He was one of them. An atheist. His wife was a Christian, but he was a realist, and a cop — dealing with hard evidence every day in the pursuit of his work as a detective in Southern California. He couldn’t believe people could be so naive as to believe these fables — stories of the supernatural that no rational human could ever accept. Finally, as an accommodation to his wife, whom he loves deeply, Wallace went to church, and his curiosity piqued by something the pastor said, decided to do his own investigation, expecting to find natural explanations for what others (Christians) were calling supernatural events.
Across the board, people make various claims regarding the veracity of the Bible. Some of them include:
• There are too many contradictions
• There isn’t enough evidence to support extraordinary claims
• The Bible cannot be used as evidence for historical events
• Archaeology doesn’t support the claims of the Bible
• Miracles are impossible; therefore the Bible can’t be true
• Just follow the science . . .and you’ll find that the Bible isn’t true
Wallace addresses every one of these claims — and more. But what fascinated me was his approach. First of all, he intended to use only non-biblical sources (maybe thinking that the Bible would be predisposed to try and prove itself?). Secondly, he employed all the skills he’d learned as a forensic investigator in the hunt to solve cold-case murders. He begins by teaching you to think like a detective. To view circumstances and situations without immediately applying presuppositions or bias you might bring to “the case.”
If you have questions about Christianity and you’re serious about finding answers, you don’t want to miss this book. I heartily recommend it!