In a book published by Concordia Publishing House (CPH) written to answer questions teens ask about life, the answer given to the question "How do I know the Bible is true?" is "You know the Bible is true because it says so". Are you serious? That's the answer in a CPH book? Is that really the best Lutherans can come up with on this one? Then the author of this book admitted that his answer isn't really proof, because "[p]eople say things that aren't true all the time." However he says it doesn't matter in the case of the Bible, because God doesn't lie. That's not a great answer, because Mulsims could say the same statement concerning the Koran. The book I'm quoting from was published in 2006.
Things have certainly changed! And for the better. This year, CPH has published Life's Big Questions God's Big Answers by Brad Alles. I've only skimmed it so far, but it's awesome. CPH has come a far way from the previous book I've mentioned. In fact, I think the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod has made some great recent improvements in apologetics. I attended part of an Apologetics seminar this summer at Hepatha Lutheran church in Southern California that featured Kenneth Samples and J.P. Moreland. I know a Lutheran church in Huntington Beach, CA, which is having an apologetic lecture given by guests speakers. I know another Lutheran church which went through Case for Christ this summer. Faith Lutheran in Oak Ridge, TN, is adding a year of apologetics to their confirmation curriculum. Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, CA, has their seniors go through a final theology class which consists of World Religions and Apologetics before graduating. Hopefully, the study and focus of apologetics at these Lutheran churches and many others, along with the excellent addition of CPH's Life's Big Questions God's Big Answers is a sign that the Lutheran church is moving beyond, "becuase the Bible says it's true."
I know the "because it says so" answer is what I received when I was in high school from 1996-2000. I'm glad that the material being put out by CPH now has much better answers. Seriously if you haven't read much apologetics or would like to have a good, concise apologetic book written by a Lutheran on some tough questions which are commonly asked, not just by high school students, but by adults too, then check out Brad Alles' book.
Some of the questions covered in it are: "Does Evolution Explain the World?", "Does Creation Explain the World?", "What is the Canon?", "What about Dinosaurs?", "Did Jesus really Exists?", and "What is Postmodernism and the New Tolerance?"
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