Ten best books on apologetics


Christian apologetics is the study of the philosophy and method of defending the Christian faith. 

Since taking apologetics courses in seminary, and over 35 years of pastoral ministry, I have found these books to be the most helpful to me. 

Admittedly, they range from presuppositional to evidential in their approach -- but I have discovered that God freely uses a variety of means in bringing people to himself. 



Blomberg, Craig L. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (IVP Academic, 2007).  This is a very good, scholarly overview on that topic.  

Geisler, Norman L., and Turek, Frank. I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Crossway, 2004). An excellent walk-through of the evidences for, and reasons why, we believe.  

Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith (IVP Academic, 2011). This is a larger reference work, and very worthwhile to have; it covers many of the issues and topics related to apologetics.

Keller, Tim. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (Penguin Books, 2009). With warmth and insight, Keller answers the main objections that postmodern people have toward Christianity; very readable.  

Lennox, John. God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? (Lion Books, 2009).  Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, is so helpful in explaining the uses and limitations of the scientific method.  

Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity (1952; Harper One, 2015). This is a timeless classic by the famous Oxford don, being his explanation of the moral law argument for God's existence.  

Machen, J. Gresham. Christianity and Liberalism (1923; Eerdmans, 2009).  This is a classic defense of Christianity, written to counter the religious liberalism that arose in the early 1900s. He succinctly contrasts scriptural doctrine with the teachings of liberalism.   

Montgomery, John Warwick. History, Law, and Christianity (NRP Books, 1964, 2015). Apologist and legal scholar presents the soundness of the evidences of Christ's resurrection and deity. 

Oliphint, K. Scott.  Covenantal Apologetics: Principles and Practice in Defense of Our Faith (Crossway, 2013).  An introduction to understanding God-centered apologetics, taking into consideration our sinful human condition and the role of assumptions and presuppositions.  

Schaeffer, Francis.  The Trilogy: Three Essential Books in One Volume (Crossway, 1990). This is a collection of three classic works by a man who worked many years with questioning students.  Includes the following: The God Who Is There; Escape from Reason; and He Is There and He Is Not Silent.

Honorable mention: Pensées ["Thoughts"], by Blaise Pascal (Publ., 1670). A collection of thoughts from a brilliant French polymath, regarding his defense of Christianity, written during the latter years of his life. 


[Image credit above: Kelli McClintock on Unsplash.]


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