★★★★★ 5
It's Great, but Maybe a Little More on the Topic than Some Might be Ready For
Format: Paperback
Dr. William Mounce's new book, "Why I Trust the Bible: Answers to Real Questions and Doubts People Have About the Bible," is a bit different than his typical work. This book is not specific to learning biblical Greek. Instead, it's a series of arguments for the reliability of the Bible with a much broader audience in mind. Mounce addresses this historicity of Jesus, contradictions in the Bible, how we have the biblical canon, issues of textual criticism, aspect of translation, and how the Old Testament supports our trust in the Bible more than you might think.
"Why I Trust the Bible" is an accessible introduction to a selection of apologetic matters but goes deeper and beyond an introduction. For one seeking to explore these topics--for the first time or deeper study--Mounce does an outstanding job with each of these arguments. Each chapter (corresponding to a question) is well-argued and contains an excellent bibliography of references. Even without any theological knowledge, the book is easy to read, and it stands upon excellent theological study and solid academic work.
While I highly recommend "Why I Trust the Bible," I found the scope of the "questions" and "doubts" limited. As a pastor, there are many questions about the historical Jesus, contradictions, how we got the revelation of God, and issues of translations. Sure. But they often come as more of an attempt to reject the Bible. Mounce's answers are excellent but address the reality of the situation rather than the questioner's heart. It's not something I'd expect to find someone with doubts and totally new to the Bible would pick up this book. Therefore, this book is better suited for the person who handles the questions and doubts of others. It provides the foundation and information to the pastor, Sunday school, teacher, friend, or family member in doubt. "Why I Trust the Bible" is also a helpful book for the seminary student, budding apologists, and preachers of God's Word.
The chapters on textual criticism supply a fantastic framework (complete with charts and history). As we would expect from Bill Mounce, these chapters are a resource every pastor should have on his shelf, ready for when the tough challenges come.
I found the book good and helpful and I have a Doctorate of Ministry and more than a decade of pastoral ministry under my belt. My twelve-year-old son is reading the book and also finding it in formative and helpful (although he also thumbs through my commentaries). My point: there's a little for everyone.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2021

