Skip to main content

Review: Surprised by Faith

Surprised by Faith book cover on blue background

This book review was long overdue, and though it took longer than it should have, I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book recently.

I'd like to thank Aneko Press and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary copy of Surprised by Faith by Dr. Don Bierle for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing.

Book Synopsis

The world is changing so rapidly that many are shaken with uncertainties. This is compounded by an erosion of confidence in absolute truth and traditional values. The result is a floundering search for a reliable source of purpose and meaning in life. Fear, not anticipation, fills some hearts as people think about the future. Some contend that turning to faith is anti-intellectual. “God is about religion,” they say, “a crutch for the weak.” These are mere caricatures resulting from ignorance. 

This book confronts false stereotypes and examines the astonishing body of scientific and historical evidence supporting the truth that God exists and cares about people’s future. This is the Gospel with evidence.

As a college student, amid academic success and athletic achievement, Don Bierle began searching for answers to the important questions of life. He found there is more to life than what can be seen, touched, and measured! Using the scrutiny and logic of his scientific training he tested the foundations for faith, and was surprised—and changed—by the answers he discovered. Hundreds of thousands of people have now discovered these answers through his book Surprised by Faith. For them, the discovery has been an “Ah-ha!” experience resulting in transformation and a life of peace and hope.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This book is likely one of the most accessible Christian apologetics books that I have read, distilling the great works of C.S. Lewis and countless other authors into a compelling narrative that takes readers on a journey with both thoughtful questions and answers. The visual elements break down key concepts within the Christian faith into a clear and understandable manner.  

Surprised by Faith provides one of the best definitions of faith that I have encountered to date; the analogy of faith being translated from the head to the heart to the hands and feet will remain with me as a simple way to explain the concept. Dr. Bierle's background as a scientist shines through in this book as it is laid out logically with teachings progressively building on each other. For skeptics and believers, the content in this book is both an intellectual and a personal challenge that is well worth investigating.

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Wes and Addie Had Their Chance - Adelaide Springs #3

After visiting Colorado, I can see why this series has won a Colorado Book Award in the romance category. It's a celebration of all things small-town and Americana with a charming cast of characters.  Wes and Addie Had Their Chance  by  Bethany Turner  is the third book in the Adelaide Springs series and it's helpful to read the first two books as they culminate in this story. This book releases July 15, 2025, so there's time to catch up on the previous titles if this clean book series is of interest to you. This is a disclaimer that although this book is published by a Christian publisher, this book falls along the lines of clean fiction, so expectations should be set accordingly. I shared the following when I reviewed  Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other  and Cole and Laila are Just Friends , and as this book follows those two, I'll adopt the same refrain again: This is more of a crossover title that fits the genre of what the author terms "pop culture-i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Palate Cleansers

Partially inspired by summer and partially because I like eating, I was thinking about the role of palate cleansers between courses of food, notably sorbet. I really enjoy the reset that the palate cleansers provide, allowing for a richer sense of taste to come with the next dish. In terms of reading, I admit that I have had a lot of ARCs to read this year. I've read close to 30 ARCs so far and have another 20 or so to go. I'm by no means complaining as I really enjoy reading; however, I can attest to a bit of fatigue from trying to get in as much reading as possible to meet release deadlines. It doesn't quite feel like work yet, but I will admit that when the ARCs are back-to-back, it can be a little hard to continually be motivated. As a result, I've been looking forward to setting aside a month to take a break from ARC commitments and to just enjoy whatever titles come my way and to make more of a dent in my TBR pile. While I will continue to try to meet a few upcomi...
2 comments
Read more

2025 Clearly Christian Readathon

Welcome to another year of the  2025 Clearly Christian Readathon ! Updated materials have now been shared with new graphics for this upcoming year. Christian Books and Coffee , Devoted to Hope , and I are so grateful to be able to continue this Readathon so that we can keep featuring Christian authors writing clearly Christian books. There are plenty of resources available in the Clearly Christian Readathon Goodreads Group if you'd like to check it out! Thanks for journeying with us for the second year of the Readathon. We can't wait to see what God has in store with such incredible stories to be told 😀
Post a Comment
Read more