Letters from a Skeptic

Greg and Edward Boyd have have given us a great blessing in publishing their correspondence on the nature of Christianity. This book is unique among the many apologetic sorts of books I have read for a few reasons: 1)It's honest. Ed Boyd doesn't go easy on his son about Christianity. The questions are thoughtful, penetrating and genuine, not straw men set up to be easily knocked down. Greg Boyd's answers are equally thoughtful and well stated. He doesn't overwhelm with theological language but does a very good job of explaining difficult ideas in simple language. He honestly admits to uncertainty in places, but does a fine job of showing that uncertainty need not be a serious impediment to genuine faith and rational belief. I have never seen so many difficult questions about Christianity answered so well in so little space. 2)It's intimate. This is a discussion between a father and son who genuinely love and respect one another. It's a model for how important, ultimate issues can be debated in a very constructive manner. 3)It's powerful. Ed Boyd's conversion is more than a mere acceptance of certain religious beliefs. It is a powerful testimony to the power of God to change a human life wonderfully "from the inside out." Many have objected to parts of Greg Boyd's theology. For example K. Restoule's review here goes so far as to say this isn't really a Christian book because of Boyd's "Open Theism." (See his other books for a more detailed treatment of his theology.) Though I have some questions about this position myself, I think Boyd is a genuine evangelical Christian theologian who is wrestling honestly with how to make the best sense out of the whole Bible's portrayal of God. Restoule's objections are one-sided. There are plenty of places in the Bible where God is portrayed as being shocked (even surprised?) at human behavior. He changes his mind. He is passionate and emotional (if the prophets are to be believed and Jesus is really God incarnate). God doesn't fit in a neat little conceptual box and Greg Boyd is honest about that. He deserves a fairer more open-minded reading than many of his critics give him. If God is the most powerful being in existence, he can do anything; even limit himself in some respects (not all) with regard to his knowledge of the future. To some people this implies a diminshment of God. If so, it is a self-diminishment--no other being has done it to him--and he is still is the most powerful being in existence--no one else has more foreknowledge than he. So how is God diminished? Is God unable to right any wrong just because he didn't "know" it would happen beforehand (because it wasn't part of reality before it happened)? I don't think so. I think Boyd makes a good point when he suggests that the conception of God that many Christians have may owe itself more to the ancient Greeks than to Christianity (or the Judaism from which it sprang) and biblical teaching. Greg Boyd is a passionate, wh

Greg and Edward Boyd have have given us a great blessing in publishing their correspondence on the nature of Christianity. This book is unique among the many apologetic sorts of books I have read for a few reasons: 1)It's honest. Ed Boyd doesn't go easy on his son about Christianity. The questions are thoughtful, penetrating and genuine, not straw men set up to be easily knocked down. Greg Boyd's answers are equally thoughtful and well stated. He doesn't overwhelm with theological language but does a very good job of explaining difficult ideas in simple language. He honestly admits to uncertainty in places, but does a fine job of showing that uncertainty need not be a serious impediment to genuine faith and rational belief. I have never seen so many difficult questions about Christianity answered so well in so little space. 2)It's intimate. This is a discussion between a father and son who genuinely love and respect one another. It's a model for how important, ultimate issues can be debated in a very constructive manner. 3)It's powerful. Ed Boyd's conversion is more than a mere acceptance of certain religious beliefs. It is a powerful testimony to the power of God to change a human life wonderfully "from the inside out." Many have objected to parts of Greg Boyd's theology. For example K. Restoule's review here goes so far as to say this isn't really a Christian book because of Boyd's "Open Theism." (See his other books for a more detailed treatment of his theology.) Though I have some questions about this position myself, I think Boyd is a genuine evangelical Christian theologian who is wrestling honestly with how to make the best sense out of the whole Bible's portrayal of God. Restoule's objections are one-sided. There are plenty of places in the Bible where God is portrayed as being shocked (even surprised?) at human behavior. He changes his mind. He is passionate and emotional (if the prophets are to be believed and Jesus is really God incarnate). God doesn't fit in a neat little conceptual box and Greg Boyd is honest about that. He deserves a fairer more open-minded reading than many of his critics give him. If God is the most powerful being in existence, he can do anything; even limit himself in some respects (not all) with regard to his knowledge of the future. To some people this implies a diminshment of God. If so, it is a self-diminishment--no other being has done it to him--and he is still is the most powerful being in existence--no one else has more foreknowledge than he. So how is God diminished? Is God unable to right any wrong just because he didn't "know" it would happen beforehand (because it wasn't part of reality before it happened)? I don't think so. I think Boyd makes a good point when he suggests that the conception of God that many Christians have may owe itself more to the ancient Greeks than to Christianity (or the Judiaism from which it sprang) and biblical teaching. Greg Boyd is a passionate, w

A few years ago, I belonged to a Friday Night Bible study not far from where I used to live. We had a Christmas gift exchange and wrote ona piece of paper our name & what we wanted. I wrote "A Christian book." Oddly enough, this is what I got in return. These days apologetic literature is all over the place. With the Muslim world vastly growing, books on apologetics are vastly popular. I enjoyed this book because it was an easy read & was very down to Earth. Sometimes apologetic books can be a bit too theological and will be too deep for the average reader. Even though Gregory Boyd works at a Christian college, he made this book understandable. This book started out of letters from Greg's dad, who had lots of faith related questions. His dad, Edward Boyd, was a skeptic/agnostic. His questions were thorough & gut wrentchingly honest. His Son Greg answers his questions honestly and evry straightforward. In about 3 years time & over 30 letters between father & son, Edward Boyd finally got saved & became a Christian. It's neat to read all of the letters back & forth & watch the drama unfold. Now, some of the other reviewers had some trouble with this book. Even though it's not specifically stated, I think it's because of their own theological and/or denominatonal background. It's as though they were saying, "I wouldn't go there defending Jesus." "My church wouldn't say that." "What aboyt this issue or that?" As a pastor myself, I can tell you that this is the reason more people in America don't get saved. We're centered too much on our own theological camps & on our differences. What so many negative reviewers didn't say was that Gregory Boyd did explain the tenants of salvation correctly. And in the end, his dad did get saved because of it. Question: can you get past the denominational wars & just simply tell someone about Jesus? If you can, this book will be an asset to you as it was(and still is) to me. If you can't, you'[ll have lots of trouble with this book.

This is one of the best books I have read on apologetics. Throughout the conversations with his father, Dr. Boyd does an excellent job clearing any obstacle that stands in the way of his father's ability to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Dr. Boyd, a Princeton and Yale grad, challenges his father to a dialogue on Christianity. With each giving reasons why they are/not a Christian. The father accepts, and what results is a well thought out Q & A on the basic tenets of Christianity. Throughout this journey, Ed Boyd (father) asks very good, yet common questions. The questions range from issues dealing with the existence of God, to theological questions of hell. Dr. Boyd than gives very forceful and sincere answers.The positives of this book are many. The exchange covers a lot of topics, so it's a good place to start to get an overall idea of how Christians answer questions from everyday people. The author also doesn't get too philosophical and has a great writing style. Which makes the book great for a non-philosophical skeptic. He also does a good job of keeping you interested. You are eager to read what the father will ask, and when he does, what Dr. Boyd will respond. Each person always leaving you thinking the answer/question is impenetrable and valid. Only too see a response you did not expect. The negatives of the book are few. The one that bothered me the most is that the author, since he did decide to publish the letters, should have included a list of recommended books for further reading on each topic. The author is obviously very educated and intelligent, so his recommendations would have helped readers identify good books that deal more with the particular subject. Another negative is the author does not have an orthodox view of God's omniscience and a somewhat liberal view of hell. Although this doesn't detract from his overall view that we need Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, it will still be a problem for a Christian who wants to give this book to a skeptical friend, but wants traditional Christianity represented. However, with the negatives in mind, this book is definitely a great resource of apologetics. It is one of the books I would think of first as an easy to read defense of the Christian position. The author does an excellent job clearing many obstacles that stand in the way of skeptic's who would like to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

An excellent book for anyone who is curious about Christianity and the many common misconceptions about what Christianity is all about and who God is. The book is essentially correspondence between a Father and Son, in which the Father asks dozens of tough questions about his Son's faith, all in letter format (including the small talk and pleasantries). Among the questions are "Why believe in God in the first place?", "Why would an all powerful God need prayer?", and dozens more about the Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and Christian doctrine. What makes this book so compelling is the honest way the questions are posed, and the answers delivered. The son (Gregory Boyd) answers these tough questions with logic, theology, science, and uses a straightforward approach which is neither "preachy" or "academic" but rather grounded in everyday language. In particular, the section on "Why believe in God in the first place" addresses the fallacies of "random chance" theories such as Darwinism's evolution. For example, the Son poses the question back to the Father regarding all human longing for meaning and a supreme being by saying "Where did our longing for something that never existed, and that never could exist (if we are a result of random chance) come from?" He presents some questions which atheists and evolutionists have been skirting and simply have no answer for. Overall, the book is easy to read and will challenge the way you think about Christianity, and the rational, logical, and even scientific conclusions which all point to God. It also demonstrates a rare feat these days: a passionate debate about a serious subject, handled with maturity and love. A great example for anyone who engages in theological discussions with persons who have strongly opposing viewpoints. Buy this book and read it - it is worth the effort!