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Reviews and Endorsements
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Justin
- “God? Really?” by Norwegian pastor and author Harald Giesebrecht is primarily an apologetic book, defending God and his reputation. But it is also a challenging book for Christians as it addresses some of the questions that both Christians and atheists have asked about the nature of God himself – is God really like that? The author looks at some of the language Christians use to describe God and salvation and shows how that language must look to an outsider. The author doesn’t hold back, revealing that our language can cause some to see God as a psychopathic violent being who desires human sacrifice before any forgiveness can be given. The author addresses our language around our theology of salvation, judgement day, and whether God is even suited for His role given some of His actions. The author asks these questions but he also answers them and centers those answers in the person of Jesus. This book will challenge you to rethink how you speak about God and do it in an interesting way. It is an easy and quick read, but the concepts will have you deep in thought long after you’ve put the book down. - Pr. Justin Bone, Ministerial Association Secretary – Vic Conference
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[Endorsement]
- “God? Really? is direct, challenging and, at times, care-fronting—not confronting, because the author wants us to think carefully and responsibly about our faith and how others see our faith. You may not agree with everything written in this book—I don’t—but it is a stimulating read that seeks to answer some of the loudest objections to credible belief in God.”—Kayle B de Waal, PhD, Head of Avondale Seminary, author of Mission Shift
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[ Bookshelf Review ]
- As a born and bred Seventh-day Adventist, I’ve heard most of the theological arguments for the existence of God. Believing this truth, the prospect of reading another attempt to justify the Christian faith lacked lustre. But from its opening pages, God? Really? is delectably different. A few chapters in, I could feel old biases and misconceptions in my heart-soil being upturned for new beliefs to take root. I was deeply confronted and surprised by the fallacies and unfair judgments I’d been holding against non-Christians. This book was for me.
Rather than throwing fiery darts of logic at non-Christian viewpoints, author Harald Giesebrecht—an experienced Adventist pastor and church-planter in Norway—uncovers the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ method of “turning the other cheek” and gently points the finger back at us. His writing demonstrates an ability to simultaneously confront Christian readers with dangerous contradictions and mistakes they might be holding, while demonstrating both logical and emotional reasons for non-Christians to believe in God. In doing so, he acknowledges people’s tyrannical perceptions of God but irons out such misunderstandings by presenting God’s love through deeply relatable analogies that tug at the heartstrings.
God? Really? answers some of the most difficult questions about God—How could a loving God create hell? If God is good, why does suffering exist? If God knows the future, do we really have free will? How can God claim He loves us if He doesn’t answer our prayers?—through easy-to-understand stories and metaphors. Giesebrecht nudged me to recognise how common it can be to develop narrow, cookie-cutter answers to these questions. He highlights that few Christian denominations believe classic conceptions about hell nowadays, and explores the validity of traditional beliefs about the omnipotence and omniscience of God.
The information Giesebrecht packs into 150 pages challenged me to understand not only what I believe, but why I believe it. To say that my perspective was broadened is an understatement.
I highly recommend God? Really?—both as a tool for outreach and evangelism, and as a light for illuminating misconceptions, about God and others, from within the church and within the reader.
—Maryellen Fairfax, Assistant Editor, Adventist Record
