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Fresh Ammunition for the Battle of Ideas

“True For You, But Not For Me”
192 pages
by Paul Copan
Bethany House Publishers

Relativism (all beliefs are equally valid) and religious pluralism (all faiths eventually lead to God) are two of the heavyweight contenders which Christians will often encounter in the battle for souls. These ideas underly much of the postmodern American mindset. Often, in witnessing, one will encounter, not a rejection of the gospel, but a qualified acceptance of it. The qualification being “Well I’m glad that is true for you, but I have my own truth that I have discovered.” At this point, the Christian may find themselves floundering, wondering where they should go next in the conversation. It is at this point that the book “True For You But Not For Me” steps into the ring.

Subtitled “Defeating The Slogans That Leave Christians Speechless”, it does exactly that. In the past, many helpful apologetics books have been published (such as Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict). I am grateful for the help which these books offer. Nevertheless, there has come a profound shift in the average person’s thinking. Very often, the older approaches will not cut through the confusion, so that truth may enter. Many people have grown up without any foundational Christian influence. The majority of Americans do not believe in objective truth. Barna’s polls have found that 53% of evangelical adults embrace this belief. The popular view resembles the Greek Pantheon with its array of deities, with no deity (or idea) carrying any more weight than any other. Just as the early Christians refused to allow a statue of Christ to be placed in the Pantheon, we must refuse to bow to the demands of relativism.

Paul Copan is both a pastor, and an adjunct professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has written a powerhouse book which is highly accessible to the layman. Each chapter is titled by a slogan which Christians may have flung at them, such as:

“We have a right to choose our own values.”
“What right do you have to convert others to your point of view.”
“You’re just using western logic.”
“People Claim JFK and Elvis Are Alive Too!”
“It Doesn’t Matter What You Believe As Long As You Are Sincere.”

Professor Copan interacts with actual quotes from athiests, skeptics and relativists, dissecting their arguments. He cuts through the smokescreens and faulty thinking, homing in on the real issues. He masterfully reveals the inconsistencies and hypocrisy of the relativist view (such as their use of western logic to deny the validity of western logic, and pluralism’s intolerance of Christianity). He also clears up misunderstandings and half-truths which are used to discredit the Christian message.

What I liked best about the book is the boldness and confidence it encourages. Christians who have been intimidated by the culture will feel empowered to step back into the battle. Copan is fulfilling a similar role to Phillip Johnson (confronts evolutionary thought). Both show how weak and tottering the opposing views are (in spite of their intimidating appearance), and inspire their readers to step out and contend earnestly for the truth.

The last section of the book deals with the issues surrounding the fate of those who have never heard the gospel. Copan interacts with the various views, and points out the strengths and weaknesses of each view.

“True For You…” is a wonderful resource to give to those involved in outreach. If every believer was to read and absorb its content, our culture would be tremendously impacted. The book includes discussion questions for self or group study. It is ideally suited for group use, and because the chapters are topical, the group leader could select those which are relevant to the needs of the group.

The final chapter is a diagnosis of the postmodern delusion, and a prescription for its cure. This chapter alone is almost worth the price of the book. Copan leaves the reader with a plan of action; a simple but effective guide for using the things you have learned to impact your world. By far, this is one of the most inspiring apologetics books I have read in a long time! Find out for yourself.

website address: http://www.gospelcom.net/rzim/publications.htm

(c) 1999 John Green