Build Our Faith - A New TOS Review!!

If you know my husband, you will understand why the I Don't Have Enough FAITH to be an ATHEIST book and workbook would be something he would LOVE to read.  He is a self-taught apologeticist. So when we had the opportunity with The Crew to review this book and the corresponding workbook published by Apologia.

The Product:
Apologia is a well known home school resources for science and worldview curricula which they write from a Christian stance.  So the I Don't Have Enough FAITH to be an ATHEIST book ($16.00*) written by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek fits in quite well and is written from some of their own personal experiences.

There is also a workbook  ($33.00) that is over 275 pages in a spiral bound format that corresponds to each chapter in the book.  The workbook is not just some questions to help the student/reader think about what they read.  It is full of supplemental material, study questions, vocabulary activities, and even brief biographies of people who have helped shape the religions of the world, not just Christianity.

Our Experience:
Well, since my students are still in elementary school they weren't able to use the curriculum.  However, my reason for asking to do this review was for my husband. This is right up his alley.  So for a change of pace I asked him to help me with the review.  So without further ado, introducing my wonderful, loving husband, Stephen.

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• I agree with the forward author, David Limbaugh, with his statement that this book is the single resource you will need to prepare yourself to defend the faith or recommend to skeptics of the faith instead of having to search through five or more books that cover the same material.
• If you use this book with a high schooler or college student they will be thoroughly prepared to answer questions or criticisms about the faith with simple logical tools.  If you give this book to an unbeliever it is very orderly and moves from complete rejection from any idea of faith all the way to complete acceptance of the Bible and one true God, addressing every argument possible along the way.
• The each chapter focuses on different arguments against the faith and their philosophical foundations.  Most chapters use only logic and formal arguments to undermine these false philosophical foundations with the complete absence of Scripture references, which allows a skeptic to not view the writers (or your student) as an uneducated Bible-thumper.
• To go into more depth on what I meant by philosophical foundations they have a break down on what they will discuss and focus on.  So the first 2 chapters they are primarily discussing truth and one's ability to know truth.  They move on to discuss the existence of at least a god/creator.  Then once they show that there is at least a god they go on to discuss how that god/creator interacts with it's creation.  With that information in hand they move forward to discuss the reliability of different religious texts, such as the New Testament. The next several chapters show that given the reliability of the New Testament Jesus is God.  The rest of the book is dedicated to establishing that the Bible is the Word of God given Jesus' teachings.
• An example of one of their logical arguments can be seen here.  Many people will say that a specific  Roman emperor (don't remember the name) was only mentioned 9 times by outside sources and no one ever argues whether he existed or not, but Jesus was mentioned by 10 non-Christian sources not to mention all the Christian sources and people try to say he didn't even exist.  Can you see the failed logic?
• This book is very thorough and meaty and is not a quick read.  Then when you pair it with the workbook that they have created you have a complete high school or college level apologetics course.  It is chock full of comprehensive questions and vocabulary activities plus TONS of extra materials that will really make you think.  This workbook isn't easy; it is work; but in the end you will be armed for the rest of time and be fully able to defend your faith to anyone!

My Thoughts:
As you can see my husband really loved the book.  He has already recommended this book to some of our friends. I know that we will be using this curriculum once our children reach high school and we will be highly recommending it to other parents of high schoolers, especially those in our church student ministry.

Apologia has many books, curriculum, and resources, but if you are wanting to arm your high schooler (or you) with the ammunition they need to defend their faith in God, then I Don't Have Enough FAITH to be an ATHEIST is the book/curriculum for you.  Make sure you read what other Crew members thought just by clicking the banner below.

*** I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2011-2012 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products (and a one year premium membership to this program), I am not compensated in the form of money for any of my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences with the products and services that I receive.***

* At the time of this review, Apologia is currently out of stock on the book.  They have told us that their inventory will return in September, so if you are wanting this to use for the current academic year (2012-2013) you will still be able to.