Does Christianity Still Make Sense? was born out of Bobby Conway’s journey from faith to doubt to faith again. It aims to encourage Christians who are questioning the reasonableness of what they believe while helping others respond to some of the pressing questions of our day. At a time when “faith deconstruction” seems rampant, this encouragement is welcome.

For those unfamiliar with Conway, he holds a Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary and a PhD in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham in the UK. He serves as the Pastor of Image Church (in Charlotte, North Carolina), has had a YouTube ministry, and has written several other books.

Does Christianity Still Make Sense? is divided into two parts. Part 1 (“A Journey Toward Somewhere”) is autobiographical, detailing Conway’s path from non-belief to faith, then from faith to doubt, and finally from doubt to a reaffirmation of his faith. This provides the context for part 2 (“Answering Today’s Biggest Objections”), which comprises five sections, covering twenty-one questions that appear to challenge Christianity.

In part 1, Conway tells his story. During his early years, he had limited exposure to God or the gospel. Amid this void, he experienced academic challenges and a difficult post-high school transition. A friend then introduced him to the good news of salvation, and through the ministry of Greg Laurie he received Christ. But because of a struggle with alcoholism, he had a rocky start as a young Christian. However, a series of events led him to a deeper personal surrender, which prompted him to attend Bible college and seminary. It was in seminary, however, that he first encountered doubt after reading and trying to reconcile a harmony of the Gospels. Then, while pursuing his second doctorate in the philosophy of religion, these doubts returned. He highlights two reasons for this: first, he had too shallow a theological foundation; and second, he was trying to know everything. In the end, it was returning to a child-like faith that led him out of his season of doubt. Conway’s background serves as a connection point with Christians who may be facing similar challenges as they read and reflect on the answers that he provides in part 2 of the book.

The first section of part 2 answers questions about scandals in the church. Conway argues that while scandals can harm the credibility of the church’s witness, they do not affect the validity of the Christian faith. While he employs some persuasive syllogisms to help make his points, the section reads a little like a practical approach to thinking about sin in the church and, in some respects, how to prevent these transgressions from happening.

The second section responds to the accusation that “The Church Is Nonaccepting.” Conway argues that Western culture has shifted because of the influence of various philosophical ideas. For this reason, he rejects the charge that Christianity is oppressive. For example, addressing LGBTQ issues, he affirms that “Christians must lovingly refuse to bow to cultural pressure to affirm what the Bible condemns” (p. 62). From a similar perspective, he answers questions about gender identity, racism, equality for women, and abortion.

In the third section, Conway addresses the age-old problem of evil and suffering. He argues that the price of a world without evil would be the relinquishing of our freedom. To emphasize his point, he proposes the following question: “Which freedoms would you be willing to give up?” (p. 90). Conway wonders why some Christians make excuses for God and suggests that this is the result of either being ill-equipped to defend their faith or not having strong beliefs. He reminds readers that God does not want us to make excuses for him but instead to trust him and proclaim his wisdom. To illustrate, he provides an example of an elderly man he knew personally, who, despite his suffering, maintained a joyful countenance.

Section 4 addresses questions about the exclusivity of the gospel. Conway begins by arguing that every religion is exclusive in its own way. In that sense, Christianity should not be singled out. However, consistent with his rejection of Calvinism, Conway believes that Christianity is characterized by “soft exclusivism.” He explains:

On the issue of hell, he argues that our understanding of love is too narrow and often excludes the element of justice, which is essential to understanding God’s judgment. He also reminds us that judgment is based on God’s standards and not ours. In addition, hell is only for those who refuse God’s generous gift. Conway concludes the section by countering the notion that the church is shrinking due to the rise of the “nones” and by exploring the relationship between cultural spirituality and Christianity.

The last section of the book addresses what Conway calls “The Science Problem.” Here, he provides a brief introduction to four apologetic methods: Reformed, fideist, evidential, and classical. He advocates that faith and science are not conflicting and that faith is not a leap in the dark. Conway then offers five reasons why atheism has not buried God and why Christianity is the best worldview option. As evidence for God’s existence, he introduces the cosmological argument, the design argument, the moral argument, and testimony from a transformed life. He concludes this section by presenting a case for miracles and argues for Jesus’s resurrection on the basis of Old Testament prophecy, the empty tomb, his post-resurrection appearances, and the transformation of the disciples.

In the conclusion, Conway recounts four reasons why Christianity still makes sense to him. First, despite his seasons of doubt, he could not explain away all the evidence. Second, even while doubting, the work of the Holy Spirit provided him with assurance. Third, he could not disregard previous experiences in his faith journey. Fourth, he could not ignore the cumulative case for Christianity. In the end, however, he acknowledges that faith, simple faith in the God of the gospel, drew him out of his maze of doubts.

For the Christian who wants to be introduced to apologetics without being overwhelmed, Does Christianity Still Make Sense? provides a helpful starting point. The structure of the book makes it accessible. The chapters are short, with questions and responses grouped by sections. One can read the entire book cover to cover or, if seeking answers to a specific issue, turn to that section and focus there. The listing of key points in some chapters helps readers concentrate on the main ideas. However, some areas (notably, the problem of evil and suffering) could benefit from more robust arguments and greater biblical support, and Conway’s “soft exclusivism” (while only tentatively expressed) may be too inclusive for many. Also, a resource list for the reader who would like to go further would have been helpful.