The Problem of God
Answering a Skeptic's Challenges to Christianity
Published on 2. August 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-0-310-53522-5 (ISBN)
Description
The Problem of God explores answers to the most difficult questions raised against Christianity.
A skeptic who became a Christian and then a pastor, author Mark Clark grew up in an atheistic home. After his father's death, he began a skeptical search for truth through the fields of science, philosophy, and history, eventually finding answers in the last place he expected: Christianity.
In a winsome, persuasive, and humble voice, The Problem of God responds to the top ten interrogations people bring against God, and Christianity, including:
Does God even exist in the first place?
What do we do with Christianity's violent history?
Is Jesus just another myth?
Can the Bible be trusted?
Why should we believe in Hell anymore today?
Each chapter answers the specific challenge using a mix of theology, philosophy, and science. Filled with compelling stories and anecdotes, The Problem of God presents an organized and easy-to-understand range of apologetics, focused on both convincing the skeptic and informing the Christian.
The book concluding with Christianity's most audacious assertion: how should we respond to Jesus' claim that he is God and the only way to salvation.
A skeptic who became a Christian and then a pastor, author Mark Clark grew up in an atheistic home. After his father's death, he began a skeptical search for truth through the fields of science, philosophy, and history, eventually finding answers in the last place he expected: Christianity.
In a winsome, persuasive, and humble voice, The Problem of God responds to the top ten interrogations people bring against God, and Christianity, including:
Does God even exist in the first place?
What do we do with Christianity's violent history?
Is Jesus just another myth?
Can the Bible be trusted?
Why should we believe in Hell anymore today?
Each chapter answers the specific challenge using a mix of theology, philosophy, and science. Filled with compelling stories and anecdotes, The Problem of God presents an organized and easy-to-understand range of apologetics, focused on both convincing the skeptic and informing the Christian.
The book concluding with Christianity's most audacious assertion: how should we respond to Jesus' claim that he is God and the only way to salvation.
Reviews / Votes
I'm a big fan of Mark Clark. His new book, The Problem of God, is important. I love books that will bless and deepen seasoned saints and also speak provocatively to seekers and skeptics. Every emerging generation needs fresh voices to help illuminate our path with Jesus; I believe Mark Clark is one of those voices. * Daniel Fusco, Lead Pastor, Crossroads Community Church; author of Upward, Inward, Outward and Honestly * If you ever wished there was an apologetics book that was academically sound, logically compelling, and actually fun to read, your wait is over. Mark Clark brings his own engaging, fun, and refreshing voice to some of the key objections to the Christian faith. He does the almost impossible task of making a usually dry subject not only easy to understand but enjoyable and compelling, without losing any academic integrity. This book is a must-read for Christians and skeptics alike. * Carey Nieuwhof, Author and Founding Pastor, Connexus Church * Like my friend Mark Clark, I was raised in an atheist household. When I was eighteen years old, I actually talked one of my friends out of being a Christian! I will never forget that conversation because I realized that the reason he could be talked out of his faith so easily was because it had no solid foundation. That's why I am praying that Mark's new book will be read by millions. Mark is one of the next generation's best communicators. This book is just like Mark---honest, inspirational, and encouraging. Read it and pass it on! * Ray Johnston, Senior Pastor, Bayside Church; author of The Hope Quotient, This Changes Everything, and Jesus Called-He Wants His Church Back *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Grand Rapids
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 256 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
252 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-310-53522-5 (9780310535225)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2018
Vida
€7.99
Available for download
E-Book
08/2017
Zondervan
€8.99
Available for download
Persons
Mark Clark founded Village Church, a multi-site church with locations and online presence around the world, and is now one of the Senior Pastors at Bayside Church in California and speaks all around the world. He is the author of The Problem of Jesus (2021) and The Problem of God (2017), winner of the 2018 Word Award. Mark has been the subject of several articles in Christianity Today and recently Outreach Magazine voted him one of the Top 26 Leaders to Watch. He is married to Erin, and they have three daughters.
Content
Introduction
Introduces Mark's story, the story of the church, and frames the questions answered in the book.
PART 1 - Evidential Challenges
Chapter 1: The Challenge of Faith vs. Reason
Proposes that everyone has a faith position, that the dichotomy between faith and reason is a myth, and that the best worldviews need to be coherent and viable from a historical, philosophical, and scientific standpoint. (Includes a lot of engagement in recent scholarship and atheism.)
Chapter 2: The Challenge of God's Existence
Explores evidence for God's existence taken from three major areas. These include moral law, origins of the universe, and the teleological argument. (Includes a lot of engagement in philosophy, physics, and cosmology.)
Chapter 3: The Challenge of the Bible
Gives a defense of the legitimacy of the Bible, from a historical, archeological, and literary standpoint.
Chapter 4: The Challenge of the Christ Myth
This chapter answers the challenge of Jesus's existence, deconstructs the Christ Myth, and argues for the legitimacy of the historical Jesus and his resurrection. What makes this chapter stand out is that it directly challenges the Christ Myth, interacting directly with those who have popularized this theory. This chapter will establish that the parallels are imagined and that Jesus is unique in history. This chapter offers a unique and liberating answer for Christians who encounter this popular challenge.
PART 2 - Moralistic Challenges
Chapter 5: The Challenge of Evil and Suffering
Explores the philosophical reasons behind the reality of evil and suffering in the world and attempts to reconcile the reality of evil and suffering with God's existence. (Philosophical and practical.)
Chapter 6: The Challenge of Hell
Argues for the legitimacy of the doctrine of hell. This chapter engages some of the more popular discussions on hell, including universalism. It also offers a biblical presentation of the doctrine of hell based on Scripture and the logic of justice.
Chapter 7: The Challenge of Sex
This chapter addresses the popular rejection of Christianity based on a modern cultural construct of sexual ethics, which asks if God is anti-sex. The chapter explores the biblical presentation of sex as a pleasure-filled, God-glorifying reality, and it challenges both the worship of sex and the suppression of it. (This chapter is one of the unique aspects of this book and will likely get people talking. The author calls for sex to play a central role in the lives of married people and discusses topics such as pornography, frequency, and orgasms. The content draws on scholarship, modern examples, and years of pastoral counseling and preaching on the topic.)
Chapter 8: The Challenge of Christian Hypocrisy
Explores accusations that Christianity is "poison" (Hitchens), judgmental, and exclusive and therefore should be dismissed. This chapter explores some of the classic justifications for rejecting Christianity (witch-burning, war) and shows them to be both exaggerated and antithetical to the spirit of Christianity.
Chapter 9: The Challenge of Exclusivity
This chapter looks closely at the challenge of Christianity on the basis that it excludes other worldviews and religions, finding that such exclusion is logical and right. It is a winsome and funny chapter that explores the irony of the modern worldview, which wants to include everyone and say everyone is right!
Chapter 10: The Challenge of Jesus
Explores the person and work of Jesus as a final chapter, which forces readers into the crisis of believing Jesus was who he said he was---or choosing to reject him. If he wasn't who the prophets---and Jesus himself---said he was, then Christianity shouldn't be believed. But if he did fulfill the prophecies and perform the miracles that are attributed to him, not to mention dying and rising again, then the reader should trust in Christ.
Introduces Mark's story, the story of the church, and frames the questions answered in the book.
PART 1 - Evidential Challenges
Chapter 1: The Challenge of Faith vs. Reason
Proposes that everyone has a faith position, that the dichotomy between faith and reason is a myth, and that the best worldviews need to be coherent and viable from a historical, philosophical, and scientific standpoint. (Includes a lot of engagement in recent scholarship and atheism.)
Chapter 2: The Challenge of God's Existence
Explores evidence for God's existence taken from three major areas. These include moral law, origins of the universe, and the teleological argument. (Includes a lot of engagement in philosophy, physics, and cosmology.)
Chapter 3: The Challenge of the Bible
Gives a defense of the legitimacy of the Bible, from a historical, archeological, and literary standpoint.
Chapter 4: The Challenge of the Christ Myth
This chapter answers the challenge of Jesus's existence, deconstructs the Christ Myth, and argues for the legitimacy of the historical Jesus and his resurrection. What makes this chapter stand out is that it directly challenges the Christ Myth, interacting directly with those who have popularized this theory. This chapter will establish that the parallels are imagined and that Jesus is unique in history. This chapter offers a unique and liberating answer for Christians who encounter this popular challenge.
PART 2 - Moralistic Challenges
Chapter 5: The Challenge of Evil and Suffering
Explores the philosophical reasons behind the reality of evil and suffering in the world and attempts to reconcile the reality of evil and suffering with God's existence. (Philosophical and practical.)
Chapter 6: The Challenge of Hell
Argues for the legitimacy of the doctrine of hell. This chapter engages some of the more popular discussions on hell, including universalism. It also offers a biblical presentation of the doctrine of hell based on Scripture and the logic of justice.
Chapter 7: The Challenge of Sex
This chapter addresses the popular rejection of Christianity based on a modern cultural construct of sexual ethics, which asks if God is anti-sex. The chapter explores the biblical presentation of sex as a pleasure-filled, God-glorifying reality, and it challenges both the worship of sex and the suppression of it. (This chapter is one of the unique aspects of this book and will likely get people talking. The author calls for sex to play a central role in the lives of married people and discusses topics such as pornography, frequency, and orgasms. The content draws on scholarship, modern examples, and years of pastoral counseling and preaching on the topic.)
Chapter 8: The Challenge of Christian Hypocrisy
Explores accusations that Christianity is "poison" (Hitchens), judgmental, and exclusive and therefore should be dismissed. This chapter explores some of the classic justifications for rejecting Christianity (witch-burning, war) and shows them to be both exaggerated and antithetical to the spirit of Christianity.
Chapter 9: The Challenge of Exclusivity
This chapter looks closely at the challenge of Christianity on the basis that it excludes other worldviews and religions, finding that such exclusion is logical and right. It is a winsome and funny chapter that explores the irony of the modern worldview, which wants to include everyone and say everyone is right!
Chapter 10: The Challenge of Jesus
Explores the person and work of Jesus as a final chapter, which forces readers into the crisis of believing Jesus was who he said he was---or choosing to reject him. If he wasn't who the prophets---and Jesus himself---said he was, then Christianity shouldn't be believed. But if he did fulfill the prophecies and perform the miracles that are attributed to him, not to mention dying and rising again, then the reader should trust in Christ.