Joshua D. Chatraw – författare

Christianity Today 2021 Book Award Winner: Apologetics & EvangelismTelling a Better Story clears a path to a more effective, empathetic apologetics for today—both for experienced apologists and those new to sharing their faith with others.Today's Christians often view the practice of defending their faith as pushy or unnecessary. Won't it just be taken for proselytizing? Don't many unbelievers find it offensive? Many Christians have shifted to a strategy of hoping that our lives will show Christ to our neighbors—and, while this is certainly good, it's no substitute to actively telling people about Christ.In Telling a Better Story, author Joshua Chatraw presents a new and refreshing way to engage in apologetics that will help you tell the story of Christ in a holistic, culturally-contextual manner that—while being respectful—helps unbelievers imagine a more complete happiness and a better meaning to life.Telling a Better Story will give you the tools to:Understand the cultural stories that surround us.Recognize how these secular stories have shaped the way many people think.Learn how to tell God's story in a fresh way that allows today's younger generations to see it as a more meaningful and more hopeful story than the scripts around it.Finally, you'll also learn how to deal with the perennial issues and common objections to Christianity.

Christianity Today 2021 Book Award Winner: Apologetics & Evangelism

Telling a Better Story clears a path to a more effective, empathetic apologetics for today—both for experienced apologists and those new to sharing their faith with others.

Today''s Christians often view the practice of defending their faith as pushy or unnecessary. Won''t it just be taken for proselytizing? Don''t many unbelievers find it offensive? Many Christians have shifted to a strategy of hoping that our lives will show Christ to our neighbors—and, while this is certainly good, it''s no substitute to actively telling people about Christ.

In Telling a Better Story, author Joshua Chatraw presents a new and refreshing way to engage in apologetics that will help you tell the story of Christ in a holistic, culturally-contextual manner that—while being respectful—helps unbelievers imagine a more complete happiness and a better meaning to life.

Telling a Better Story will give you the tools to:

Understand the cultural stories that surround us.Recognize how these secular stories have shaped the way many people think.Learn how to tell God''s story in a fresh way that allows today''s younger generations to see it as a more meaningful and more hopeful story than the scripts around it.

Finally, you''ll also learn how to deal with the perennial issues and common objections to Christianity.

Equip Students to Defend the Faith with Clarity and GraceApologetics at the Cross offers a comprehensive, classroom-ready introduction to the study and practice of Christian apologetics. Using Jesus as the model and 1 Peter as a guiding text, this textbook equips students to defend the faith with clarity, humility, and confidence.In this revised and expanded second edition, Chatraw and Allen:Introduce the biblical, theological, and historical foundations of apologetics.Survey major contemporary approaches and debates within the discipline.Provide step-by-step guidance for applying apologetics in real-world ministry and cultural engagement.Designed for students in apologetics, theology, and ministry courses, Apologetics at the Cross integrates intellectual rigor with pastoral sensitivity. The authors emphasize not only what to say but how to say it--training readers to give reasoned answers with gentleness and respect.Readable, balanced, and deeply rooted in Scripture, this text prepares learners to engage today’s questions about faith with both conviction and compassion.

Equip Students to Defend the Faith with Clarity and GraceApologetics at the Cross offers a comprehensive, classroom-ready introduction to the study and practice of Christian apologetics. Using Jesus as the model and 1 Peter as a guiding text, this textbook equips students to defend the faith with clarity, humility, and confidence.In this revised and expanded second edition, Chatraw and Allen:Introduce the biblical, theological, and historical foundations of apologetics.Survey major contemporary approaches and debates within the discipline.Provide step-by-step guidance for applying apologetics in real-world ministry and cultural engagement.Designed for students in apologetics, theology, and ministry courses, Apologetics at the Cross integrates intellectual rigor with pastoral sensitivity. The authors emphasize not only what to say but how to say it--training readers to give reasoned answers with gentleness and respect.Readable, balanced, and deeply rooted in Scripture, this text prepares learners to engage today's questions about faith with both conviction and compassion.

2019 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year: Apologetics • 2018 The Gospel Coalition Book Award: Evangelism & Apologetics Apologetics at the Cross describes a much-needed approach to defending Christianity that uses Jesus as a model and the letter of 1 Peter as a guiding text.This is a guidebook for how to defend Christianity with Christ-like gentleness and respect toward those who persecute the faith, making you a stronger witness to the good news of the gospel than many other apologetics books that focus on crafting unbreachable arguments.Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen first provide an introduction to the rich field of apologetics and Christian witness, acquainting students and lay learners with the rich history, biblical foundation, and ongoing relevance of apologetics. Unique in its approach, Apologetics at the Cross: Presents the biblical and historical foundations for apologetics.Explores various contemporary methods for approaching apologetics.Gives practical guidance in "how to" chapters that feature many real-life illustrations.But their approach pays special attention to the attitude and posture of the apologist, outlining instructions for the Christian community centered on reasoned answers, a humble spirit, and joy; rather than anger, arrogance, and aggression. Chatraw and Allen equip Christians to engage skeptics with the heart as well as the mind.Conversational in tone and balanced in approach, Apologetics at the Cross provides a readable introduction to the field of apologetics. You'll be informed and equipped for engaging a wide range of contemporary challenges with the best in Christian thought.

2019 Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year: Apologetics • 2018 The Gospel Coalition Book Award: Evangelism & Apologetics

Apologetics at the Cross describes a much-needed approach to defending Christianity that uses Jesus as a model and the letter of 1 Peter as a guiding text.

This is a guidebook for how to defend Christianity with Christ-like gentleness and respect toward those who persecute the faith, making you a stronger witness to the good news of the gospel than many other apologetics books that focus on crafting unbreachable arguments.

Joshua D. Chatraw and Mark D. Allen first provide an introduction to the rich field of apologetics and Christian witness, acquainting students and lay learners with the rich history, biblical foundation, and ongoing relevance of apologetics. Unique in its approach, Apologetics at the Cross: 

Presents the biblical and historical foundations for apologetics.Explores various contemporary methods for approaching apologetics.Gives practical guidance in "how to" chapters that feature many real-life illustrations.

But their approach pays special attention to the attitude and posture of the apologist, outlining instructions for the Christian community centered on reasoned answers, a humble spirit, and joy; rather than anger, arrogance, and aggression. Chatraw and Allen equip Christians to engage skeptics with the heart as well as the mind.

Conversational in tone and balanced in approach, Apologetics at the Cross provides a readable introduction to the field of apologetics. You''ll be informed and equipped for engaging a wide range of contemporary challenges with the best in Christian thought.

How should Christians approach important contemporary issues like war, race, creation care, gender, and politics?Christians in every culture are confronted with social trends and moral questions that can be difficult to navigate. But, the Bible often doesn't speak directly to such issues. Even when it does, it can be confusing to know how best to apply the biblical teaching.In Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues authors Joshua D. Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior first offer a broadly accessible framework for cultural engagement and then explore specific hot topics in current Western culture including:SexualityGender RolesHuman Life and Reproduction TechnologyImmigration and RaceCreation and Creature CarePoliticsWorkArtsWar, Weapons, and Capital PunishmentFeaturing contributions from over forty top thinkers, proponents of various views on the specific topics present their approaches in their own words, providing readers an opportunity to fairly consider options.Unique in how it addresses both big-picture questions about cultural engagement and pressing current issues, Cultural Engagement provides a thorough and broad introduction useful for students, professors, pastors, college ministers, and any believer wanting to more effectively exercise their faith in the public square.

How should Christians approach important contemporary issues like war, race, creation care, gender, and politics?

Christians in every culture are confronted with social trends and moral questions that can be difficult to navigate. But, the Bible often doesn''t speak directly to such issues. Even when it does, it can be confusing to know how best to apply the biblical teaching.

In Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues authors Joshua D. Chatraw and Karen Swallow Prior first offer a broadly accessible framework for cultural engagement and then explore specific hot topics in current Western culture including:

SexualityGender RolesHuman Life and Reproduction TechnologyImmigration and RaceCreation and Creature CarePoliticsWorkArtsWar, Weapons, and Capital Punishment

Featuring contributions from over forty top thinkers, proponents of various views on the specific topics present their approaches in their own words, providing readers an opportunity to fairly consider options.

Unique in how it addresses both big-picture questions about cultural engagement and pressing current issues, Cultural Engagement provides a thorough and broad introduction useful for students, professors, pastors, college ministers, and any believer wanting to more effectively exercise their faith in the public square.

ECPA Christian Book Award 2021 Finalist: Biography & MemoirExplore Apologetics through the Lives of History's Great ApologistsThe History of Apologetics follows the great apologists in the history of the church to understand how they approached the task of apologetics in their own cultural and theological context. Each chapter looks at the life of a well-known apologist from history, unpacks their methodology, and details how they approached the task of defending the faith.By better understanding how apologetics has been done, readers will be better able to grasp the contextualized nature of apologetics and apply those insights to today's context. The History of Apologetics covers forty-four apologists including:Part One: Patristic ApologistsJustin Martyr by Gerald BrayIrenaeus of Lyons by Stephen O. PresleyAthenagoras of Athens by W. Brian SheltonTertullian of Carthage by Bryan M. LitfinOrigen by A. Chadwick ThornhillAthanasius of Alexandria by Jonathan MorganAugustine of Hippo by Chad MeisterPart Two: Medieval ApologistsJohn of Damascus by Daniel J. JanosikTheodore Abu Qurrah by Byard BennettTimothy I of Baghdad by Edward L. Smither and Trevor CastorAnselm of Canterbury by Edward N. Martin and Steven B. CowanSaint Thomas Aquinas by Francis J. Beckwith and Shawn FloydRamon Lull by Greg PetersGregory Palamas by Byard BennettPart Three: Early Modern ApologistsHugo Grotius by Bryan BaiseBlaise Pascal by Tyler Dalton McNabb and Michael R. DeVitoJonathan Edwards by Michael McClymondWilliam Paley by Charles TaliaferroJoseph Butler by David McNaughtonPart Four: 19th C. ApologistsSimon Greenleaf by Craig A. PartonJohn Henry Newman by Corneliu C. SimutSøren Kierkegaard by Sean A. Turchin and Christian KetteringJames Orr by Ronnie CampbellB. B. Warfield by Kim RiddlebargerPart Five: 20th C. American ApologistsJ. Gresham Machen by D. G. HartCornelius Van Til by K. Scott OliphintGordon Haddon Clark by Robert A. WeathersFrancis A. Schaeffer by William EdgarEdward John Carnell by Steven A. HeinPart Six: 20th C. European ApologistsA. E. Taylor by Michael O. Obanla and David BaggettG. K. Chesterton by Ralph WoodDorothy Sayers by Amy Orr-EwingC. S. Lewis by Alister McGrathDietrich Bonhoeffer by Matthew D. KirkpatrickLesslie Newbigin by Krish KandiahPart Seven: Contemporary ApologistsJohn Warwick Montgomery by Craig A. PartonCharles Taylor by Bruce Riley Ashford and Matthew NgAlvin Plantinga by James BeilbyRichard Swinburne by Greg WeltyWilliam Lane Craig by R. Keith LoftinGary R. Habermas by W. David Beck and Benjamin C. F. ShawAlister E. McGrath by James K. Dew and Jordan SteffaniakTimothy Keller by Joshua D. Chatraw

ECPA Christian Book Award 2021 Finalist: Biography & Memoir

Explore Apologetics through the Lives of History''s Great Apologists

The History of Apologetics follows the great apologists in the history of the church to understand how they approached the task of apologetics in their own cultural and theological context. Each chapter looks at the life of a well-known apologist from history, unpacks their methodology, and details how they approached the task of defending the faith.

By better understanding how apologetics has been done, readers will be better able to grasp the contextualized nature of apologetics and apply those insights to today''s context. The History of Apologetics covers forty-four apologists including:

Part One: Patristic ApologistsPart Two: Medieval ApologistsPart Three: Early Modern ApologistsPart Four: 19th C. ApologistsPart Five: 20th C. American ApologistsPart Six: 20th C. European ApologistsPart Seven: Contemporary Apologists

In an interview with Christianity Today in 2012, Ed Stetzer shared that according to Lifeway research among young adults who had attended church regularly for at least a year in high school, 70% stop attending regularly for at least a year between ages 18-22. However, 35% of these had returned to attending twice a month or more by the time they were surveyed for the study. This means that about 4 out of 10 kids leave the church and NEVER RETURN. Here is how leading experts describe our church kids today: They are unarmed and incapable of defending their faith. They possess a faith that cannot withstand the scrutiny of trials or intellectual questions. They have a shallow belief system. They lack a robust faith. They haven’t learned how to think. They are embarrassingly ignorant of our faith. Truth Matters is written directly to this audience, arming them with well-reasoned responses to the accusations that are most likely to appear in their lives, either as upcoming lecture notes and test questions or as inner qualms and questions. Things like: What gives the Bible any authority or credibility? Where is God in a world full of suffering? Why should Christianity be any more believable than any other religious system? And many, many more. Easy to read yet loaded with meat and substance, this book is a level-headed reaction to those who equate Christian faith with “blind faith,” even those whose subtle or stated goal is to separate students from their religious traditions. Readers will discover the kind of historical information and thinking skills that build a sturdy backbone of confidence in high schoolers and young adults, making them able to defend by “reasoned faith” what the Bible claims as truth. Loosely organized around the theological skepticism of New York Times bestselling author (and southern college educator) Bart Ehrman, this jam-packed counterclaim is a book that parents will want to buy for their kids, a book that youth and student leaders will want to work through one-on-one and in discipleship groups—a book that could prove a lifesaver for young minds and hearts everywhere.

All too often Christians, and even Christian leaders, don’t know how to deal with skeptical challenges of the Bible and the Christian faith. Few churches address the historical questions about the Bible and the theological questions concerning the God who, believers claim, has inspired the Bible. Too often Christian scholarship has been kept at arm’s length and even viewed with suspicion by the church. Speaking and writing in this kind of environment, Bart Ehrman—professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and author of four New York Times bestsellers—has found a captive audience. Ehrman’s popularity is due in large part to the fact that he is talking about things most people never learned about in church. Some have long given up on Christianity, and Ehrman is only reinforcing their decision to depart from their Christian upbringing. Others are trying to reconcile their faith with rational arguments and find Ehrman’s books both interesting and disturbing if not appealing.    Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes a closer look at the key arguments skeptical scholars such as Ehrman keep repeating in radio interviews, debates, and in his their popular writings. If you are looking for insightful responses to critical arguments from a biblical perspective, easily accessible and thoughtfully presented, this book is for you. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive response to Ehrman’s popular works. It is presented in such a way that readers can either read straight through the book or use it as a reference when particular questions arise. Responding to skeptical scholars such as Ehrman, Truth in a Culture of Doubt takes readers on a journey to explain topics such as the Bible’s origins, the copying of the Bible, alleged contradictions in Scripture, and the relationship between God and evil. Written for all serious students of Scripture, this book will enable you to know how to respond to a wide variety of critical arguments raised against the reliability of Scripture and the truthfulness of Christianity.

En defensa de la verdad ha sido escrito directamente para esa audiencia, a fin de armarla con respuestas bien razonadas a las acusaciones que mayor probabilidad tienen de confrontar en su vida, ya sea como apuntes previos a conferencias y preguntas de examen o como dudas e inquietudes internas. Planteos como... ¿qué le da autoridad o credibilidad a la Biblia? ¿Dónde está Dios en un mundo lleno de sufrimiento? ¿Por qué el cristianismo tiene que ser más creíble que cualquier otro sistema religioso? Y muchos, muchos más... Se trata de un libro fácil de leer pero cargado de contenido y argumento. Es una reacción sensata frente a quienes comparan la fe cristiana con “una fe ciega”, incluso aquellos que se proponen —en forma frontal o sutil— separar a los estudiantes de su tradición confesional. Los lectores descubrirán la clase de información histórica y de destrezas reflexivas que constituirán una robusta estructura para adolescentes y adultos jóvenes, quienes podrán defender con “una fe razonada” lo que la Biblia afirma como verdad.Truth Matters is written directly to this audience, arming them with well-reasoned responses to the accusations that are most likely to appear in their lives, either as upcoming lecture notes and test questions or as inner qualms and questions. Things like: What gives the Bible any authority or credibility? Where is God in a world full of suffering? Why should Christianity be any more believable than any other religious system? And many, many more. Easy to read yet loaded with meat and substance, this book is a level-headed reaction to those who equate Christian faith with “blind faith,” even those whose subtle or stated goal is to separate students from their religious traditions. Readers will discover the kind of historical information and thinking skills that build a sturdy backbone of confidence in high schoolers and young adults, making them able to defend by “reasoned faith” what the Bible claims as truth.  

"Those at a faith crossroads will want to pick this up."--Publishers WeeklyThe Gospel Coalition 2023 Book Award (Evangelism & Apologetics)Even those who live by faith sometimes doubt. Those doubts don''t have to mean the end of Christian identity. In Surprised by Doubt, Joshua Chatraw and Jack Carson help readers rediscover a deeper faith in the midst of a confusing world. They invite skeptics and doubters to explore the ancient faith for a new perspective on contemporary Christianity.Chatraw and Carson build on C. S. Lewis''s metaphor that envisions Christianity as a house with many rooms, suggesting that readers move beyond the cramped attic of reactionary versions of the faith to explore the larger, more ancient main floors of the house. With pastoral care and intellectual rigor, Chatraw and Carson not only help Christians think through the issues confronting them. They also help readers engage their emotional journey of anxiety, fear, anger, and frustration. Readers will discover the wisdom of the past and ways to reimagine a faith that can thrive alongside doubt.

Christianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics/Evangelism)Outreach 2024 Resource of the Year (Apologetics)What can we learn from Augustine about apologetics? This book shows how Augustine defended the faith in late antiquity and how his approach to engaging the culture has great significance for the apologetic task today.The Augustine Way recovers Augustine''s mature apologetic voice to address the challenges facing today''s church. It offers a compelling argument for Christian witness that is rooted in tradition and engaged with contemporary culture. The book focuses on Augustine''s best-known works, Confessions and The City of God, to retrieve his scriptural and ecclesial approach for a holistic apologetic witness.This book will be useful for students, pastors, church leaders, and practitioners of Christian apologetics. It puts pastors and churches back at the center of apologetics, transcending popular contemporary methods with a view to a more effective witness in post-Christendom."This unique work offers an innovative approach to apologetics. . . . The result is a robust analysis of our current cultural moment with a confidence rooted in our past."--Outreach

Christianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics/Evangelism)Outreach 2024 Resource of the Year (Apologetics)What can we learn from Augustine about apologetics? This book shows how Augustine defended the faith in late antiquity and how his approach to engaging the culture has great significance for the apologetic task today.The Augustine Way recovers Augustine's mature apologetic voice to address the challenges facing today's church. It offers a compelling argument for Christian witness that is rooted in tradition and engaged with contemporary culture. The book focuses on Augustine's best-known works, Confessions and The City of God, to retrieve his scriptural and ecclesial approach for a holistic apologetic witness.This book will be useful for students, pastors, church leaders, and practitioners of Christian apologetics. It puts pastors and churches back at the center of apologetics, transcending popular contemporary methods with a view to a more effective witness in post-Christendom."This unique work offers an innovative approach to apologetics. . . . The result is a robust analysis of our current cultural moment with a confidence rooted in our past."--Outreach

Christianity Today 2024 Book Award Finalist (Apologetics/Evangelism)Outreach 2024 Resource of the Year (Apologetics)What can we learn from Augustine about apologetics? This book shows how Augustine defended the faith in late antiquity and how his approach to engaging the culture has great significance for the apologetic task today.The Augustine Way recovers Augustine's mature apologetic voice to address the challenges facing today's church. It offers a compelling argument for Christian witness that is rooted in tradition and engaged with contemporary culture. The book focuses on Augustine's best-known works, Confessions and The City of God, to retrieve his scriptural and ecclesial approach for a holistic apologetic witness.This book will be useful for students, pastors, church leaders, and practitioners of Christian apologetics. It puts pastors and churches back at the center of apologetics, transcending popular contemporary methods with a view to a more effective witness in post-Christendom."This unique work offers an innovative approach to apologetics. . . . The result is a robust analysis of our current cultural moment with a confidence rooted in our past."--Outreach

"Those at a faith crossroads will want to pick this up."--Publishers WeeklyThe Gospel Coalition 2023 Book Award (Evangelism & Apologetics)Even those who live by faith sometimes doubt. Those doubts don't have to mean the end of Christian identity. In Surprised by Doubt, Joshua Chatraw and Jack Carson help readers rediscover a deeper faith in the midst of a confusing world. They invite skeptics and doubters to explore the ancient faith for a new perspective on contemporary Christianity.Chatraw and Carson build on C. S. Lewis's metaphor that envisions Christianity as a house with many rooms, suggesting that readers move beyond the cramped attic of reactionary versions of the faith to explore the larger, more ancient main floors of the house. With pastoral care and intellectual rigor, Chatraw and Carson not only help Christians think through the issues confronting them. They also help readers engage their emotional journey of anxiety, fear, anger, and frustration. Readers will discover the wisdom of the past and ways to reimagine a faith that can thrive alongside doubt.