In Search of a Confident Faith is an excellent comprehensive apologetic for establishing trust in God "for real." I wanted to review this book due to my own interest in Christians becoming confident in their faith. The book reaffirms the Christian faith as one of propositional knowledge confirmed through personal experience; but does so at a very accessible level. Moreland and Issler address many helpful points concerning the influence of Western culture in creating doubt in Christians’ faith. First, the authors address the misuse of the term "faith" in today’s culture as a "blind leap" or as in place of reason. The term historically entailed a much richer meaning of trust and confidence, which crucially required the proper exercise of reason, evidence, and knowledge. Second, they describe the essential role of knowledge in the Christian faith; through a look at the Biblical view of knowledge, through breaking down the concept of knowledge, and through addressing our plausibility structures (explained more thoroughly later). Third, the authors attend to intellectual and emotional doubts: both through logical arguments and then through practical steps in handling these doubts. Fourth, Moreland and Issler handle doubt caused by low expectations of God’s intervention into a believer’s life and make practical suggestions for increasing trust in God. Their writing systematically and carefully treats each area without losing interest or bogging down in terminology. ~ Mary Jo Sharp @ Amazon.com

Table of Contents

• • Preface     9
  • Facing Challenges to Our Faith in God
  • What Faith Is … and What It Isn’t     15
  • Dealing with Doubts: Distractions of the Head     35
  • Dealing with the Past: Distractions of the Heart     62
  • Expanding Expectations for Our Faith in God
  • Making Sense of Jesus’ Incredible Promises     95
  • Bearing Witness to God’s Activity in Our World     133
  • Learning to Trust in God for Guidance About Life Decisions     163
  • Acknowledgments     206
  • Notes     207
  • Name and Subject Index     222
  • Scripture Index     227