Michael Kruger. Surviving Religion 101. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, March 22, 2021. 262 pp.
4 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
Want a book for a Christian going off to College? This book is a must-read! Written by a Seminary president and a New Testament professor, this work is accessible for everyday Christian college students, and I appreciate that! I have seen most presuppositional apologetics books written for the mature Christians and a few for the non-Christians but this is the first I have seen it written for those who are going off to college, so I appreciate the author fulfilling a particular niche that arose when his daughter went off to college.
After the preface and introduction there’s fifteen chapters addressing different objections and challenges a Christian student would face in the univerisities and the book closes with a postscript. Chapter one is titled “I’m worried about being a Christian at a Secular University–How Will I survive?” which is followed by a chapter “My Professors are really smart–Isn’t it More Likely That They’re Right and I’m wrong?” Chapter three tackle the issue of Christianity’s exclusivism, the next chapter addresses the objection of Christianity’s intolerance followed by a chapter on the issue of homosexuality. Chapters six through eight addresses the issue of hell, suffering and science respectively. Chapter nine addresses the issue of naturalism and anti-miracle worldview while chapter ten is on how do we know the Bible is from God. The next chapter covers whether there’s contradictions in the Gospels, chapter twelve focuses on a textual criticism issue of whether the New Testament have changed while chapter thirteen is on Canonicity with whether there’s books left out in our Bible. The final two chapters addresses alleged morally troubling passages in the Bible and how to handle doubt respectively.
There are many things I enjoyed about this book. I liked how the author pointed out the problem of moral relativism; it is quite silly and self-refuting, but it is a popular view on college campuses today. I also like how Dr. Kruger dealt with the problem of suffering in a presuppositional matter: Evil is not a good thing we want; but Kruger also presses the issue of where would someone have the moral standards to rage against God and what is the basis for the moral standard in the first place? This book wasn’t just a presentation of philosophical arguments, but Kruger also brought his area of specialization to bear with tackling issues about the New Testament and historical argumentations for the New Testament being historical, being dated around the time that is early and within the era of contemporary of Apostles. He gives historical arguments for why the names of New Testament books likely authored by the ones whom they are named for. There’s also discussion about textual criticism with how the New Testament is unlike any other Classical literature with copies we have being unparalleled compared to other works with the copies being closer to the original and the vast number of copies. I am glad these chapters are in the book as I do think presuppositional apologetics and discussion of historical evidences are not mutually exclusive which I have written about elsewhere. The book wasn’t just intellectual and academic but also pastoral, which is evident all throughout the book but cystalizes most clearly with the final chapter on doubt and the postscript. I appreciated that Michael Kruger wrote this book addressing his daughter being a freshman in the university; there’s something about it that makes it more personal and helpful. I recommend this book.
Thanks for this good review! This book caught my attention awhile back. Christian teens going off to secular college are going to face a lot of challenges to their faith. I’m curious, this is a very positive review, but you only awarded 4 stars. What were the book’s shortcomings?
I’m thinking about it more I think it should be a five star. I’ll change that when I get a chance. Originally gave it to four because I thought Dr.’s other books was much more intense and regress. But it should be on its own right of five. Have you seen any Audio’s or videos of him?
Gotcha. I think most of my knowledge of Kruger has come from your postings. I definitely need to check out one of his books down the road.
Excellent: ” this is the first I have seen it written for those who are going off to college, so I appreciate the author fulfilling a particular niche that arose when his daughter went off to college.”
Blessings.
Thanks for reading this!
One odd thing to note is that it is free as an audiobook. I guess they are looking to get people accustomed to using the audiobook format.
Wow free??? Where did you find it for free???
The Amazon link has the Audio books price as $0.00 at the top right on the page.
This chapter’s title stood out for me: “My Professors are really smart–Isn’t it More Likely That They’re Right and I’m wrong?”
Being smart is often confused with a nearly universal ability of human beings to rationalize whatever they want to be true and then seek confirmation for their rationalizations by citing others who agree with them. This kind of smartness is foolishness.
It is good to have many such books which stand in defense of the truth of Christianity against so-called “smart” academic skeptics.
Wow good point: “eing smart is often confused with a nearly universal ability of human beings to rationalize whatever they want to be true and then seek confirmation for their rationalizations by citing others who agree with them. This kind of smartness is foolishness.” That is a good point; some people use their intellect to rationalize things away rather than assist in search for truth. How we need God’s grace!
Such a good idea. I was older when I attended college for a time and honestly, I hated watching the professors break kids down. Too many come home from universities confused about what their parents taught them and then brainwashed.
Wow I was older when I completed college given my time with the Marines. I too saw a lot of brainwashing take place
I didn’t finish because I quit to work in the Christian school so my boys could attend. I had one professor that sent me home in tears every day. He started out the first day criticizing Adam and Eve. I wasn’t a kid and I saw all of those kids afraid to say what they thought so, I did. I ended up writing my term paper on Clan of the Cave Bears as a mythology for evolution, proving the theory as religion and not science. It was hard but he couldn’t refute my research and I got an A. After that though, I was ready to just get a job.
I appreciate Kruger so much!!!
Same here! I still need to read his other work on the canon though I read one of them!!
Do you have this one?! https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Theological-Introduction-New-Testament-Realized/dp/1433536765#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div
I do not. I didn’t even know that there is this book in existence by him! Have you read it, is it good?
It’s really good! You’d like it!!!
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