My favorite subject to read about is how Christianity benefits the world. In today's times, we are often led to think that Christianity has brought nothing but detriment. The Crusades, the Inquisition, anti-science accusations, you name it, people seem to zero in on all the bad (myth or not) of Christianity. But I am convinced that Christianity has brought tremendous good to the world (aside from the Messiah who saved humanity). Christianity has offered us a lot of revolutionary ideas that made the world a better place. I am not sure if any other worldview can claim the same level of influence throughout history.
This is why I was interested in this book. D'Souza is a familiar face as he is quite well-known in the political commentary world. I know he is well-versed in rhetoric, intelligent, and most importantly, a believer in the Lord Jesus.
Overview
In What's So Great About Christianity? D'Souza sets out to make a case for the faith in all sorts of different areas. First, he shows how Christianity is responsible for Western culture and its many virtuous aspects. Then he makes a case for how Christianity has contributed massively to science. Various proofs for Christianity, from the argument of design to philosophy, are then presented to further bolster the case. Finally, D'Souze ends the book by talking about suffering, morality, and the personal aspects of Christianity. Throughout the book D'Souza also goes on the offensive against atheism, showing the reader the inadequacies of the atheist worldview.
D'Souza references many prominent writers from all sorts of backgrounds throughout this book to make his case. This book is a comprehensive argument for Christianity on a popular level.
Why Read This?
As mentioned prior, this book covers a lot of ground on answer the question: what's so great about Christianity? D'Souza did a great job in writing this book in a way that is very compelling. He also quotes many authors from both sides, further making his case. For someone who is new to this whole discussion, this book is an excellent place to start. It covers all major areas of interest when someone is evaluating Christianity and it offers compelling arguments for each area. Anyone who is curious about the validity and benefit of Christianity will enjoy this book.
On a personal level, I especially loved the part where D'Souza goes through how Christianity is responsible for many of the values we love and take for granted today. It is always mind-blowing to see how people thought differently (and terrifyingly) in the past, and how Christians came along and changed things.
Potential Pitfalls
Although D'Souza writes with skill, I wish he would have cited way more sources to back up some of his claims. There were areas where he makes some pretty significant claims without any backup. The reader will just have to take his word for it. This I found to be very unsatisfactory. The book is also not the newest player in the game, so much of the information may be outdated.
With any works interpreting history, science, or anything technical of the sort, the reader would always do well to be careful, skeptical (to a healthy degree), and charitable. Do your own research to the best of your abilities before believing anything.
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