Graduation season is upon us! Social media feeds are flooded with graduation photos, students are heading into summer jobs or internships, and parents are feeling that bittersweet mixture of joy and trepidation as they consider what’s next for the newly minted graduate in the family. If you are a graduate or you have a graduate in your family, congratulations! You’re entering an exciting new phase of life as you seek God’s will for your next steps. 

For both high school and college students, the next step after graduation represents a significant shift in life as they know it. New environments, new friends, new experiences, new bosses or teachers, and for some, the first steps into the world outside their home and church all represent exciting opportunities. But they also hold potential pitfalls in a culture that doesn’t hold the same values. 

Michael Kruger’s book, Surviving Religion 101, seeks to provide a resource that can help navigate those challenges, especially for high school graduates heading off to a secular college. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this book is for high school graduates only. All of us – from the 18-year old leaving home for the first time, to the seasoned believer having lunch with an unbelieving colleague or friend – encounter pushback from people who think the Bible and its teachings are outdated, misguided, or just flat out wrong. 

This book is a starting point for navigating those conversations biblically and graciously. 

Sustaining Faith in a Faithless World 

At its heart, this book is about holding fast to the faith in a world where religion is no longer in vogue. “Religion 101” as used in the title refers to the questions, arguments, and pushback many Christian college students receive from friends and professors on a secular college campus. They don’t have all the answers, and they may hear arguments they’ve never heard before – arguments that seem to make a lot of sense. 

How can Christian faith survive in such an environment? 

The book is written as a series of letters from Kruger to his daughter. Each letter (e.g., chapter) deals with a specific challenge or idea students may wrestle with as they navigate secular worldviews, classes, and conversations with unbelievers. In this environment, it’s easy to begin questioning the Bible, religion in general, or God himself as students encounter a series of “gotcha” moments that don’t seem to jibe with what they have been taught. 

For example:

• My Professors are Really Smart – Isn’t It More Likely That They’re Right and I’m Wrong?
• There are a Lot of Different Views Here – How Can We Say That Christianity Is the Only Right Religion?
• My Christian Morals Are Viewed as Hateful and Intolerant – Shouldn’t I Be More Loving and Accepting? 
• I Have Gay Friends Who Are Kind, Wonderful, and Happy – Are We Sure That Homosexuality is Really Wrong? 
• The Concept of Hell Seems Barbaric and Cruel – Wouldn’t a Loving God Save Everyone? 
• There Is So Much Suffering in the World – How Could a Good God Allow Such Evil? 
• Science Seems Like It Can Explain Everything in the Universe – Do We Really Need to Believe in God? 

These are just a few of the ideas the book addresses. Questions about faith, relationships, morals, science, miracles, the authority and validity of the Bible, and doubt are all discussed respectfully from a biblical standpoint. 

A Starting Point for Further Study

No book of this size (just 241 pages) can address every question about every issue. The chapters themselves are short and to the point, offering a brief overview of what the Bible says about each question. They provide an opportunity to dip your toes in the theological waters, but by no means do they address every question or provide a comprehensive theology of deep issues like biblical authority, the validity of the canon, the nature and reality of hell, or even more practical issues like how science interacts with religion. Consider it a starting point, and let it motivate you to study these issues more fully. 

My biggest takeaway from this book is that we need to know not only what we believe, but why we believe it! This is critical for every Christian, not just college students, because:

1. Wrestling with complex issues strengthens our faith. It’s tempting to avoid the hard stuff because it’s intimidating or seems like it doesn’t impact our daily life. But when push comes to shove, our faith is strengthened by knowing why we believe what we believe.
   
2. We should be ready to give an answer. I Peter 3:15-16 encourages believes to “always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” We should not be surprised when we encounter pushback about our faith. Instead, we should be ready and eager to talk about why we believe what we believe, and to do so with kindness and confidence. 

Whether you’re sending a son or daughter off to college in the fall or you just want to gain a deeper understanding of what the Bible says about common questions, this book is a good starting point. As you read, take notes on what additional questions you have or have heard and use the chapters as a launching point for additional study, asking God to show you His intent in the pages of His Word. 

Most of all, remember the point behind it all: the purpose of the Bible is to know God. Look for Him in the pages of His Word, and you will always find Him.

If you’d like a copy of the book for yourself or to give as a gift to the graduate in your life, you can find a discounted copy in our online bookstore. Happy reading!