In this anthology of recent criticisms aimed at the reasonableness of Christian belief, former evangelical minister and apologist Loftus has assembled fifteen outstanding articles by leading skeptics, expanding on themes introduced in Loftus' first book.

According to recent polls, the number of atheists and agnostics has more than doubled in the United States in the last twenty years. A coterie of their intellectual spokesmen have mounted a multifaceted attack on the Christian faith in a book entitled The Christian Delusion, which the atheist philosopher, Michael Martin, described as "arguably the best critique of the Christian faith the world has ever known." Dr. Hanna dismantles their arguments one by one, not only clearly exposing the fallaciousness of their contentions but also indicating how their failed case carries implications that furnish positive support for biblical Christianity. This book is more than a set of refutations; it provides a wide-ranging theological and philosophical purview that both biblical theists and anti-Christians need to take seriously, not only in order to understand the current debates but also to reflect on crucial issues relevant to one's own life and destiny. _______________________________________________________________________ Mark M. Hanna, now devoting full time to writing, was a professor of philosophy for many years at California State University and Talbot School of Theology. He also taught at the University of Southern California, where he earned M.A. degrees in philosophy and world religions and a Ph.D. in philosophy. He lived in the Middle East for four years, earning his B.A. at the American University in Beirut. He has lectured in numerous universities and theological schools around the world. He is the author of Crucial Questions in Apologetics and The True Path: Seven Muslims Make Their Greatest Discovery. *************** "This is masterly and brilliant...." --Norman L. Geisler, Ph.D. "A devastating critique of the critics...." --Gary R. Habermas, Ph.D. "A stunning achievement...It is a model of irenic, tough-minded, well-informed argumentation...." --J. P. Moreland, Ph.D. "Give this book a careful reading ...." -- Dallas Willard, Ph.D

Alister McGrath and Joanna Collicutt McGrath present a reliable assessment of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, famed atheist and scientist, and the many questions this book raises--including, above all, the relevance of faith and the quest for meaning.

Dr. Richard Carrier is an expert in the history of the ancient world and a critic of Christian attempts to distort history in defense of their faith. Not the Impossible Faith is a tour de force in that genre, dissecting and refuting the oft-repeated claim that Christianity could not have succeeded in the ancient world unless it was true. Though framed as a detailed rebuttal to Christian apologist J.P. Holding (author of The Impossible Faith), Carrier takes a general approach that educates the reader on the history and sociology of the ancient world, answering many questions like: How did Christians approach evidence? Was there a widespread prejudice against the testimony of women? Was resurrection such a radical idea? Who would worship a crucified criminal? And much more. Written with occasional humor and an easy style, and thoroughly referenced, with many entertaining "gotcha!" moments, Not the Impossible Faith is a must-read for anyone interested in the origins of Christianity.

Religious scholar Hart argues that contemporary antireligious polemics are based not only upon conceptual confusions but upon facile simplifications of history and provides a powerful antidote to the New Atheists' misrepresentations of the Christian past.

The earliest Christians believed Jesus was an ancient celestial being who put on a bodysuit of flesh, died at the hands of dark forces, and then rose from the dead and ascended back into the heavens. But the writing we have today from that first generation of Christians never says where they thought he landed, where he lived, or where he died. The idea that Jesus toured Galilee and visited Jerusalem arose only a lifetime later, in unsourced legends written in a foreign land and language. Many sources repeat those legends, but none corroborate them. Why? What exactly was the original belief about Jesus, and how did this belief change over time? In Jesus from Outer Space, noted philosopher and historian Richard Carrier summarizes for a popular audience the scholarly research on these and related questions, revealing in turn how modern attempts to conceal, misrepresent, or avoid the actual evidence calls into question the entire field of Jesus studies--and present-day beliefs about how Christianity began.

The Rapture Delusion shatters popular myths, breaks the spell of false theories, reveals solid biblical truth, and will help prepare you for "the end of the world." Addressing His Church, Jesus Himself declared, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20 KJV). Many Christian prophecy books and end-time movies predict that all "true believers" will miss the end because they will vanish in an event called "the Rapture"-when they will supposedly be taken to Heaven early-while those left behind will be forced to endure seven nightmarish years of apocalyptic terror during the time of the Antichrist. Is this true? What does the Bible really say? About the end times Jesus Christ warned,"Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). Paul also predicted that many would be ensnared by "strong delusion" because "they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 KJV). The future is upon us-but it will be different from what the majority expect. Get ready for it.