but 'reason' is not the sole method of evangelism and philosophy (no matter how accurate) is not the sole arbiter of truth. Doubters gonna doubt. Skeptics gonna... skep?? The answers in apologetics are powerful but they are not pertinent until the seeker is seeking truth rather than seeking a fallacy in Christian logic. The 'good news of the gospel' is entirely irrelevant until one realizes the bad news of the human condition: namely the hopelessness of life without salvation, the absurdity of life without God, and the tragedy of eternity without Christ.

[Justin]

I read this book as part of a book study amongst friends at my university. As a student of philosophy and apologetics I was not disappointed. This book was everything I thought it would be and more.

In its third edition, this is without a doubt the best popular level survey of natural theology out there. As an undergraduate philosophy student, I've read many scholarly articles on natural theology. And trust me, they can get very very technical at times. Often I'll just have to put the paper down and ask my professor about it next class because I'm just not able to comprehend what's being said. But Craig is able to present said arguments in a way that is lucid and concise.

If you have ever seen any of Craig's debates on God's existence then you will be very familiar with the format of the book. The first half of the book is taken up with his philosophical arguments for God's existence, with Craig's famous kalam cosmological argument being the most thoroughly explained. But in this edition, Craig includes defenses of reformed epistemology and the ontological argument for God's existence. Both of which I found to be very edifying. Especially the defense of the ontological argument, which can get really technical in formal logic in the scholarly papers I've read.

The last half of the book is taken up by the historical arguments for God's existence (i.e. Jesus's resurrection). I did not really study this section of the book that well since I am not interested in such works, but I have been told by friends who are students of history that Craig has one of the best defenses of the resurrection out there.

Craig also includes a nice bit of application for his arguments, which is very needed and very helpful. He gives multiple testimonies of how he and his wife were able to use arguments with people in personal evangelism, both with scholars and non-scholars. This really helped me see how I was not really wasting my time studying the arguments and revealed how I could use these arguments to help lead someone to Christ.

All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who would like a survey of the top philosophical and historical arguments for Christianity. It is intellectually stimulating and moderately edifying.

[Sonny]

― “The explanatory adequacy of the neo-Darwinian mechanisms of random mutation and natural selection with respect to observed biological complexity has been sharply challenged, as advances in microbiology have served to disclose the breathtaking complexity of the micro-machinery of a single cell, not to speak of higher level organisms. The field of origin of life studies is in turmoil, as the old scenarios of the chemical origin of life in the primordial soup have collapsed, and no new, better theory is on the horizon.”
― William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith

Christian apologist Dr. Willaim Lane Craig is one of the most influential philosophers in the world today. He is Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif. His book Reasonable faith is a book on Christian apologetics, that branch of Christian theology that defends Christianity. There seems to be an even greater need for apologetics today, for we live in a world that no longer believes Christianity is good.

― “…it is imperative that we shape the intellectual climate of our nation in such a way that Christianity remains a live option for thinking men and women.”
― William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith

Apologetics is a rational, organized defense of the Christian faith. Christians should study apologetics to be prepared to give an answer for the hope we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15). Unfortunately, there is a significant element of anti-intellectualism in the church today, especially the evangelical church. The acquiescence of evangelicalism in this area of life is yet another way that we have failed to be truly countercultural, in the best sense of the term.

Anti-intellectualism is rampant in the United States. For some time now, our culture has exalted feelings above reason, pragmatism over wisdom, entertainment over intellectual engagement, and we’re now seeing the fruit of these choices. Many in the local church aren’t familiar with the sound arguments that have been raised against naturalism and relativism by top Christian thinkers. Fixing this problem would strengthen our faith and witness.

One cause and symptom of anti-intellectualism in the church is neglect of a form of reading that can be referred to as deep reading. Christian bookstores have aisles of books on relationships, personal fulfillment, Christian self-help, and various forms of fiction, but very little theology or apologetics.

We live in a culture saturated with relativism, naturalism, and various forms of skepticism, while Christianity espouses realism about truth and theism. Grasping these ideas and related issues requires time, effort, humility, and persistent engagement.

William Lane Craig is able to present his arguments in a way that is well-reasoned and concise. The first half of the book is focused on his philosophical arguments for God's existence. Highlighted among these arguments is Craig's Kalam cosmological argument for the existence of God. Craig also provides an ontological, or deductive philosophical, argument for the existence of God.

The last half of the book is focused on the historical arguments for God's existence, which includes ends with a chapter on the self-awareness of Jesus and a final chapter on his resurrection.

― “What Jesus taught in the parables, he acted out in real life. One of the most radical features of the historical Jesus was his practice of inviting prostitutes, toll collectors, and other outcasts into fellowship with him around the dinner table. This was a living illustration of God’s forgiveness of them and his invitation of them into fellowship in the kingdom of God.”
― William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith

While I strongly encourage Christians to become acquainted with apologetics, Reasonable Faith is not the place for most of them to start. This is one of the most in-depth apologetics books you will find on the market. It’s more of a Bible college text than something for the lay-person who is just beginning their venture into Christian apologetics.

Frankly, this book was a very slow read for me. It’s very technical. I devoted an hour each evening to reading the book, and it took me 54 days to finish (about 7 pages a day, excluding the literature cited). I should note that I did not find the philosophical arguments discussed in the first half of the book nearly as helpful as the second half of the book. It is highly unlikely that I will ever be able to, or even need to, use the philosophical approach. However, it was interesting to see what philosophers of the past have thought of Christian doctrine. But Craig shared some information in the second half that was completely new to me, though I have been a believer for 55 years.

[Ryan Young]

well. all i can say is that the divide between a 'faithful' person and a 'reasonable' person has never been wider for me. i can see that anyone with a bias toward a supernatural worldview would eat this stuff up. but those of us who demand extraordinary proof for extraordinary claims will remain unmoved by the 'evidence presented herein.

every single one of lane's arguments for christianity also work just as well for islam, mormonism, and pastafarianism.

he readily admits that none of his arguments would really work, only an intervention by the holy spirit can actually make a person know god and jesus are real. i guess the ol' spirit isn't interested in dwelling in this bag of meat.

[Alan]

This is likely going to be one of the most in-depth apologetics books you'll ever read. I wouldn't recommend this book to a lay-person who is beginning their quest at becoming a better Christian apologist. If you're a beginner, you may become frustrated because of the "information overload" that this book will undoubtedly bring to the table. While the information is excellent, there are many technical qualities about it that require patience. It is best to take this book slow and fully absorb the information in order to get the most out of it. Overall, it is likely one of the most carefully articulated and substantive books on Christian apologetics ever written in my opinion.

[Jonathan Sancho]

junk read it if you hate yourself

[Christopher]

I've been listening to Dr. Craig's podcasts for a couple of weeks now and I've found his answers to (most) questions of faith and Christianity to be solid. So, when my Bible study group decided to do a short introductory course on apologetics, I decided to delve into the topic a little deeper and found this book. I'm glad I did because this has been one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Dr. Craig build his case for traditional Christian theology slowly, but surely as he starts with the philosophical evidence that points towards the existence of God, that God is the creator of the universe, and the evidence for miracles. He ends it with two chapters regarding Jesus Christ's self-awareness and his resurrection. This is not a beginner's apologetics book like Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ. The text is very philosophical and scientific (at least in the chapter regard the evidence in favor of creationism) in its outlook, so if you haven't read other beginner's apologetics books or have a grounding in philosophy or science, you may very well get lost. Having said that, this book is not too difficult as Dr. Craig takes the time to show where certain criticisms came from historically and why they fail to upset traditional Christian theology. He also ends each chapter with a section on the practical application of these arguments, even admitting when a favored argument of his is less useful as in a real world debate of Christian philosophy. Whether you are a skeptic or a believer, if you've read some beginner's apologetics and want to move to the next level, I highly recommend this book to you.

[Ryan]

An excellent defense of basic Christian doctrine. The book was written for survey courses in Apologetics at Christian seminaries and has just been released in its third edition. It introduces you to the current "state of the argument" in each subject it covers, but also walks you through the history of the debate and the key players. The chapters progress from "How do I know Christianity is True?" through the self-understanding and resurrection of Christ, with chapters in between on the absurdity of life without God, the existence of God, and the problems of historical knowledge and miracles. Craig is obviously biased, but he's honest about it and his academic rigor and clarity of argument stand by themselves (he holds both a PhD and DTheol, and is a professor at the Talbot School of Theology in Southern California).

Regardless of who you are, this is a great place to turn for an intelligent defense of Christianity. For the non-believers among you that feel obligated to reject Christianity on rational or intellectual grounds, I challenge you to pick up this book before writing it off completely. Don't make that kind of decision without confronting the best evidence.

[Luke]

A very fine book, but very detailed. He tirelessly goes through arguments against Christianity and proves that they don’t stand up. He uses physics and logic and mathematics and physiology and many other areas to prove the reality of Christianity. Very detailed and at times, especially when sub points to arguments, I was somewhat lost. He points out how absolutely absurd it would be to have the world created out of nothing, and for somehow life to come out of nothing. And he lays out the arguments claims against Jesus including his resurrection and shows that the resurrection is the only options that stands up. Craig has another book, On Guard, that I thing is a little less detailed and I may look at it. In the end, the best apologetic for the reality of Jesus and God is the life of a Christian.

[Bob]

Reasonable Faith is essential reading for most every Christian and is excellent for the honest agnostic. Christians are often accused of being intellectually shallow & totally dependent on blind faith. However, in this book, William Lane Craig presents a very convincing philosophical & rational offensive apologetic for the existence of God & the truth of Christianity. Reasonable Faith is deep & technical but is still very readable & the information attainable for the average person. Lane goes beyond other more basic apologetic books such as "The Case for Christ" & "Evidence That Demands a Verdict." Most have never been presented w/the arguments in this book; & many non-believers would probably rethink their beliefs if they considered these arguments w/an open mind. For Christians, this book will strengthen your faith & give you confidence.

The author states in the introduction that "Contemporary Christian worship tends to focus on fostering emotional intimacy w/God. While this is a good thing, emotions will carry a person only so far, & then he's going to need something more substantive. Apologetics can help to provide some of that substance.” In our culture of quick pleasure & easy emotion, it is refreshing to see a serious argument for something beyond physical satisfaction. This book contains strong arguments for the faith that I believe are unmatched in this day & age.

By the way, William Lane Craig is one of the premier evangelical apologists around. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Univ. of Birmingham, & a doctorate in theology from the Univ. of Munich. He also earned twin Master's degrees in Philosophy of Religion & Church History & the History of Christian Thought. He is clearly qualified & adept at both theology & philosophy.

Finally, it must be noted that parts of this book are a little thick. For example, the chapter on miracles contains fairly complex & detailed philosophical reasoning (just skip this chapter & come back to it when you really want to tackle this issue), he also spends a great deal of time refuting historical relativism (you can skip that one too, come back to it when you are confronted w/a non-believer who seems to buy into that)

Each chapter concludes w/a practical application section, which is really helpful. Craig at heart is an evangelist & this book is designed to help believers to not only deal w/intellectual objections to the Christian faith, but to point people to Jesus Christ. A very profitable read.

So I highly recommend reading & having this on hand.

[Anthony]

William Lane Craig seems like someone who has spent a lot of time looking into philosophical and scientific reasons for the existence of God. Unfortunately, he readily states early on that science can never provide evidence against God, because faith is more important than the knowledge provided from scientific discovery. Craig's habit of twisting any evidence to support his stance shows a bias which he has no desire to overcome. There are some interesting arguments mentioned in the book, but his method of twisting each one to suit the underlying foundation in faith was too frustrating for me to actually take him seriously and finish the whole book.

[Kevin]

Excellent. This is like a textbook and heavy on scholarship. Not a popular level read exactly. But pure fire for melting away skepticism. I have the strange complaint of wishing I could more thoroughly absorb and recall on command its every insight. It's frustrating in that regard. Rarely is something so dense and rich that I've felt frustrated by my memory's capacity for retaining it. I wish I'd read it the day it was published.

If a book like this doesn't work for you, it's okay. Reasonablefaith.org presents all of this information and more via essays, q&a's, podcast chats, debate videos, animated videos, etc etc. A truly great apologetics resource.

[Edwing]

Espectacular libro... apología cristiana en su máxima expresión... todos los argumentos ateos son desmenuzados y pulverizados uno a uno con razón e inteligencia... la ultima parte del libro referente a la resurrección de Jesús y las pruebas HISTÓRICAS es sencillamente sublime... Great book Dr. William Lane Craig¡

[Daniel Godínez]

Libro: Fe Razonable
Escrito por: William L. Craig
Año de publicación: 2017

“Cuando las personas vean esto –nuestro amor mutuo y nuestra unidad a través del amor–, a su vez se sentirán atraídos por Cristo y responderán a la oferta de salvación del Evangelio. La mayoría de las veces, quien eres en lugar de lo que dices lo que traerá un incrédulo a Cristo.”

Argumento: Fe Razonable busca ser una amplia introducción al tema de la apologética cristiana. Desde luego, al ser escrito por Craig, viene redactado desde una perspectiva analítica. Al ser una introducción amplia, abarca todos los temas principales acerca de la veracidad de la fe cristiana: Existencia de Dios, los milagros, la historicidad de Jesús y su resurrección.
Cada uno de estos temas es tratado con mucho mayor profundidad que la que espera el lector promedio. En cada capítulo, múltiples objeciones tanto clásicas como más extravagantes son tratadas y respondidas. Si bien el libro está escrito para creyentes en la fe cristiana, la exposición a la fe ciertamente ayudará a cualquier escéptico a entender lo que verdaderamente es el cristianismo.
Más que un libro de lectura “normal”, es un texto de referencia para la apologética a nivel seminario, por lo que en una sola lectura no se aprovecha completamente.

Mi opinión: La verdad es que, en temas de apologética, desconozco de algún material que sea tan completo como este. No es simplemente "dar ideas" sino dar razones concretas por las cuales podemos creer racionalmente en lo que dice la Biblia y en Dios, revelándose a la humanidad por medio de ella.
Fuera de los múltiples argumentos presentados y defendidos en el libro, el lector podrá aprender algo más importante, un marco de pensamiento de cómo evaluar diferentes posturas, puntos de vista y cosmovisiones. Una herramienta fundamental para cualquier persona que busque hacer sentido de la realidad.
Ya sabrán lo que diré, no me encantó la traducción pero es la única forma de tenerlo accesible para el mundo de habla hispana, lo tomo, supongo. En cuanto al contenido, no me disgustó que fuera MUY técnico en objeciones que sentí que no lo requerían pero tampoco me encantó. Si bien, conforme pasa el tiempo las objeciones pueden cambiar, ciertamente hay valor en saber, con lujo de detalle, cómo responder a ciertos tipos de argumentos.

Conclusión: Si tomamos en serio al Apóstol Pedro que nos exhorta a presentar defensa con mansedumbre y reverencia, creo que este libro es una guía que no puede faltar. De nuevo, no solamente por aprender de apologética sino también por aprender a pensar mejor nuestra fe.

[Hunter Perdue]

This is a long review, whoops. 4.5 stars. William Lane Craig provides philosophical, moral, historical, and even cosmological arguments for Christianity in one work like I’ve never seen before. He addresses many criticisms and arguments against God and Christianity with patience. He never tires of developing responses. He then uses countless methods and processes to explain why the existence of God and resurrection of Jesus can be trusted in. I was very impressed.

However, this book is really hard to read! My biggest complaint is that it really isn’t dumbed down at all. I was hesitant let that influence how I rated this book, though. Bill is a smart man and likely didn’t want to dumb anything down. He warns the reader of the book’s complexity in the introduction and then says this is meant to be a seminary textbook. I didn’t know that beforehand… However, if you are patient with this book and read it little by little, it can be a good encouragement for a Christ follower and provide you with many tools to engage with nonbelievers in. I’ll be honest, though. There were times where I had little to zero idea what was going on. All the info kinda made my stomach hurt. Bill doesn’t hold back.

I really appreciated his sections on the insanity of life without God, the concept of infinity (very trippy), the three arguments for God, and ultimately his arguments for the resurrection itself.

WLC also is wise to point out two things:

Our ultimate assurance of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ comes from the Holy Spirit.

The ultimate apologetic we can provide is our life. That is, the way we pursue knowing God and loving the people around us.

Quotes:

“The point is this: if God does not exist, then life is objectively meaningless; but man cannot live consistently and happily knowing that life is meaningless; so in order to be happy he pretends that life has meaning.”

“Thus, although arguments and evidence may be used to support the believer’s faith, they are never properly the basis of that faith.”

[Vincent Novellino]

A comprehensive review of the many objections to Christianity today and the arguments for and against. While not exactly an easy read, it is a worth while one to understand why Christianity can be thought to be rational. The main premise of the book is not to give an easy response to difficult questions to convince someone of your belief; rather it is to offer explanations for why one believes in God, the resurrection, etc... The author recognizes belief comes through the working of the Holy Spirit in ones life and thus knows his arguments cannot convince someone of the Gospel. However, Apologetics does break down barriers so that someone can hear Gospel, God chooses to use us in His mission, and thus is of value to read a book like this to communicate effectively and lovingly truths that may lead someone to faith.

[Mark McElreath]

William Lane Craig lays out a case for the reasonableness of the Christian faith while teaching an offensive (rather than defensive) form of Christian apologetics.

It should be understood that Craig is first and foremost a Christian philosopher. While his arguments for many of the issues he discusses seem sound, they can feel murky because they are difficult to understand. This work has a certain philosophical tone to it. If that is what you are looking for, you will like this book. If you are not up on the tenets of philosophical debate, you may find large swaths of this work obscure.

One thing Craig does well is lay out the parts of the book concerning man, God, miracles, and Christ. You could use this as a reference work for specific topics. I think his section on Christ is worth the price of the book. He lays out a wonderful case for Jesus Christ and the resurrection.

I do take issue with Craig on his defense of the Big Bang theory for the explanation of the origins of the universe and therefore his old earth stance. These are out of line with Scripture.

In the end, Craig makes the point that the greatest apologetic is a godly life that is lived out before the lost. I can appreciate that.

[David Blynov]

William Craig puts together a case for Christianity by arguing that (1) there is objective knowledge that can be known, (2) life without the existence of God is devoid of meaning, value, and purpose, (3) there is a sound philosophical defense for the existence of a personal and creative God, and (4) there is sound historical evidence that Jesus was the God Himself incarnate, on whom one's eternal destiny resides.

"Reasonable Faith" is an excellent book that weighs and measures various philosophical and historical positions. A little difficult to wrestle with at times, especially when Craig examines the theories of modern cosmology and theoretical physics. Nonetheless, this is an excellent book that meets the full scope it set out to achieve.

Intellectually honest and rigorous.

4.6/5

[Tami Coker]

Presents the major facets of Christian apologetics in a detailed and compelling way. So much truth and beauty that has strengthened my faith.

Hard to understand at times, particularly the models for the finitude of the universe, however I don’t supposed I will be evangelising cosmological physicists anytime soon.

The final chapters were my favourite by far. Which presented an incredibly detailed and compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus.

1 Peter 3:15

[Robert Jacoby]

This book is a textbook treatment on the subject of Christian apologetics. Seriously. It is used as a textbook on the subject. And it shows. Dr. Craig notes in his introduction that this has become his signature book, so that's another reason to pick this up if you're looking for a touchstone or standard in the field.

Dr. Craig approaches his subject with an extraordinarily far-ranging and far-reaching grasp of his materials. These are primarily Christian apologetics, theology, and philosophy, of course, but he also draws from his knowledge of history, cosmology, theology, ethics, logic, argumentation, and science. You'll be delighted as he writes eloquently about such historical and current thinkers as Thomas Aquinas, John Barrow, Karl Barth, Richard Dawkins, Gary Habermas, Alvin Plantinga, Plato--I'll stop there. The result is a monumental work that is not for the casual reader but for the serious student of Christian apologetics. Dr. Craig hits his topics head-on, without stopping to explain much, so you have to hang on for the ride sometimes. It will help to have your computer/laptop handy to look up names and terms and concepts; it will also help to have some background in any of the topics/authors I've already mentioned. I do, so that helped some. Still, I learned about a wide range of new authors and topics and terms, including kerygmatic, noetic structure, veridical, concertina-like, otiose, revivification--I'll stop there.

Be warned: Dr. Craig's approach to his topics is nearly overwhelming in its detail and breadth and depth. He literally seems to leave no stone unturned. The index is very thorough and the recommended readings list he provides at the end of every chapter are among the most exhaustive I have ever seen. This cuts both ways: it's enjoyable to a point and then a bit exhausting beyond that if you stay in the book too long. I found my best experience with this book was when I read a bit--say, a few pages or even a good chunk of a chapter--then set the book down for some days or even weeks to rest from it, then come back to it.

Overall, I had just two real nitpicks with the book. First, the chapter on knowing Christianity is true rests too much (for me) on the individual's subjective experience. In future editions, I'd trim that text to its minimum and re-think its presentation. Second, the lengthy section near the end on the resurrection of Jesus and laboriously going through McCullagh's seven criteria for justifying historical hypotheses. This was a real slog, and during reading it felt a bit like I was lost down the rabbit hole of argument and debate.

Set those aside, though, because I can't give this book less than 5 stars. Rarely do I use the word "monumental," but it applies here; what Dr. Craig has compiled in Reasonable Faith will likely serve theologians and philosophers (and interested laymen and students) for decades to come. This book is that good. J.P. Moreland calls Dr. Craig "the finest Christian apologist of the last half century" and also states that Craig is "among the top one percent of practicing philosophers in the Western world." After reading this book I don't doubt either claim.

[L.T. Getty]

I'm going start by saying I've been following the author's website and listened to him debate and read a lot of his material for probably close to ten years as of this review - so this is very much a book that preaches to the choir.

The principle issue I would imagine with a text like this is that it does reach out to a certain type of individual, and the author is honest about it in the introduction that one does not need to reach the truth of Christianity by means logical and rational - that certain people find the questions interesting and, that this book acts as a response to people who say that there are no good reasons to believe in the Christian faith, that all religions are the same, etc. It doesn't really talk in depth about the human condition and our revulsion to the idea that we are somehow inherently flawed - if I were to offer a criticism, it's that Craig has to assert that we are fundamentally flawed and our sinful nature would inherently reject the gospel. There is relatively little discussion on this subject and it's only really touched upon in the introduction.

I don't agree with Craig on everything but he's excellent at boiling away all the fluff and getting to the essence of a given argument. Too often when I'm trying to have an intellectual conversation with people, they hide behind emotional arguments or act inconsistent in their logic, and Craig's other books break down the common arguments for and against the Christian Religion. Studying apologetics I don't think has helped me win over anyone - but it has helped me understand the nature of my own beliefs better, and also helped me be a better listener as I try to discern what other people are saying - and I'd point you to other resources if the nature of the problem is more personal or emotion rather than an intellectual problem. That is to say, through studying a lot of the free online material, I'm able to cut through the filler and better understand what people mean as opposed to what they say, as Craig offers common objections and historical references to scholars who struggled with the same questions we still face today.

This book is a resource for someone who wants to learn and be honest about their convictions on an intellectual level - for a lot of people, they don't want to know the history behind something or defend a properly basic belief. I think if you're curious, to check out his website, or if all you want is to learn the apologetics, that En Guarde is your better title. But if you want to think about the how and the why and you want to read a chapter and spend most of the rest of the day trying to digest what you read, this is a good resource for someone above a layperson in terms of philosophy.

[Tim]

If you can only afford one apologetics book get this one. Craig is a brilliant man and has a great passion for the Lord. This is not an academic text but is a bit advanced for those that have never read apologetics or philosophy. All the major arguments are presented briefly but fully. Highly recommended! ps - his free podcasts are wonderful as well.

[Tyler Brown]

Craig is brilliant and I learned a lot from this book. It is painfully long and most of his scientific sections might have well have been written in French, they’re so sophisticated. His sections on morality, miracles, and the resurrection are most useful. He is an evidentialist so I have some qualms with his methodology and he accepts a little too much critical theory in his work.

[Brian]

The best contemporary classical/historical-approach apologetics work I've read to date. Craig is a top-notch philosopher and I like his concise and coherent style. I've read the second ed. twice and the third ed. once (the third edition is quite a bit better)

[Brock Pattison]

This book kicked my butt. It is a complicated read, but I was still able to pick up some great nuggets. I recommend to anyone wanting to be challenged by Christian apologetics. Just be warned that most of this stuff is way over the typical layman's head...

[Edgar Garcia]

Es un excelente libro que te ayuda a responder bastantes preguntas sobre la fe cristiana. No le doy las 5 estrellas porque muchas veces el lenguaje utilizado es demasiado técnico y es difícil su comprensión. Creo que se pudiera sacar una versión en un lenguaje más coloquial.

[Jeff]

Too brainy and philosophical for me. I literally just did not understand many parts of it.