Get Started

The following are resources that I think every budding apologist should read or be fairly familiar with. The levels which I assign to them are my own opinion, and should be taken to mean the lowest range. That is to say, if something is under the category of "intermediate," it means I believe only someone who is relatively familiar with apologetics material should get into this. The beginner stage is popular-level, the intermediate stage is a mixture of this and some scholarly material, and the advanced is strictly scholarly. This list can change, and by no means is meant to be exhaustive or exclusive.

Beginner

The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel (a multi-faceted look focusing on theism in general, the reliability of the Gospels, and the claims of Jesus Christ.)

I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, by Norm Geisler and Frank Turek (a book that functions as an introduction to a philosophical framework to apologetics.)

Can Man Live Without God?, by Ravi Zacharias (a basic look at meaning in life.)

The Kingdom of the Cults, by Walter Martin (a comprehensive view of cults and false religions.)

The Kalam Cosmological Argument, by William Lane Craig (this may belong in "intermediate," depending upon one's level of comprehension.)

Five Views on Apologetics, ed. by Steven Cowan (an excellent way to see which "type" of apologetics you would like to do.)

The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics,ed. by Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner (an excellent resource.)

Intermediate

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis (some may think this belongs in the beginner category.)

Miracles, by C.S. Lewis (a great defense of miracles.)

Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview, by William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland (an excellent introduction to logic/philosophical thought dealing with both the history of Christian argument and the state of the discipline.)

Reasonable Faith, by William Lane Craig (his signature work.)

Is God a Moral Monster?, by Paul Copan (a great defense of God's morality, specifically from the Old Testament.)

The Only Wise God, by William Lane Craig (a great view of God's omniscience; it specifically deals with Molinism and middle knowledge.)

The Existence of God, by Richard Swinburne (an interesting look at theistic arguments.)

Christian Apologetics, by Norm Geisler (a comprehensive look at major philosophical viewpoints.)

Advanced

Theism, Atheism, and Big Bang Cosmology, by William Lane Craig and Quentin Smith (a point-counterpoint which can get very technical.)

Blackwell's Companion to Natural Theology, ed. by William Lane Craig (multiple authors--perhaps the greatest compilation of modern theistic arguments in the last 100 years.)

God, Freedom, and Evil, by Alvin Plantinga (he demonstrates there is no logical inconsistency in asserting the existence of God and evil.)

The Nature of Necessity, by Alvin Plantinga (a great work of modal logic.)

God and Other Minds, by Alvin Plantinga (justification of non-physicalism.)

Warranted Christian Belief, by Alvin Plantinga (a classic on belief for the Christian.)

Counterfactuals, by David Lewis (not a Christian resource, but excellent for anyone interested in counterfactual logic. Which I am.)

Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom, by William Lane Craig (this is Vol. 1 of 2, and the second is linked to this book on the page; it should be read as well!)

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