Chris Chrisman Goes to College: and faces the Challenges of Relativism, Individualism and Pluralism

by James W. Sire

Chris Chrisman, a young Christian, goes to college only to have his world turned upside down. On campus he finds the challenges to his faith -- both intellectual and personal -- almost more than he can bear. Then he meets Bill Seipel and Bob Wong. Together, the three young men, two of them Christians and the other a self-styled atheist, forge a common bond in the quest for truth. In the process they confront some of the dominant ideologies of the secular university. Weaving the story of Chris's first year on campus with separate expository chapters on such forces as individualism, pluralism, relativism and privitization, James Sire offers a helpful apologetic for those who are searching for truth in a postmodern world. He identifies no fewer than six types of relativism, from "All religions boil down to the same thing" and "It's true for you; it's not true for me" to "God does not exist; naturalism is true." Then in down-to-earth language Sire helps readers to think through these and other complex issues.

155 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

James W. Sire was a Christian author, speaker, and former editor for InterVarsity Press.

Sire was an officer in the Army, a college professor of English literature, philosophy and theology, the chief editor of InterVarsity Press, a lecturer at over two hundred universities around the world and the author of twenty books on literature, philosophy and the Christian faith. His book The Universe Next Door, published in 1976 has sold over 350,000 copies. He held a B.A. in chemistry and English from the University of Nebraska, an M.A. in English from Washington State and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Missouri.

Reviews

[Brianna Penner]

The concepts were good, but the storyline was kind of cheesy.

[Adrian Harlan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this book another star and a half except for the ridiculous ending that undermined the entire book. Backstory on this: when I was doing my undergrad in film a few years back, there was a guy in my classes who was a devout Christian and who I felt was consistently and unfairly ostracized for his beliefs. When I picked this book up, I read a couple of chapters and thought it was an intelligent and thoughtful approach to the dilemma faced by believers in a relentlessly secular and sometimes overtly hostile environment and, for the most part, it was. I was a bit irritated by Sire's over-reliance on the ontological proof of God's existence, skipping from Descartes to Kierkegaard as though Hume and Kant had never happened but at least it was a thoughtful and intelligent discussion UNTIL...wait for it...the altar call.

I once read that Evangelical Christian oriented art, whether film, literature, music or plastic arts suffers from one overriding flaw and that is the work always has to lead to an altar call and this wasn't any different. What could have been a light, humorous and thought-provoking book about the nature of Christianity and belief in a secular, atomized world was spoiled for me when the last 20% of the book was about how the token atheist, Bob Wong, found Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Ugh! Sorry, but I come from the show-don't tell school of exposition and that always plays out as the worst kind of deus ex machina for me. Could have been a three and a half star book except for that.

[dia · Rating 3 out of 5]

james w sire did not begin correctly but his conclusion is? okay-ish
by the end he withdraws from pronouncement. he asks questions. you can forget his strongly worded original exceedingly questionable premises. the book gives project sunlight a bit, that genre of mythologized creed that is just vague enough abt its specificity that you can withhold strong opinion and say, aw mid-cute

[Doug Payne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun and easy to read. Sire writes well about relativism, and individualism. The narrative was not as compelling. It seemed to stall at times when he was writing about philosophy and theology. If you went to a public university as a Christian this book with you.

[Natalie Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful, educational, and thought-provoking commentary on the philosophies that surround us daily and pose threats and poison the Christian faith. Storyline of Chris Chrisman and his friends is entertaining.

[Kari McDowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Switches back and forth between narrative, philosophy and theology. The story is believable and inspiring if a bit predictable, and the philosophy and theology makes some really good points. I could see this being used as a supplemental textbook in a class on college ministry. Highly recommend.