Letters From a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity | 
| Author: Gregory A. Boyd
Publisher: Cook Communications
Category: Book
List Price: $13.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  119 reviews
Sales Rank: 21651
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 192
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 1564762440
Dewey Decimal Number: 239
UPC: 612608762442
EAN: 9781564762443
ASIN: 1564762440
Publication Date: March 25, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: shelf wear, cover rubs, stains on edges, few corner pages are folded, some highlightings/writings, usable copy, tight spine
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Amazon.com
Edward Boyd's agnosticism rested "not ... too much on any positive position ... but rather on a host of negative ones" about Christianity. In an attempt to address these negative issues, his son Greg, a professor of theology, asked his father, a strong-willed, highly intelligent, and stubborn 70-year-old, to enter into a correspondence in which "all of their cards would be laid on the table." Greg would give his father the opportunity to raise all his objections to the veracity of Christianity, and Greg would "answer these objections as well as give positive grounds for holding to the Christian faith." Three years and more than 30 letters later, Letters from a Skeptic was published and Edward Boyd came to accept Christ. During his journey, he and his son hash through such topics as why the world is so full of suffering; why an all-powerful God needs prayer; how you can believe in someone who rose from the dead; and how another man's death can pardon others. Despite their brutal honesty, both men exhibit respect and love toward one another as they address these volatile subjects. In Edward's second response to Greg, he boldly says, "Well, your distinction between the 'Christian Church' and 'Christians' is interesting and novel, but frankly, I don't buy it." Greg responds, saying, "I've got to admit that you are raising some extremely good points in your letters. You are raising the most difficult questions a theist can face." --Jill Heatherly
Product Description
In an attempt to address these negative issues, his son Greg a professor of theology, asked his father to enter into a correpondence in which all of their cards would be laid on the table. Three years and more than 30 letters later this book was written.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 114 more reviews...
 review July 18, 2008
I bought the audio book and it was well-read and held my interest. I am very certain, however, that I would not have stuck with it if I were actually reading the book. I simply wouldn't have waded through the heavy doses of philosophy -- but I could easily tune them out for a few minutes.
 Skeptic in Oregon July 3, 2008
I have found this book extremely interesting. The question and answer format makes it a great reference for someone who is searching for answers.
Answers to doubts June 28, 2008
Gred Boyd has given the church a treasure. This book could be sent to any person with intelligent doubts about the gospel of Jesus. It anwsers most questions that come up in any discussion between a believer and a non-believer.
The book is a collection of letters between a father who is an unbeliever and son who is a pastor of a church. It is intelligent. It is simple to read and understand, and it is powerful. I sat up all night reading the last few chapters and when the book ended, I cried. I have given this book to people who are thoughtful and full of questions. Anything by Greg Boyd is worth reading, but this one is powerful.
Letters From a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father's Questions about Christianity April 2, 2008
I have a large collection of books in the Christian Apologetics genre. Most of the books that I own are quite a bit more detailed and in depth than "Letters From a Skeptic" regarding their exegesis of scripture, or in regards to the amount of archeological, philosophical, historical, and scientific proofs arguing for the existence of God, Intelligent Design, the deity and resurrection of Jesus, and the unerring authenticity of the Bible as the true inspired word of God. So for the sake of those who are desiring a deep, serious education in Christian Apologetics there are more astute and illuminating academic works available. For example, check out works by J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, Craig Hazen, Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel.
With that said, as a devout believer who tries to illuminate the lives of others with the truth, I frequently find myself in discussions or debates about the existence of God, or something along those lines. In these discussions I unfortunately find myself unable to recall one of the more astute and eloquent arguments from my past studies, or I am unable to find the right eloquence to express them in the right way to insure a warm reception with the intended target. Thus, I sometimes wish I could just provide an easy to read, compelling book to my friend or acquaintance that they could read in their own time for their own edification and enlightenment.
I found the availability of such books greatly wanting, and when I have found something that might fit the bill, they always leave much to be desired either by the thinness of their argument, the lack of substantive data or by covering to narrow a number of possible subjects.
Christian Apologetics is large diverse arena with many possible subjects and very few books have covered the gamut with any depth and credibility, while remaining an easy, enjoyable read, especially for the novice skeptic. And that is the trick for such a book isn't it? To be enjoyable yet informative. To be easy to read yet challenging to the heart. To be academically respectable yet not too detailed and boring. To be broad in scope yet provide enough depth to satisfy each question. To express the skeptics questions in an honest unabashed way yet answer with unabashed truth beautifully coated with the sincere love of a Son for his Dad.
I say all this just to make the point that in my estimation "Letters From a Skeptic" does a superb job of honestly detailing in the most straight forward way most of the possible questions and concerns that any skeptic would likely have, and then answering each honest skeptical question with clear, straightforward, easy to understand, logical, and well substantiated answers. In short, this book is a perfect candidate for meeting the need and desire I sometimes have, and I suspect many other as well, to provide a skeptical friend with something that they can easily and enjoyably read which has the the real potential to at least crack open the door of their minds to the universe of God's truth and salvation.
Bravo to both Mr. Boyd's on a very fine job. Well Done Sirs!!! Thank you for meeting this need.
DO YOUSELF A FAVOR AND READ THIS BOOK!!! March 27, 2008
This book has really helped me. it is practically a manual on how to answer the unanswerable. I constantly try to convince my friends that God is real yet they continually barrage me with questions that i honestly did not have the answers to.......until i came across this book. if you're tryna reach out to your friends or family memebers, or maybe you yourself dont quite fully understand the christian faith, read this book and i assure you that by the time you finish it, you will have fewer questions about God and the bible.
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