#200 Christian Apologetics Books
February 14, 2011Dr. Craig,
I listened to one of your talks about christian apologists in which you rattled off a few really important books which are of value to a christian apologist... I hurriedly scribbled down your recommendations, (Gundry's commentary on Mark, Acts in the Hellenistic Setting, The Logic of God Incarnate, and others). I then realised that what I really needed was a a "Dr. Craig recommends" section of your website. I wonder, would you consider taking a moment to look around your library and compile a list of books and resources that you recommend as essential for a christian apologist? If you could compile these as a list, I would be most grateful, and I know that many others would be, as well. Thanks much.
Stephen
Australia
Dr. craig’s response
A
Christian apologetics books
I get this question from time to time, Stephen, so I put together a short list of helpful Christian apologetics books. More extensive bibliographies are to be found in Reasonable Faith, after each respective chapter. This bibliography is structured according to the main sub-divisions of the field of Christian Apologetics. I have ranked each entry as “Beginner,” “Intermediate,” or “Advanced.” I hope this will be helpful to you in your studies.
SELECT APOLOGETICS BIBLIOGRAPHY
William Lane Craig
B = Beginner
I = Intermediate
A = Advanced
I. GENERAL CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS BOOKS
Boa, Ken and Bowman, Robert. Faith Has Its Reasons. Colorado Springs: Nav Press, 2001. (B)
Campbell-Jack, Campbell. New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 2006. (B)
Cowan, Steven. Five Views on Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. (I)
Craig, William Lane. On Guard. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2010. (B)
________. Reasonable Faith. Third ed. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008. (I)
Critical Questions Booklet Series. Atlanta: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, 1999- ). Series of twelve booklets on crucial apologetic topics. (B)
Dulles, Avery. A History of Apologetics. London: Hutchinson, 1971. (I)
Evans, Stephen. Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 2002. (B)
Little, Paul. Know What and Why You Believe. Minneapolis: Worldwide Publications, 1980. (B)
II. OFFENSIVE (POSITIVE) CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS BOOKS
A. NATURAL THEOLOGY
Behe, Michael. The Edge of Evolution. New York: Free Press, 2007. (I)
Boa, Ken and Bowman, Robert. 20 Compelling Evidences that God Exists. Tulsa: River Oak, 2002. (B)
Copan, Paul and Moser, Paul. The Rationality of Theism. London: Routledge, 2003. (A)
Craig, William Lane Craig and Moreland, J. P. The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. (A)
Craig, William Lane and Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. God?: A Debate between a Christian and an Atheist. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. (I)
Garcia, Robert and King, Nathan, eds. Is Goodness without God Good Enough? Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008. (A)
Strobel, Lee. The Case for a Creator. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004. (B)
Wallace, Stan, ed. Does God Exist? Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2003. (A)
B. CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES
Craig, William Lane. The Son Rises. Eugene, Ore.: Wipf & Stock, 2000. (B)
________. Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus. Lewiston, N.Y.: Edwin Mellen, 2002. (A)
Evans, Craig. Fabricating Jesus. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 2006 (I)
France, R. T. The Evidence for Jesus. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1986. (B)
Green, Joel, et al., eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 1992. (A)
Gundry, Robert H. Mark: A Commentary on his Apology for the Cross. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1993. (A)
Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 1990. (I)
Hemer, Colin. The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990. (A)
Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998. (B)
Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2003. (A)
III. DEFENSIVE (NEGATIVE) CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS BOOKS
A. OBJECTIONS TO THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Craig, William Lane and Moreland, J. P. Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview.Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 2003. (I)
Murray, Michael. Nature Red in Tooth and Claw. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. (I)
________. ed. Reason for the Hope Within. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1999. (I)
Plantinga, Alvin. God, Freedom, and Evil. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1974. (A)
Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000. (B)
B. OBJECTIONS TO CHRISTIANITY
Boyd, Gregory. Cynic, Sage, or Son of God? Wheaton: Victor Books, 1995. (I)
Copan, Paul. Is God a Moral Monster? Grand Rapids: Baker, 2010. (B)
________. “True for You, But Not for Me.” Minneapolis: Bethany, 1998. (B)
________. That’s Just Your Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001. (B)
________, ed. Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up? Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998. (B)
Copan, Paul and Tacelli, Ronald. Jesus’ Resurrection: Fact or Figment? Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 2000. (B)
Craig, William Lane and Copan, Paul, eds. Contending with Christianity's Critics. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman and Holman, 2009. (I)
Craig, William Lane and Ehrman, Bart D. “Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus?” (B)
Craig, William Lane and Meister, Chad, eds. God Is Great, God Is Good. Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity, 2009. (I)
Johnson, Luke. The Real Jesus. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1996. (B)
Wallace, Dan. “The Gospel according to Bart.” http://bible.org/article/gospel-according-bart (B)
Wilkins, Michael and Moreland, J.P., eds. Jesus under Fire. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. (I)
- William Lane Craig