Bible Answers to Life's Big Questions: Conversations About Faith in Plain Language

Bickel and Jantz, the popular Christian authors known to readers as "Bruce and Stan," compile an appealing q&a collection from their e-mail correspondence with readers. Having answered more than 10,000 e-mail questions since they began writing 10 years ago, they collect a representative group along with their answers. Grouped under topical headings such as "Jesus," "The Holy Spirit" and "Marriage and Family," they address the sort of questions that repeatedly come up in discussions of Christianity. Yet by using actual words from distinct e-mails, there is a personal feel both to the questions and their biblically based responses. On controversial topics such as women preachers and baptism, they explain various views, but still gently present their own opinion. The weakness of the book is the inherent restriction of the "advice column" format; the answers are sometimes too simplistic, as in their discussion of God's foreknowledge. In other reflections, their answers lack subtlety, such as their suggested response to a homosexual's claim that "God made me this way." Overall, though, their graciousness and encouraging attitude make this a winsome book for those not yet ready for more in-depth discussions. (Feb.)