Thursday, June 18, 2009

Truth Decay: Eleventh Printing

InterVarsity Press just send me a copy of my book, Truth Decay (2000) with a card saying this: "Truth Decay has been reprinted. This is the eleventh printing, bringing the total number of copies in print to 26,502...

Although this book has been much-attacked (James K. A. Smith dismissed it in a footnote by saying I was "afraid of postmodernism"), it is has also been much-used. For the latter, I am grateful. Prison Fellowship has used it as part of their terrific Centurion Program. It is endorsed by Os Guinness and J.P. Moreland. That made my year.

This is my most academic book I have authored to date (the forthcoming apologetics text, What Matters Most, will be more so), so I am happy it is still in print after nine years.

7 comments:

James Manuel said...

Congratulations! It is an excellent resource; I remember first encountering it as a textbook in my undergraduate apologetics class about 6 or 7 years ago. Looking forward to your upcoming book. When is it due out?

Hendrik van der Breggen said...

That's excellent news about Truth Decay. I too am looking forward to the publication of your upcoming book What Matters Most.

gwyned said...

I checked today at my (new) local Christian bookstore - and lo and behold they had a single copy in the 'Culture and Apologetics' section.

Yossman said...

I'm not sure if you're aware of Operation Mobilization's two ships, Doulos and Logos Hope (you living in continental Denver). They have large onboard bookstores with Christian and educational literature. Logos Hope recently visited the Netherlands and to my joyful surprise I found 'Truth Decay' featured rather prominently on one of their shelves.

ryan said...

Dr. G

In light of you commenting on someone dismissing your book as you being "afraid of postmodernism," I would love to hear you elaborate on this tactic that has become so common.

I frequently read editorials and hear commentators that skirt arguments by just using the word "fear."

For example, pro-gay marriage activist are always pronouncing that their opponents are homophobes or afraid of gay marriage. That it is fear that drives their opposition to gay marriage. What has made this such a popular argument?

I just can't get my mind around the idea that we live in a culture right now in which all secular progressives have to do is say their opponents are "afraid" and the public just quietly goes along with it.

Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D. said...

The "fear" cliche is a way to avoid a real argument.

We do many things based on rational fears: lock our doors in our homes, get physical check-ups, do background checks on potential employees (the media forgot to do this on Obama, though).

Massdream Music said...

A similar tactic seems to be to label someone as hater. For example, if you're opposed to Obama policies, you must be a racist, and therefore guilty of a hate crime.