Hundreds of people from all over Southern California filled Sutherland Auditorium to celebrate the breakout new book by Craig Hazen, Five Sacred Crossings Thurs., May 8. Speaking at the event were Dr. Hazen and faculty members J.P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds. Professor Todd Lewis, chair of the communications studies department at Biola, did a dramatic reading of a portion of this new novel that has made it into the top twenty in the "Christian Faith" category on Amazon.com.

In his lecture Moreland explained difficult challenges Christians face from the "new atheism" and the negative attitudes of the general populace toward Evangelicals. He said that in order to counter this we must engage the creative arts to get our message across to a dying world. Moreland said that the novel Five Sacred Crossings was a sterling example of this and thinks the book is a significant leap forward in how we impact the culture.

Reynolds likewise praised the book as an effective and creative tool for evangelism and communication of the Christian worldview that is gaining a tremendous following.

Hazen spoke about some classroom experiences at secular colleges that led to basic ideas at the center of the novel. Hundreds bought the book at the event and had them signed by the author.

One person in attendance said, "The Lord has used the apologetics program at Biola University to transform my faith. I just can't tell you how much all of this means to me and my family."