In a pluralistic society all religions are equally true. Zacharias claims that this is an impossibility because the various religions do not give the same answers to the vital issues and questions which confront life. When these issues are thoroughly worked out, it is discovered that Jesus Christ is unique—He is not like other gods, nor is His message the same as other religions.
To demonstrate this thesis Zacharias considers six questions that Jesus answered differently from all other major religious. Jesus’ answers prove His uniqueness but, more than that, they provide evidence for His claims. The questions deal with:
• The false claim of pluralism.
• The true claims of Christ.
• The purpose of life.
• Troublesome concerns such as pain and evil.
• The role of our presuppositions.
• The inroads of Eastern religions into the Western world.
Zacharias defends the Christian faith primarily from the accounts found in the Gospels and then contrasts these findings with the teachings of other world religions and philosophers. Growing up in India gives him a solid understanding of Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism which is most helpful in light of growing acceptance of these religions today. The book reads well, is full of helpful illustrations and quotes, and is convincing. However, I did not appreciate Jesus Among Other Gods as much as I did his earlier work, Can Man Live Without God. And I find disturbing the author’s sympathy toward Roman Catholic authors and leaders: Mother Teresa (p. 134), Malcolm Muggeridge (p. 135), G. K. Chesterton (p. 137) and Henri Nouwen (p. 182). Still this volume is interesting and helpful.