There is a select group of people in my life that, with a conversation over a cup of java, make me feel smarter and wiser.  Randal Rauser is one of those people.  I have had the privilege of sitting down with him on several occasions over coffee talking life, movies and theology and I have always left feeling smarter and wiser as a result.

Randal’s new book, The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails, is a unique project, inviting the reader to listen in on one of those types of conversations.  Although it deals with weighty apologetic subjects, it does so comfortably and conversationally, making it approachable for the average reader.  Using inviting language and playful prose, Randal invites the reader to eavesdrop on a thoughtful conversation over a cup of coffee.

If you are interested in exploring the current apologetic debate, this book will help introduce you to the conversation in an inviting way without compromising the content of the arguments.  Randal demonstrates his unique blend of gifts through this book: his vast knowledge, his ability to teach and his writing skills. This unique blend creates an inviting aroma that warmly and inclusively invites the reader to join the conversation.

*Note: Although the good people at IVPress, as part of the book’s promotion, mailed a complementary copy of this book to me, at no time was I obligated to write a positive review.