Introduction : Vital fluids

Beer in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

1. A Stone Age brew

2. Civilized beer

Wine in Greece and Rome.

3. The delight of wine

4. The imperial vine

Spirits in the Colonial Period.

5. High spirits, high seas

6. The drinks that built America

Coffee in the Age of Reason.

7. The great soberer

8. The coffeehouse internet

Tea and the British Empire.

9. Empires of tea

10. Tea power

Cocal-Cola and the rise of America.

11. From soda to cola

12. Globalization in a bottle

Epilogue : Back to the source

Appendix : In search of ancient drinks

For many young adults, the college years are an exciting period of self discovery full of new relationships, new independence, and new experiences. Yet college can also be a time of personal testing and intense questioning, especially for Christian students confronted with various challenges to Christianity and the Bible for the first time. Drawing on years of experience as a biblical scholar, Michael Kruger addresses common objections to the Christian faith -- the exclusivity of Christianity, Christian intolerance, homosexuality, hell, the problem of evil, science, miracles, and the reliability of the Bible. If you're a student dealing with doubt or wrestling with objections to Christianity from fellow students and professors alike, this book will equip you to engage secular challenges with intellectual honesty, compassion, and confidence -- and ultimately graduate college with your faith intact. - Publisher.

Introduction -- I'm worried about being a Christian at a secular university. How Will I Survive? -- My professors are really smart. Isn't it more likely that they're right and I'm wrong? -- There are a lot of different views here. How can we say that Christianity is the only right religion? -- My Christian morals are viewed as hateful and intolerant. Shouldn't I be more loving and accepting? -- I have gay friends who are kind, wonderful, and happy. Are we sure that homosexuality is really wrong? -- The concept of hell seems barbaric and cruel. Wouldn't a loving God save everyone? -- There's so much suffering in the world. How could a good God allow such evil? -- Science seems like it can explain everything in the universe. Do we really need to believe in God? -- I'm finding it harder to believe events like the resurrection. How can I believe in miracles if i've never seen one? -- Everything I believe seems to hinge on the truth of the Bible. How do we know it's really from God? -- My professor keeps pointing out contradictions in the Gospels. Can I still trust them? -- I'm being told that ancient scribes changed the words of the New Testament thousands of times. Is that true? -- My professor says that books were left out of our Bibles. Can we be sure we have the right ones? -- Some parts of the Bible seem morally troubling. How can a book be from God if it advocates oppression or genocide? -- Sometimes it feels like my faith is slipping away. How do I handle doubts about what I believe? -- Postscript : What do I do if it feels like Christianity just isn't working for me?