This book was interesting to read and i like how the author laid his information out as if he were at a trial. His expertise in sorting through information and making arguments clearly shows. I don’t know that this book would persuade a non believer or a person who practices a religion in this book to become a Christian, but it was a good book for a Christian to confirm their beliefs and why they are true.

Are major world religions valid worldviews? Is there a way to find truth when everyone makes different claims?

In "Religions on Trial", Lanier examines several major world religions against his very own "worldview test". The test consists of several criteria to assess the validity of a worldview. Some of the religions assessed include Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Mormonism, secular Christianity, and more.

Lanier shows the inadequacies of these worldviews and shows the opposite for Christianity. In every chapter, Christianity is used as the golden standard. Lanier is a practicing Christian, so this comes at no surprise.

Lanier is a skilled lawyer. His wistful thinking and passion for truth added character and credibility to this book. Anyone who feels confused or challenged by just how many options there are when it comes to religion will find this book to be a good introductory text.

Lanier does not go overly in depth on each religion. He acknowledges as such. He only aims to find critical errors that need no deep explanation. The reader would do well to pursue further study to ensure that they have accurate representations of each view.

Most books on comparative religion and apologetics have been written by academics, famous authors, theologians, and passionate believers. Some have been written by detectives and investigators of crime scenes. Others are written by people from different professions. This book is written by someone from the legal profession. Using his legal training and experience, author William Mark Lanier helps us adopt a legal lens to probe evidence with questions and to analyze answers like a trial jury. He begins by giving us a legal primer to understand the duties of jurors, the examination of evidence, scrutinizing witnesses, and other sources for credibility and consistency. He examines evidence from both angles: "association" and "causation." Using the "Bradford Hill Criteria," readers learn about adopting the criteria to establish reasonable causation. Recognizing there are elements of truth within each religious persuasion, the goal becomes learning how to sieve the truth from flaws. He puts these "religions on trial" so as to uncover any layer(s) of truth. Unlike those who insist on having all the complete answers before believing, Lanier believes that it is not necessary to examine each and every aspect of all faiths before one can make a faith decision. Like how attorneys learn to cross-examine and identify major tenets of various witnesses' testimonies, all one needs to do is to identify the key facts. Inspired by the apostle Paul's example at Athens, who constantly met and debated with the philosophical groups that day, he hopes to use this book as a way to debate the philosophies and religions of today. He does this via six questions:

1) Is the View consistent with the world?
2) Is the view subjectively consistent with who and what I am?
3) Is there cross-consistency?
4) Is it livable?
5) Does it answer the big questions?
6) Does it make for good people and good societies?

He covers mystical faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism; historical religions like Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism; and modern religious experiences like "secular spirituality" and "secular Christianity." First, Lanier describes the faith by highlighting its key beliefs. He then puts each belief through the lens of the six questions. He notes how Hinduism tends to be the opposite of the Christian's teaching about humans made in the image of God. In Buddhism, the methods of dealing with suffering do not really offer true and full release. When dealing with the topic of Judaism, Lanier looks at the thirteen principles of Moses Maimonides and compares them to the six criteria posed. He lists the strengths and weaknesses of Islam according to his criteria and registers doubts about the "veracity of witnesses." He sees the development of Mormonism not as the doctrine of truth but as the progression of thoughts. The topic of secular spirituality is an interesting addition. The recent rise of the "spiritual but not religious" movement is evident in mainstream secular society. He examines popular culture through the lens of modern music. On the flip side, there is the "religious but not secular" segment called, "Secular Christianity." Such a group tends to avoid discipleship, embrace the world, and are lukewarm in faith practices. 

My Thoughts
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I find the approach by Lanier fresh and creative. Using the legal courtroom as a framework to analyze the different religions and spiritualities, readers get to uncover the different emphases, truths, and flaws of each. All of these are done not with subjective feelings, nor with random strategies, but with consistent criteria. The six questions are applied to all faiths so that all are analyzed on a level playing field. That way, there is a certain level of fairness to all, albeit from a Christian perspective. Such an approach of critical analysis does not mean Christianity is exempted from the analysis. In fact, Lanier has applied the same criteria to Christianity throughout the book. Just like the legal courtroom where the judges and jurors are expected to offer a fair and unbiased judgment, the author aims to do the same in this book.

Lanier not only analyzes the religions and spiritualities concerned. He describes their history, basic beliefs, and doctrines. He also incorporates personal encounters with friends or acquaintances who hail from various religions. I like the way he engages the content with a legal mindset. This is an objective approach that should appeal to the skeptic or intellectual. As readers, even though Lanier has encouraged us to be jurors along with him, it is a fascinating journey of how he questions each faith like how a lawyer cross-examines a witness. We learn not only how to compare religions, but those of us unfamiliar with legal terms can also learn a bit more about the mind of a lawyer. 

In summary, this is a brilliant book that compares various popular beliefs with objective questions. Highly recommended!

W. Mark Lanier (JD, Texas Tech University) is a trial lawyer and founder of the Lanier Law Firm. U.S. News and World Report, together with Best Lawyers, named him to its Best Lawyers in America list for nine consecutive years, and his courtroom work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the American Lawyer. He is also the founder of the Lanier Theological Library, one of the nation’s largest private theological collections. He and his wife, Becky, have five children and live in Houston. His books include Christianity on Trial and Atheism on Trial.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of the book from the publisher. Book quotations are subject to change and opinions expressed are my own.
What to Expect
Religions on Trial is the conclusion to Lanier’s On Trial series, which also comprised Christianity on Trial and Atheism on Trial. While I opted not to review Atheism on Trial on my blog, you can see my GoodReads review, here.

With a legal primer, plus opening and closing statements, Lanier fashions the book after the proceedings in a courtroom trial. Sandwiched between the introductory and concluding material are seven chapters, each of which explore one major world religion. Lanier divides these faiths into three subgroups: Mystical Faiths (covering Buddhism and Hinduism), Historical Religions (Judaism, Islam and Mormonism) and Modern Religious Expressions (in which he includes Secular Spiritualism and Secular Christianity).

Citing Romans 1:20,

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20
the author argues that each religion will have, at least, grains of truth, because God has made His truth accessible to people. In support of this premise, Lanier also references the way Paul engaged with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, interacting with their understanding of “an unknown god.”

Lanier weighs each of the faiths against six criteria, which “provide a solid framework for examining a belief system for truth.” In each chapter, he surveys whether a faith does a good job explaining the world, whether its tenets are practicable in real life, among other things.

Lanier also acknowledges that “Secular Spiritualism,” a term he uses to define people who identify as “spiritual but not religious,” would not be termed as a religion by its adherents. Additionally, because of the sundry views of people who ascribe to this general belief system, it is challenging to identify major tenets of belief.

Favorite Quote
Yet I have this burning to write this book. I want to have a chance to tell people that life is worth living. You matter. There is purpose for you, all of you, the good and bad, the obvious and the hidden. This God cares for you and has an unconditional love for you.

p. 208
What I Liked
As with Lanier’s book Atheism on Trial, I enjoyed reading about real courtroom scenarios, which Lanier referenced in his arguments. The legal primer was interesting, as well, this time with an emphasis on the duty of the jury to weigh evidence.

I appreciated that this was a brief survey of various religions, as opposed to separate books for each topic. Each chapter provides a meaningful introduction to the religion discussed, typically accompanied by information about that religion’s history and tenets. Although Lanier didn’t have a lot of room to work with, he provided interesting and relevant background information. Even in the cases of religions that I knew a little bit (emphasis on “little bit,”) I learned knew things. For instance, in the chapter about Islam, Lanier references a story from The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, in which a young Jesus fashions doves from clay and then brings them to life. I had heard a similar story, either in something by Bill Myers or Ted Dekker, but wasn’t aware of its origins. Lanier doesn’t argue about whether or not the events occurred, but instead points to this ancient document (The Infancy Gospel of Thomas) as a writing to which the prophet Mohammed would have had access.

In exploring various religions, Lanier also piqued my interest in the Scriptures. It was interesting to read cited Scripture with contextual descriptions about who wrote it. For instance, Lanier cites Paul, alternatively, as a rabbi or as an attorney. While I don’t typically connect biblical writers with their backgrounds, I found that Religions on Trial engaged my interest and helped me to see familiar Scriptures with fresh eyes. I’m grateful for that.

Lanier delineates between the “secular Christian” and the Christian he has been describing, throughout the trilogy. The basis of his delineation is love, which I think is spot on, considering Yeshua’s words that Christians would be known by their love. Lanier describes love as a “thermometer,” noting that love does not make a person a Christian, but it is the “hallmark, or seminal sign, of a Christian.”

Finally, I really liked the closing argument. This is where Lanier talks about why he wrote the book, and I appreciate his simple, powerful presentation of the hope the author wants to share.

Content
Lanier cites a case in which a woman sought damages because an accident effected her marital intimacy.

There is one section, roughly 2 pages, where Lanier references the cultural treatment of homosexuality, in an example. I do think a different example could have been used, as I wouldn’t want some of his more ambiguous statements on the topic to be misconstrued by readers.

In the section on Secular Spiritualism (p. 182), Lanier discusses “human rights” for homosexuals, expressing that it is possible to not condone a lifestyle, yet still “detest name calling and mistreatment of another.” He then discusses the passage of Bostock v. Clayton County Georgia (prohibiting the firing of employees on the grounds of sexual preference), which secular society applauds, arguing that there is no basis for secular society to care about “the mistreatment of gay and lesbians.” He goes on to talk about how Christians recognize that each person sins, but that does not diminish any one person’s value. I heartily agree with Lanier’s statement about human value. At the same time, I am grieved at the current climate that elevates a lifestyle that Scripture clearly describes as wrong. I also disagree with Lanier’s assertion that there’s a genetic disposition to homosexuality.

Recommendation Status
Religions on Trial is an engaging and informative read. In terms of genre, I would locate it somewhere between exposition and apologetics. While the book isn’t about weighing or proving Christianity (that, I believe, is what the first book in the trilogy covers), Lanier makes it very clear that he is writing from the perspective of someone who is a Christian– and as someone who actively seeks truth.

I believe this book is intended for those who are seeking truth, and my desire is that the Lord would indeed use it in that way. For Christian readers, the book does provide interesting historical context and background information on other religion, as well. Recommended for readers who enjoy nonfiction and are interested in learning just a little bit more about other religions.

Religions on Trial by W. Mark Lainier is an insightful look at world religions through the gaze of a lawyer.

What I liked
-Lanier is respectful to the point of view of each culture that a religion comes from as well as to nuance of belief within a given religion.
-While utilizing a legal lens the author has kept language use and format accessible for the general reader
-Author Bias and lens is admitted early within the text.

What didn't work for me as well
- Their were sections were personal stories and examples really overtook the majority of the topic and this didn't balance well with the author's legal perspective

Who I would recommend this book for

This Book will be a good fit for fans of Lainier's previous work and for those wanting to begin the process of shifting through the myriad of religious perspectives available to them in the modern world.

A very chatty and informal style to a powerful book. The author takes each religion in 3 groups and takes them through his 6 big tests for credibility. The legal way of thinking is very logical and the review of each belief and religion is dissected and considered through the tests. This is an easy read in terms of language and a very interesting approach to take on a mammoth subject. What didn’t quite work for me was the overly informal style mixed with the legal lens - what his friend Jerry did at a bbq clashed for me with the topic. Wfh interesting though.