TOS Review: I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist

If you have been a homeschooler for even a few years, you have likely heard of Apologia Press.  They have been featured on my blog before with two of their amazing products, How to Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids, and Who is my Neighbor?  Well, once again, I am excited to tell you about their newest product, I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist Curriculum.

A couple of months ago, I was added to a 'Christian' Facebook group by a friend.  Before I knew it I found myself in the midst of unintentional debates from people who had grown up in Christian homes but had become skeptics in their adult lives.  These individuals knew what the Bible had to say, but were happily picking it apart piece by piece because they didn't like.

I realized as I chatted with these people that I did not have the words to properly address the arguments of today's atheists, agnostics, and skeptics. Though I would have loved to be able to say something {anything actually} that would change the minds of these people, I knew it was a silly idea to try and debate on a public forum with people I had never met.  I did, however, leave wanting to have a more factual explanation for what I believed.  

This turned into a realization that my own children could become just like these adults if I am unable to teach about faith in such away that it is more then just a 'feeling' or a faith backed up only by the Bible or church teachings.  I want to equip my children for the world that is less and less interested in God, the Bible, Religion, and Truth.  I realize that I cannot make my children believe in God, but I certainly want to do all I can to help them understand what Truth is before they leave my home.  I want to give them a firm foundation to use long after I am gone.

That is why products like I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist are so important to our Christian families, homeschools, and youth groups.  We parents need help to train our children.  I am so glad that Apologia found this one!!  They didn't write or publish I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.  They did, however, find this gem and bring it to our attention.  Taking it a step further, they wrote a companion Study Guide to help you teach this to your youth.

Now, I do want to say that the book itself, I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, is an amazing stand alone product.  It is an easy read, with a ton information written so that anyone can understand it.  Authors Norm Geisler and Frank Turek is entertaining, engaging, and informative.  I have been looking forward to my quiet times so that I can uncover yet another layer of knowledge that is found in the pages of this wonderful book.  I really can't say enough great things about it.  It's a must read!

The companion study guide does a great job of helping students internalize what they have been reading.  Each chapter is broken down into 4 sections:

Hook-Questions about what was just read

Book-Questions that usually require you to re-read a portion of the book.  They often required you to explain a point that was made.  I don't know about you, but when I have to explain what I read and how I feel about it, I really understand it and remember it!

Look-Research projects.  This was my favorite part of the workbooks.  They were hard, but they were good!  Each chapter has 3 or 4 assignments that require the student's action.  Some were internet or other research, some required that you interviewed other people, and some had you reading another book or magazine resource and answering questions.

Took-more questions but from a different perspective now that you have researched and internalized many of the points being taught.  

 The workbook also takes the information in the book and provides more information.  For example, the book mentions that David Hume and Immanual Kant were important figures that shaped our modern world beliefs in skepticism and atheism.  The study guide provides biographies about these two to help the reader understand why.  There are even tests available on the Apologia website for book owners. 

Authors Frank Turek (co-author of the book) and Chuck Winter challenge the students to process the information they have read and make their own conclusions about what they believe.  This workbook is a fantastic way to turn I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist from a reading assignment to a credit in Religion or Philosophy.  With each chapter and workbook lessons taking up to a month in time to complete, this could take over a year to complete.  I know that the publisher mentions 2-3 weeks, but it would depend on how much you assigned for each week.  If you did one section a week, or one assignment a week, you would easily be looking at 3-4 weeks per chapter.  There are 14 chapters, an intro and 3 appendix.

You can order a copy of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist for just $16.00 from Apologia press {they are currently awaiting a new shipment}.

The 279 page Workbook retails for $33.00.  It is consumable, but the information learned through this study guide is well worth the modest price tag.  

I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and the companion workbook are designed for teens, but let me tell you, it is for any Christian.  My oldest child is only six, and though she often acts like she is going on sixteen, I didn't get this one for her.  I got this for me, and someday I hope that the knowledge I gain from this study will be for her, too.  

If you would like to see what the I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist workbook looks like, check out the Sample Chapter.  If you would like to read more reviews, check out the crew blog.  But, if you know that YOU don't have enough faith to be an Atheist, just go ahead and buy the books.  I think you'll be glad you did!

God Bless!!

Disclaimer:  As a member of the Schoolhouse Review Crew, I received a copy of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and the Study Guide in exchange for an honest review.  I did not have to write a positive review, all opinions expressed are my own.  I was not paid for my review.