The Air We Breathe

Sam Chan

We long for justice, freedom, and equality. We believe that each and every human being—no matter how rich or poor, powerful or weak—deserves fairness, dignity and respect. But where does this vision come from? Why are we so zealous for it? What if our values aren’t as self-evident as we think they are? This is why Glen Scrivener’s The Air We Breathe is a must-read for anyone who benefits from being WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic). This book will give us the basis for our shared vision. It will give us the story behind our values. By reading this book, we will humbly acknowledge the Composer from whose songsheet we’re singing.

John Dickson

Glen Scrivener has done us a great favour. He has taken lengthy, scholarly (and sometimes boring) history tomes and transposed their ideas into something exciting, crystal clear, and almost impossible to put down. His central thesis is that our contemporary “secular” beliefs about equality, compassion, sexual consent and even progress all ultimately derive from the Christian faith. This thesis is not so controversial in learned circles, but with a few more books like it may soon become common knowledge. I hope this book is very widely read.

“Insightful application of History for Today”

The author understands the the cultural struggles of our day and effectively points out western history for those who likely have taken for granted-the air we breathe with regard to ‘rights’. Succinct, compelling, and well done. I learned fresh evidence for understanding the contrast The Jesus revolution brought about. Useful for the skeptical and seasoned teacher!

“A must read for serious evangelism”

Glen Scrivener's The Air We Breathe provides believers and non-believers alike with a timely reminder that in an increasingly hostile and uninformed environment our faith is strongly evidence-based.

Rather than attacking the self-refuting contradictions of postmodernism, the premise is simple and positive: as fish are forgetful of water, our western world is forgetful, even ignorant, of its Judeo-Christian heritage. He builds a sure, cumulative case for the Christian origins for the values which underpin a now unconscious foundation not simply of the historical West, but even of the excesses of identity politics, itself

This book is readable, accessible, even entertaining, despite its critically important and weighty thesis. It's evident from the outset, in its careful construction, that the author knows exactly where he's taking the reader, the route he's taking and exactly what the reader will find.

By the eighth chapter, the vast cultural impact of the Christian gospel on Western values is drawn inexorably together into a truly powerful statement - not simply a cultural statement, but a truly coherent faith statement.

This is certainly good apologetics. In a disarming and generous way it destroys the public stereotypes, caricatures and ignorance which has always muddied the waters of sincere discussion.

This can never be a work wherein (in absurdist postmodern terms), the reader determines its meaning. Rather, it points us in a winsome, appealing and sure-footed way to 'the Author and Perfecter of our faith.'

“Best read of 2023”

For me, this was my favourite book of 2023. It proves that western society has been indelibly influenced by Christianity and how values such as equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, and freedom stem from 2000 years of Christian influence and how, ironically, a post-Christian western society resists faith on the basis of such values. It’s both an encouragement to the believer and a soundly formed provocation to the sceptic.

“Must read”

Glen Scrivener has a fresh and inspiring way of using words. The Air We Breathe is a book that begins by informing the reader of the many different cultural standards and expectations of ancient civilisations and cultures. The first chapter covers the very earliest records and historians up until the appearance of Jesus and is necessary to understand the rest of the book. Seven chapters follow, each focusing on a particular value of today’s western culture, i.e. equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, freedom and progress. In each chapter, today’s value is compared and explained against the standard experienced in those ancient societies. Again, this is done with fresh and engaging wording.

For me, this book both educated and liberated me by connecting so many dots. Our since-Jesus expectations of behaviour and standards compared against pre-Jesus times became mind blowingly obvious once it was brought to life through this book. The basis of western society’s values and expectations are based on the radical ideas presented and was condemned. However, his followers continued on with these radically different ideas and today they form the foundation of the ideas on which we expect all humanity to live. I’m so very grateful to have read this book.

“How to change 'animal human' to empathic human”

It is hard to disagree with many of the comments already made about this book by Glen Scrivener. I was fascinated by his approach, in particular how human beings were at the time, and for some centuries after Christ, and how they are now. He is of course quite right to say the belief that humans should show compassion empathy and love to their fellow kind is not natural and was brought about by Jesus. I suspect that most people who feel that this is natural, humanitarians for instance, have completely missed how much Christianity has changed the Western world in particular. We can still see typical human behaviour in Russia, China, North Korea and a number of other states in the world. This book is a must read for all who really want to know what Christianity is about. In summary Glenn has pointed out that Christ brought about the change of animal human to truly human.

“Fantastic book”

Absolutely fascinating, eye opening book not only explaining how Jesus has shaped western culture but also putting forward the argument that his death and resurrection are something we should all put our faith in. Great book for believers and non believers alike.

“Offensive Apologetics!”

Though it shouldn’t be judged by its cover, it is well worth getting the physical copy for the cover is a great work of design making it immediately appealing. Thankfully the contents of the book live up to the high expectations that the cover sets.

If the best form of defence is a good offense, that’s where this book steps in. The many defensive apologetic books are so helpful, but this one puts what we believe on the front foot. Glen Scrivener shows how the values western society champions today, such as equality, compassion, freedom and progress, all arise out of the Christian faith. He does so by merging biblical teaching with historical recounting and myth busting.

Glen writes with three audiences in mind: those who have no faith, those who are giving up on the Christian faith and the already convinced believer. He writes in his usual creative yet compelling way that draws the reader in. Read it to be encouraged and buy a copy to give to an unbelieving friend.

“An excellent, helpful and faith-affirming book.”

This is an excellent book which thoroughly debunks the myth that Christianity has not had a profound and transformative influence for good on how we see the world. It certainly has and continues to do so in so many of the attitudes and assumtions that we take for granted today. This is a very readable, accessible, helpful and faith-affirming book and I loved it.

“A great book to give to an unbeliever!”

In the pages of this excellent book, Glen Scrivener opens up two thousand years of history: from the current day pandemic and social justice wars through to the very beginning in the Book of Genesis, there is a strong biblical narrative that weaves its way like a watermark throughout all of human history. From the world of ancient Greek mythology, to the brutality of the Roman empire, the Medieval period and the Reformation of the Church in the Sixteenth Century, through to the great evil of Nazi Germany and the civil rights movement of the 1960s and into modern times, there is the inescapable fact that humanity has a deeper value and this points to the God who created us and sent His Son to die for us.

The author also helpfully takes us on a brief tour of the Enlightenment period, science, philosophy and atheism through to the political issues of the modern day and explores all the different attempts to suppress Christian faith throughout the centuries. But the Christian Gospel cannot be eliminated, because all of the values and morals that society needs to hold onto point to something deeper:

“The Kingdom without the King is not a place of liberation so much as a place of judgement. But in this democratic republic, we are all the judges, and we are all the judged. We desperately need a person above and beyond the values - a person who does not simply expect our best but who forgives our worst.” (p201)

In closing, not only was this such an enjoyable and educational read, but I often find it a challenge to find a suitable modern book to give to an unbeliever - but I would not hesitate to present “The Air We Breathe” to someone who is wanting to explore the Christian faith.

Disclaimer: The Good Book Company provided me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.