Did the precise movements of the planets, the regular seasons of the year, the reliance of all living things upon each other and the awesome detail of life, come about ‘by chance’? Or is there a more reasonable explanation? Wherever we look around us in creation we see evidence of a perfect, detailed and complex design. So much we see in creation must be complete at once to work at all. This is called ‘irreducible complexity’. It cannot ‘evolve’ little by little. A thinking mind will face the question of whether this is really the result of a series of unimaginable probabilities, or whether such complex design points to a wise and powerful Creator. The answer to that question will give us a clue to how everything began. Knowing how and why everything began, reveals how it will all end. Sadly, the beauty, order and variety of planet Earth are too often shattered by violence and pain, disorder and death. At the close, we will face the question asked by theologians, scientists and philosophers for thousands of years: ‘What is the purpose of it all?’ But first, as you read this booklet, enjoy the panorama of a creation so beautifully detailed, ordered and complex that it would be unbelievable if it was not there in front of us.

Too often people dismiss the Bible as unreliable without realising that archaeologists have uncovered so many things that confirm its accuracy. What follows in this booklet are just a few examples of the evidence demonstrating that the Bible is a book of accurate and reliable history.

Early in the nineteenth century many began to study the subject in depth and they came up with ideas that slowly crystalised into a theory known as ‘evolution’—that everything happened slowly from small beginnings to the complex universe that we know today. Since those early days, many scientists have concluded that we now know for certain what was once suggested as ideas. ‘Evolution’ is now assumed to be a fact that no one can question.

But is it all as simple as that? Do the many ideas behind evolution always fit the known facts that science reveals of the world and universe around us? Is there an alternative, and if so, why is it not openly discussed?

This little booklet sets out some thought-provoking challenges to what many assume is unquestionably true.

In the New Testament, Paul said it straight: ‘If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God.’ Immediately Paul added, ‘But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead’ (1 Corinthians 15:14–15,20). Before anyone dismissed such a momentous claim, they should seriously consider the evidence. Our life, death and eternity depend upon our response to an examination of the event.

Many books have been written defending the Resurrection of Jesus as real history. This short, easy-to-read booklet captures all the issues and presents them in a way that can be understood by anyone. The evidence demands a verdict.

Tragically, the Western world has side-lined Jesus today and most people have little knowledge of who he is and what he accomplished. The result is a society sinking into violence and moral decay. People are fed with false ideas of Jesus that have nothing to do with either the Bible or historical fact.

The evidence for the historical Jesus and his resurrection is strong. See the booklet in this series Is it True? The resurrection of Jesus. This booklet, Who is Jesus?, introduces the real Jesus: who he is, what he is like, all that he accomplished and how you can know him for yourself. Here you will discover the glory of his person and the pure dignity of his character.