Good Apologetic Books

[Kenny]

Anyone know of any good Apologetic books or authors other than Ravi Zacharias and Josh McDowell (sp?, sry)?

[Soulfyre]

Yes. Here are a few to get you kick-started:

The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer

Testing Christianity's Truth Claims, by Gordon R. Lewis, Chairman of the Philosophy of Religion Department and a Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Denver Seminary in Colorado

The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus, The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God
, The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity, The Case for Easter: A Journalist Investigates the Evidence for the Resurrection, and nearly anything else by Lee Strobel

Mere Christianity, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain, by C. S. Lewis

Handbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial Question, by Peter Kreeft and Ronald J. Tacelli. Peter Kreeft is a Roman Catholic whose wit and ease with apologetics make him an heir to C. S. Lewis.

To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview: Essays in Honor of Norman L. Geisler, edited by Francis J. Beckwith, William Lane Craig, and J. P. Moreland (why restrict yourself to one author when you can benefit by articles from so many?)

Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics, by William Lane Craig

The Deadliest Monster: A Christian Introduction to Worldviews, by J. F. Baldwin. I am not personally familiar with this writer, so I recommend this book cautiously. Nevertheless, what part I read of it was riveting.

Defending Your Faith: An Introduction to Apologetics, and Classical Apologetics, by R. C. Sproul

There are, of course, MANY more. And there are more than a few authors that specialize in specific areas, such as Philip Johnson. But these will certainly get you started.

In Christ,

Matthew (soulfyre)

[rgrove]

I would recommend presuppositional works. The classical apologetical works given by Soulfyre are good, but I consider presuppositionalism to be superior. I also learn a little better by hearing, so I would also recommend the MP3 downloads listed below as a useful learning tool. In this vein I would recommend:

Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith by Greg Bahnsen
Peter's Apologetic - 4 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
The Apologetic Implications of Self-Deception - 2 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Practical Apologetics - 5 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Challenge to Unbelief - 4 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
www.cmfnow.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=207&1=448&2=-1]The Place of Evidence in Apologetics - 3 MP3 Lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Apologetics to the Glory of God by John Frame
Every Thought Captive: A Study Manual for the Defense of Christian Truth by Richard Pratt (waiting for my copy to arrive, but I've heard it's a nice introductory text)

More advanced and should definitely be read or listened to after the fundamental principles of presuppositionalism (available in the resources above) are reasonably well understood:

Van Til's Apologetic: Reading and Analysis by Greg Bahnsen. This is really the definitive work on Van Til's apologetic by the man most capable of doing it. Fortunately the Lord let Bahnsen live just long enough to finish this effort. He passed away very soon after it was finished. Praise be to God that He let Bahnsen finish his career on this extraordinary note.
Theistic Proof, Rationality & Fideism - 3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
A Biblical Introduction to Apologetics - 31 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Mid-Level Course in Apologetics - 18 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Transcendental Arguments - 10 MP3 lectures by Greg Bahnsen
Cornelius Van Til: An Analysis of his Thought by John Frame
The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God by John Frame
Defense of the Faith by Cornelius Van Til
Christian Apologetics by Cornelius Van Til
A Christian Theory of Knowledge by Cornelius Van Til

And here are some very interesting debates that are also available at the Christian Media Foundation:

The Bahnsen/Sproul Debate over Apologetic Method - 2 MP3 files with the debate and a 3rd MP3 file where Bahnsen lectures on the differences between the Classical and Presuppositional methods
The Great Debate: Does God Exist - 2 MP3 files containing the Bahnsen/Stein debate. If you've read or listened to some of the introductory material on presuppositionalism you can hear how Bahnsen uses this method in a real life situation. He always stresses that the study of apologetic method is not the same as the practice of really doing apologetics. I listened to this debate after I already had decent knowledge of presuppositionalism, but I think it might be very good to listen to it first, then study the basics, and then listen to it again.
Does God Exist? A Debate - 2 MP3 files containing a debate between Bahnsen and the Atheist lawyer Edward Tabash. CMF's description is well worded: "a great follow-up to the Bahnsen/Stein debate. Witness again how an atheist fails to wrestle with fundamental philosophical issues."
Does the Triune God Live? - 2 MP3 files with the debate itself and a 3rd MP3 file with analysis of the debate. CMF aptly says "Pastor Wilson and atheist Dan Barker publically debated the proposition: "Does the Triune God Live?" at the University of Delaware. This exciting exchange demonstrates the arbitariness and inconsistency in the unbelieving worldview."

Other excellent apologetic lectures are available by Bahnsen that I didn't list above at this web page. The Critical Thinking course, the Michael Martin lectures, and the philosophy stuff are excellent as well.

Hope this helps you look into an alternative (and a superior one in my opinion) to the classical method which can only show that there's a high probability of proof that God exists, but is incapable of proving Christianity to be true. Make no mistake, the presuppositional method via the transcendental argument for the existence of God is completely Christian. The argument can quite simply be summed up in by saying that the only worldview that provides the preconditions for intelligibility of the world we live in is a worldview that is based totally and completely upon the ontological trinity.

Yours In Christ,
Ron

[Soulfyre]

I must admit, Ron, that aside from a "road to Damascus experience", I also find the presuppositional approach best, at least in establishing the grounds for communication. BTW, thanks for the MP3 recommendations!

Incidentally, what do you think of Greg Bahnsen? (sorry...I just couldn't resist! ;D)

In Christ,

Matthew (soulfyre)

[rgrove]

Soulfyre said:

Incidentally, what do you think of Greg Bahnsen? (sorry...I just couldn't resist! ;D)

Hehehe...

Well, I have to say that some people have a way of relating very complex things to people in a way that they can understand. Dr. Bahnsen had a way about him that he made the most complex things you can think about within the grasp of my lowly understanding. I tried reading Van Til directly at first, but it was a disaster. I was clueless. Between the tone of his writings (somewhat polemical) and his vocabulary (frequently over my head) I was lost... KCsr, who you've already met here, recommended I listen to Dr. Bahnsen and get his works on the topic. I did and it was a lifesaver for me or I never would have understood presuppositionalism and the transcendental argument for the existence of God proprely. I never thought I'd see the day where one of my favortite things to read on was epistemology. That day has come and it's largely because of Bahnsen's work. Others have written well, but for me, Bahnsen will always have a special place. I truly do look forward to meeting this great saint of God's in glory one day.

Yours In Christ,
Ron

P.S. - He was also instrumental in my "conversion" from amillennialism to postmillennialism. So I highly recommend his lectures on CMF regarding eschatology as well.