Becoming a Christian

What influences the decision to become a Christian? In the seventeenth century the famous scientist Blaise Pascal viewed this as a game, with truth our adversary. Pascal argued that we are in the game whether we like it or not. Christianity is either true or not, and we have to weigh the two alternatives. According to Pascal's Wager we have everything to win and nothing to lose by taking a leap of faith and becoming a Christian. In this book Ola Hossjer extends Pascal's Wager and argues that we respond to the Christian message very differently. There are three main attitudes among people: the first group follows Pascal's advice, even if evidence before the decision is incomplete; the second group requires convincing evidence at first; and members of the third group will not become Christians regardless of evidence. Hossjer contends that the decision consists of three components: a religious disposition from birth, evidence, and a willingness to act. Although we weigh evidence and will differently, our priorities may change after a life crisis so that we either reevaluate evidence or become more positive toward Christianity. This is illustrated by a number of people who became Christians. In the book Becoming a Christian, Ola Hossjer skillfully brings together very powerful apologetic arguments to show the overwhelming logic of the Christian faith. Using careful mathematical analysis Ola lays open the issues in the first part and, in my view, excels in the central part of the book, in showing evidence for the Christian position philosophically, scientifically, and theologically. Like a diamond, he shows that whatever test you make of the Christian faith, it shines with the deep and brilliant hues of truth.--Andy McIntosh, Professor, University of Leeds, Leeds, United KingdomOla Hossjer is Professor of Mathematical Statistics at Stockholm University, Sweden, since 2002. He has done research in statistics and probability theory, with applications in population genetics, epidemiology, and insurance mathematics. He is the author of eighty-five peer-reviewed papers and has supervised thirteen PhD students. In 2009, he received the Gustafsson Prize in mathematics. He is a member of a Pentecostal church in Sollentuna, and has published several articles and book chapters on Christian apologetics.