Why I'm still a Christian After two decades of conversations with skeptics and atheists--the reason I believe

Unbelievable? podcaster Brierly (The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God) draws from his conversations with Richard Dawkins, Philip Pullman, and other nonbelievers in this comprehensive case for the value of Christian faith. Diving into debates on faith-related topics, Brierly provides insightful responses to questions like whether religion and science can coexist (yes, because the universe's boundless complexity points to the presence of a creator) and whether Jesus was actually resurrected (yes, on the basis of historical data like the empty tomb and witnesses' reports of the resurrected Jesus). Brierly's less convincing when it comes to perennially spiky topics like suffering and why God allows it (possible explanations include that removing suffering from the world would also mean robbing people of free will and that hardship can spur people to grow their faith). Still, he provides a smart, evenhanded model for what disagreement on matters of faith can look like. Despite his fondness for apologetics, he's also careful to delineate its limits, writing that a reasoned defense of Christian beliefs can remove barriers to faith for skeptics but can never be "the whole picture... in the end, nobody gets argued into the Kingdom of God." This provides much food for thought. (May)

In addition to his writing, Brierley (The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God) is a well-known radio host and podcaster who has produced faith-based discussions and debates for decades. His new book is an updated and revised edition of a previous work, Unbelievable, in which he explored fundamental questions of faith such as why God allows suffering, the evidence for Jesus's existence, issues with atheism, and God's relationship to human value and purpose. Here, Brierley reexamines these questions thoroughly, presenting reasons to believe in God, not only from traditional perspectives regarding Christian beliefs and scripture but also incorporating personal experiences and counterarguments on the topics. The book features 10 chapters and a notes section, all written in an easily accessible conversational tone. VERDICT What makes this work different from others in the genre is its balanced approach to demonstrating how faith and belief in God make sense, while examining perspectives from experts with opposing viewpoints. The book's organizational format makes it easy to follow the complex arguments and effectively highlights the centrality of faith in Christianity. A valuable addition to any library's religion collection.--Bridgette Whitt