Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity

by J. P. Moreland

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 1987

Overview

This volume presents up-to-date arguments for God’s existence and for Jesus’ deity and resurrection, answers to objections to Christian theism, and discussions of four key issues.

Key Features

• Addresses contemporary philosophical issues
• Defends the Christian faith, Jesus’ resurrection, and Scripture’s inerrancy
• Examines various arguments in support of Christianity

Contents

• The Cosmological Argument
• The Design Argument
• God and the Argument from Mind
• God and the Meaning of Life
• The Historicity of the New Testament
• The Resurrection of Jesus
• Science and Christianity
• Four Final Issues

Top Highlights

“C. S. Lewis once wrote: ‘To be ignorant and simple now—not to be able to meet the enemies on their own ground—would be to throw down our weapons, and to betray our uneducated brethren who have, under God, no defense but us against the intellectual attacks of the heathen. Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.’” (Page 9)

“Third, apologetics can strengthen believers in at least two ways. For one thing, it gives them confidence that their faith is true and reasonable; therefore, apologetics encourages a life of faith seeking understanding. Further, apologetics can actually encourage spiritual growth.” (Page 12)

“What sort of property of matter could one hold to which would enable matter to see in the sense of rational insight?” (Page 94)

“it is a category fallacy to ask for a cause for God since this is really asking for a cause for an uncaused being.” (Page 38)

“First, Scripture commands us to defend the faith and gives us several examples of such activity” (Page 11)

Praise for the Print Edition

No evangelical now writing on apologetics surpasses Moreland in philosophical ability. Every person who intends to speak for Christ to the contemporary mind should master the content and spirit of this book.

—Dallas Willard, professor of philosophy, The University of Southern California

Scaling the Secular City is the most sophisticated apologetics book I have read. It lays out the issues, arguments, and counterarguments in a thorough way. Moreland’s special strength lies in philosophy of science, and the book makes a real advance in the interface between Christianity and science.

—William Lane Craig, research professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology

[This] is not just another apologetics book. This is a fresh, up-to-date defense of the Christian faith by a bright mind. J.P. Moreland musters new arguments, tackles new problems, and reveals penetrating insight. . . . His insights into the contemporary philosophical issues make him one of the ablest young apologists in America.

—Norman L. Geisler, cofounder, Southern Evangelical Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity
• Author: J. P. Moreland
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Print Publication Date: 1987
• Logos Release Date: 2013
• Pages: 288
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Apologetics
• ISBNs: 9781441253798, 9780801062223, 1441253793, 0801062225
• Resource ID: LLS:SCLNGSCLRCTYDFN
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:52:44Z

About J. P. Moreland

J. P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He received a B. S. in physical chemistry from the University of Missouri, a Th.M. in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, an M.A. in philosophy from the University of California at Riverside, and a Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Southern California. He has spoken and debated on over 200 college campuses and taught in 500 or so churches around the world. In addition, he has authored, edited, or contributed papers to ninety-five books, including Does God Exist? (Prometheus), Universals (McGill-Queen’s), Consciousness and the Existence of God (Routledge), The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology, The Blackwell Companion to Substance Dualism, and Debating Christian Theism (Oxford.) He has also published over 85 articles in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical Quarterly, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, MetaPhilosophy, Philosophia Christi, Religious Studies, and Faith and Philosophy. Moreland was selected in August, 2016 by The Best Schools as one of the 50 most influential living philosophers in the world.