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- Ronald Nash, Faith and Reason (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988),109.
- George Mavrodes, Belief in God: A Study in the Epistemology of Religion (Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 1970),40.
- These arguments can be used deductively or inductively; they are used deductively here.
- Nash, Faith and Reason, 117-118.
- John Frame is a presuppositionalist, but his illustration here is applicable to hypothetical arguments, also.
- John M. Frame, Apologetics to the Glory of God: An Introduction (Phillipsburg, NJ.: P&R Publishing, 1994),35-36.
- Ibid., 39.
- The classic statement on presuppositionalism is Cornelius Van Til's The Defense of the Faith, 3d ed. (Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1967).
- Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974),83-84.
- C. Sanders, Introduction in Research in English Literary History (New York: MacMillan, 1952),143. (it might be noteworthy to mention that Sanders is a professor of military history, not a theologian. He uses these three tests of reliability in his own study of historical military events.)
- Merrill F. Unger, Famous Archaeological Discoveries (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1957),72.
- R. Laird Harris, Can I Trust My Bible? (Chicago: Moody Press, 1963),124.
- Ibid., 129-30.
- Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Handbook (Chicago: Moody, 1967),892.
- Ibid.
- Ibid
- Sir Frederic Kenyon, The Bible and Archaeology (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1940), 288 ff.
- B. F. Westcott, and F. J. A. Hort, eds., New Testament in Original Greek, 1881, vol. 11, 2.
- Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict (San Bernardino, Ca.: Here's Life Publishers, 1979),63.
- Ibid.
- Ibid., 65.
- Jaroslav Pelikan, Jesus Through the Centuries (New York: Harper & Row, 1985), 1.
- F.F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? (Chicago: Inter-Varsity, 1943),108.
- Ibid., 101.
- Ibid., 117.
- Ibid., 118.
- Ibid., 119.
- C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: MacMillan, 1952), 40-41.
- William Lane Craig, The Son Rises (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981),53.
General Apologetics
Boa, Ken and Larry Moody. I'm Glad You Asked: In-depth Answers to difficult Questions About Christianity. Colorado Springs: ChariotVictor Publishing, 1994. Respond to objections typically posed against Christianity. The authors have included charts to show the flow of thought with each subject.
Carnell, Edward John. An Introduction to Christian Apologetics: A Philosophic Defense, of the Trinitarian-Theistic Faith. Grand Rapids: Eerdrnans, 1948. This award-winning book is long out-of-print, but it should be published again. If you run across a copy, buy it.
Dyrness, William. Christian Apologetics in a World Community. Downers Grove, Ill.: lnterVarsity Press, 1983. A very helpful introduction to apologetics including basic issues; a brief history of apologetics; a defense of God's "project" in the world; and responses to the specific challenges of science, Eastern religion, and the problem of evil.
Frame, John M. Apologetics to the Glory of God: An Introduction. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R Publishing, 1994. A recent exposition of presuppositional apologetics. Frame corrects some of Van Til's excesses while retaining the main ideas.
Geisler, Norman L. Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1976. This is a textbook for courses in Christian apologetics, so it is very detailed and at times rather tedious reading. It presents a complete defense of Christianity from a philosophical viewpoint and can be very helpful.
McGrath, Alister. Explaining Your Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. A good introduction to communicating your faith with rather brief but to-the-point responses to typical questions and objections
________. Intellectuals Don't Need God and Other Modern Myths. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993. If you are only going to buy one book on apologetics this year, buy this one. So much of Christian apologetics is philosophical in orientation. McGrath wraps his apologetics around his theology. This book includes discussions on the theological grounds for apologetics- points of contact with non-believers; the nature of faith; barriers to faith; and other issues just. as important in doing apologetics as having the answers to specific challenges.
Moreland, J.P. Love Your God With All Your Mind. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1997. The three fundamentals of doing apologetics are knowing what you believe (doctrine), knowing how to think (logic, or informal logic), and knowing what others believe ... in that order. In an excellent book on the Christian mind, Moreland includes a chapter on correct logical thinking. If you can't find this volume, or if you want more, go to your local library and get a text on informal fallacies (or logical thinking). It will do wonders for you in helping you to see weaknesses in others' arguments and even in your own thinking!
Packer, J.1. and Thomas Howard. Christianity: The True Humanism. Waco, Tex.: Word Books, 1975. This is one of the few books that I buy (when I can find a copy; it's out of print) just to give away. It isn't enough in doing apologetics to have the factual and logical answers to challenges. We need to also display the Gospel of Christ in all its glory which includes its meaning for us on this earth. The authors ask, "What do we need to be human?" and then show the meaning of our faith in chapters on freedom, hope, health and virtue, dignity, and others. An truly uplifting book.
Van Til, Cornelius. A Defense of the Faith. Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1955. The classic statement of presuppositional apologetics. Presuppositionalism is either typically hailed or reviled as an apologetics strategy. It shouldn't be dismissed solely on the basis of the objections of detractors. Van Til's apologetics is (intended to be) governed by his theology. It comes last in the theological encyclopedia rather than first.
Watkins, William and Norman L. Geisler. Perspectives: Understanding and Evaluating Today's World Views. San Bernardino, Calif.: Here's Life, 1984. This book examines seven different world views and argues for the truth of Christianity. It is very readable and very helpful.
God
Brooks, Ron and Norman L. Geisler. When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor, 1990. This book addresses a variety of issues in Christian apologetics, from the existence of God to the authority of the Bible and the nature of humanity. It is very readable, and its handbook format makes it easy for the reader to find answers to specific questions without searching through the whole book.
McGrath, Alister E. The Sunnier Side of Doubt. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1990. It may seem odd to include a book on doubt here, but it really is appropriate. Like the Yancey book noted below, this is written to believers who are having doubts about their faith. It is very readable and very encouraging. Highly recommended.
Montgomery, John W., ed. Evidence for Faith: Deciding the God Question. Richardson, Tex.: Probe, 1991. This is a collection of essays by scientists who argue that their various disciplines actually provide more evidence for Christianity. As with any multi-author work, some chapters are better than others, but it is extremely thought-provoking and should be very helpful in a college environment
Moreland, J. P., and Kai Nielson. Does God Exist? The Great Debate. Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 1990. This book consists of an actual debate between a theist (J. P. Moreland) and an atheist (Kai Nielson). It includes responses from two other theists (William Lane Craig and Dallas Willard) and two other atheists (Antony Flew and Keith Parsons). All of these men are philosophers, so the debate can be rather challenging at times, but it is a very helpful work for those who want to explore these issues in some depth.
Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1973. Before defending God, it's good to know what he's like! This well-loved book takes the reader through some important attributes of God. Packer is a theologian with a pastor's heart.
Yancey, Philip. Disappointment With God: Three Questions No One Asks Aloud. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1988. This is a wonderful book that asks some of the hard questions of life. Is God unfair? Is God silent? Is God hidden? For those whose faith in God is being stretched by doubts or trials, this book should be required reading. It is sensitive, biblical, and extremely insightful. Read it !!
The Bible
Bruce, F. F. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1960. This is a helpful book by a highly respected New Testament scholar. He argues for the historical authenticity and reliability of the New Testament.
Geisler Norman L. and William E. Nix. A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody, 1968. This book is titled appropriately, for it provides a general overview of the nature of the Bible, the meaning of inspiration, and the reliability of the biblical manuscripts. It is very helpful and very readable.
Goodrick, Edward W. Is My Bible the Inspired Word of God? Portland, Ore.: Multnomah, 1988. This book describes the difference between the original autographs of Scripture, currently available manuscripts, and modern translations. It is very clear and encourages the reader to have confidence in the Scriptures.
McDowell, Josh. Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith. San Bernardino, Calif.: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1972. One of the most helpful apologetics books available, this work discusses the uniqueness of the Bible, demonstrates the strength of its manuscript support, and also examines the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
______ More Evidence that Demands a Verdict: Historical Evidences for the Christian Faith. San Bernardino, Calif.: Campus Crusade for Christ, 1975. This sequel to McDowell's first book focuses on higher criticism and scholarly attempts to undermine the authenticity of the biblical text. Very thorough and very helpful.
Yamauchi, Edwin. The Stones and the Scriptures: An Introduction to Biblical Archaeology . Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 1972. Quite thorough for an introduction, this book argues that archaeological discoveries continue to support the truth of the biblical text.
Jesus
Craig, William Lane. The Son Rises: The Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus. Chicago: Moody, 1981. This is an excellent book that thoroughly defends the resurrection of Jesus from a historical perspective. It is well-reasoned and very readable. Highly recommended.
Erickson, Millard J. The Word Became Flesh: A Contemporary Incarnational Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991. Feel like digging into some good theological meat? To be a good apologist means knowing what you believe. Nothing will help prepare you better for doing apologetics than having a good doctrinal knowledge.
Fernando, Ajith. The Supremacy of Christ. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossways Books, 1995. "As a very capable Bible scholar, an effective evangelist, and a leading theologian with many years of experience in Buddhist and Hindu contexts, Ajith Fernando is especially qualified to address one of the most controversial issues of our day -- the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a pluralistic world. His sensitive, informed, and thoroughly biblical treatment of the subject should be read carefully by all interested in the current debate." Harold Netland, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Kennedy, James and Jerry Newcombe. What if Jesus Had Never Been Born? Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994. While the influence of Jesus by itself doesn't prove His deity, one has to wonder what kind of Man could have so greatly influenced the world for two millennia. This book also helps the reader respond to objections about all the terrible things Christians have done through the ages. It shows the good things that have come from the church.
Morison, Frank. Who Moved the Stone? London: Faber & Faber, 1930. Reprint. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1958. This book was written by a man who intended to disprove the resurrection. In his studies he became convinced that it had actually occurred, and this book presents the evidence that changed his mind.
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