It is important for college-attending Christians to develop a theologically robust understanding of their faith, and to be in a church that preaches the Word soundly.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)
Having read Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger, I highly recommend this book for all Christians seeking to guard their faith in our age of secularism and relativism today, especially for those entering or currently in university.
Written as a series of letters from Kruger to his daughter entering university, these letters address various questions and challenges that Christian college students are likely to confront in college. They include the problem of evil, the perceived arrogance and intolerance of the Christian faith, the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the reliability of the Bible, among others.
What stood out to me was the final letter, titled: “Sometimes It Feels Like My Faith Is Slipping Away — How Do I Handle Doubts about What I Believe?” In the very first page of the letter, an excerpt from R.C. Sproul’s The Screwtape Letters was aptly quoted:
“But there is sort of attack on the emotions which can still be tried. It turns on making him feel … that all his religion has been a fantasy.”
This quote speaks to how Satan, also known as the Devil — the spiritual enemy of God, could attack the faith of Christians by creating doubt through the weakness of fleshly emotions.
It was a good reminder that even if we count ourselves as well-read and robust in our theological understanding of our faith, there could be moments of emotional weakness in our faith. Kruger pointed to how even the founding fathers of the Protestant Christian faith struggled greatly in their faith with doubt— Martin Luther, C.H. Spurgeon, and more.
In Luther’s case, he had struggled so acutely with doubts of his own faith and his calling that he laboured through tears, anxieties, depression, and his friend had even feared that he was on the verge of death. I also learnt from this letter, to my pleasant surprise, that he had written the great hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” his darkest season of doubting.
Kruger went on to write, “Here’s the point, Emma: It’s normal to struggle with doubt in the Christian life. It doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. The issue is not whether you face doubt but how you respond to it.”
I found it useful how Kruger broke down in detail various sources of doubt, and how we should respond by acquiring a strong theological understanding of the faith, seeking wise counsel from spiritual leaders, and even to doubt the doubts that arise.
It was also encouraging to see how Kruger’s own experience as a college student studying under one of the most prolific critics of Christianity led him to a path of serious inquiry, where he discovered that many of the “challenges” to the faith had already been robustly addressed from the earliest days of the Christian movement.
The letters address many common challenges to the Christian faith often issued by “intellectuals”, providing clear theological answers as well as spiritual advice. I came away benefitting not just from being more equipped to answer questions and challenges to the faith, but also in being more aware of the importance of staying rooted and renewed by God’s word each day.
Although this book is likely targeted for Christians, it could also be useful to those still exploring the Christian faith, as it provides some answers to intellectual and moral questions about the faith.
Do set aside some time for this great read!
Book Review by Brother Sheng Hwa
