Back when I reviewed Three Philosophies of Life, I said I would have to read more of Peter Kreeft's work. Well, I finally got around to that. (Not my fault that the library doesn't carry much of his stuff.) I had read Plato's account of the trial of Socrates in Philosophy and Contemporary Issues and immediately recalled this title. When I was up at Harvest Logos looking for an Ezekiel bible study, I peeked to see if this was on the shelf and when I found it I succumbed to temptation and impulsively bought it. Anyway, this is written in play format and has Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, appearing at "Have It University" in Boston. He finds himself enrolled in courses in the divinity school there and spends the rest of the book questioning and challenging his fellow students and a couple of his teachers. All in all, it came across as a thinly veiled course in apologetics. A fairly one sided course, at that. Socrates opponents are all caught off guard and in the end, Socrates "meets Jesus" and becomes convinced of Christianity's truthfulness. I would imagine that the real apostate and heterodox Christians would be a bit harder to confound. Be that as it may, I'm keeping the book. The drama may be weak, but Kreeft is a wonderful writer and has this real poetic way of describing God's relationship with his people. I really was moved by Socrates' wonder at the reality of God taking on human form, which in turn colored my own thoughts as I worshiped this Christmas. So why I have to be honest about the book's flaws, I do recommend that you check it out despite them.
--J. ( )

If we were to revive Socrates, what would he think of today’s world?

This is a light-hearted—dare I say “cute” without offending Kreeft—conversation with the most famous of all philosophers. Socrates, who lived long before Jesus came on the scene, awakens in the 21st century and enrolls in a divinity school. In typical Socratic pursuit, he aims at uncovering the truth about the Bible and this man, Jesus, who made such a profound impact on the world. Jesus, he learns, was God in the flesh. Not a God, but the God. Remarkable! Who could ever believe in a “one and only” God?

Socrates discusses Jesus with fellow students Bertha Broadmind, Tomas Keptic, and Molly Mooney, and soon takes on the professors themselves, leaving them in a bewildered state of confusion about everything they thought they understood. By the book’s end, Socrates takes on the big question—the resurrection—and comes to a startling conclusion.

An enjoyable read! ( )