Here's Why You Need to Read "Forensic Faith" by J. Warner Wallace Right Now - Book Review

A few years ago, I taught my first apologetics class for the women’s ministry at my church. Afterwards, a woman approached me, thanked me for the class, and then said something interesting: 

I was a bit puzzled that she didn’t seem to connect the dots—that the faith she had handed down to her daughter was void of some important answers. And if she didn’t think they were important enough to learn, why should her daughter?  Since then, I have discovered that some of the toughest objections to the discipline of apologetics come from within the church itself. Time and time again I’ve heard claims like, “I don’t need apologetics because I don’t have any doubts,” or “I don’t want my intellect to get in the way of my heart,” or “You can’t argue anyone into the kingdom.”

Many Christians seem to be personally disconnected from the rich intellectualism, critical thought, and theological depth that defines our church history. R.C. Sproul said, “We live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization.” In Forensic Faith, Wallace takes a helpful step toward turning that around.

​Drawing from his background as a former atheist, and using examples from his experiences as a Cold Case Homicide Detective, J. Warner Wallace walks the reader through how to make a cumulative case using evidence and reason. Starting with biblical examples, he illustrates how various people—from Simon Peter to Saul of Tarsus to Jesus Himself—used evidence to make the case for the truth of Christianity, rather than simply appealing to emotion or philosophical sentiments.

Here are some reasons you should read Forensic Faith right now:

1.  You are a Christian who is interested in apologetics, but you don’t know where to start.

Learning apologetics can be utterly overwhelming. I have found that many Christians are open to learning, but they don’t know how to wade through the endless resources and varied approaches. Forensic Faith is a perfect starting place because it’s easy to read, informative, and entertaining. Both the newbie and the seasoned apologist will get something out of it!

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2. You are a Christian who doesn’t think you need apologetics.

If you are skeptical about apologetics for any reason, I encourage you to give J. Warner Wallace a chance to change your mind. But be warned—if you read Forensic Faith, you may be hooked! 

​3. You have kids, or have friends who have kids, or have kids who have kids—or have ever met a kid.

​Here’s the hard truth: We are losing our kids. Studies have shown that American teenagers are profoundly inarticulate about their faith. They generally can’t explain the most simple theological concepts, or give a reason for their beliefs beyond, “I feel it in my heart,” or “I had an experience with God that convinced me.” Experiences and feelings are wonderful reinforcements for our faith, but these sentiments could also easily be expressed by true believers of any other religion. 

When we leave our kid’s faith to subjective experience, we are setting them up to be picked off, one by one, by atheist college professors and internet arm-chair philosophers. Read Forensic Faith to learn how to live out a faith built upon critical thinking, logic, evidence, and reason. This example will be life-changing for the young people in your life!

 Forensic Faith will teach you how to think well— and will leave your heart encouraged, and your faith bolstered in a way you may never have expected. 

[I received a complimentary copy of Forensic Faith in exchange for my honest review]