World Views in Conflict by Ronald H. Nash

Dr. Ronald Nash is a competent scholar, professor of philosophy and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando, FL), and author of many excellent books in apologetics, history, theology, and philosophy. Although he comes from a reformed, Calvinistic, non-dispensational theological perspective, those distinctives are hardly noticeable in this book, which should appeal to any evangelical who wants to understand how to show Christianity as the only rationally and historically defensible world view.

The book is short (176 pages including indexes), but the concepts it discusses are not simple. It is written to an educated adult lay audience with some familiarity with apologetics and theology. Although Nash defines all technical terms and builds his arguments very carefully, unless a reader has spent at least some time thinking about apologetics and world views, he will have to concentrate carefully to keep up.

Although the book is written to a Christian audience, it would have intellectual appeal to an open non-Christian as well. Nash shows respect for non-believers and fairness in his evaluations of other world views. A non-Christian would not be angry at Nash for his dismissal of other world views, although he might be angry that his own world view comes up short compared to the Christian world view. Unfortunately for the non-Christian, Nash does a good job of showing that Christianity is the very best world view.

One of the best auxiliary parts of the book is the "Suggestions for Further Reading." Anyone who is intrigued by the issues raised in this book can find more information and more comprehensive discussions in the recommended books, which are categorized and annotated in this list.

The book is broken into two main parts: (1) a survey argument on how to choose a satisfying world view (Christianity); and (2) a closer look at traditional "problems" in the Christian world view, e.g., the problem of evil, naturalism, and pantheistic (New Age) ideas.

The ten chapters cover (1) What Is a Worldview?; (2) The Christian Worldview; (3) How to Choose a Worldview; (4) A Further Look at the Test of Reason; (5) Christianity and the Test of Reason; (6) A Further Look at the Problem of Evil; (7) Naturalism; (8) The New Age Movement; (9) The Incarnation and the Resurrection; and (10) Winning the Battle in the World of Ideas.

Nash affirms a biblical world view consistent in expression with the academic side of contemporary American evangelicalism. He affirms that God is revealed to us in a variety of ways (thinking, experiencing, observing, being educated, and certainly by the standard of God's revelation kept perfect and full in scripture, the standard by which we test all other purported "revelations" of God).

He affirms that non-Christians can understand the strength of the Christian worldview, although that understanding will not compel anyone to believe and be saved. That comes from the intervening power of the Holy Spirit, who works even when people rebel against what they intellectually know to be true. He affirms that a necessary preparation for preaching the gospel is apologetics, or giving reasons for our faith.

Nash points out that there are two ways to approach worldviews apologetically: (1) a positive presentation of the consistency, comprehensiveness, and coherence of the Christian worldview; and (2) a critique exposing the fatal inadequacies of all other worldviews.

This book provides a powerful, short, relatively uncomplicated defense of Christianity from a worldview perspective. Nash's further examination of evil, naturalism, New Ageism, and the incarnation and resurrection are additional pluses to an excellent book.

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