Clayton KrabyThis Top 10 list of apologetics books includes titles that I find myself recommending the most often. Here you’ll find selections from Frank Turek, Gary Habermas, Lee Strobel, Greg Koukl, Norman Geisler and other top apologists.
These are not necessarily the most in-depth apologetics books. Instead, these are selected because they are accessible enough for beginners and yet still helpful for more seasoned defenders of the faith.
10. Handbook of Christian Apologetics
By Peter Kreeft & Ronald K. Tacelli
This comprehensive guidebook provides answers to many common questions regarding the Christian faith. This book does a great job of identifying and summarizing objections while offering answers in an approachable and succinct manner.
Topics covered include God’s nature, miracles, the problem of evil, objective truth, and many more. The Handbook of Christian Apologetics is recommended to those seeking answers as well as those looking to better equip themselves to give them.
Topics covered include the existence of God, evolution, miracles, the problem of evil, the historical reliability of the Bible, and more.
9. The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity
By Alex McFarland
While believers receive a wide range of questions from both seekers and skeptics, McFarland has concentrated on ten of the most objections to the Christian faith. Each chapter covers a different objection and gives a clear and detailed response to each.
Topics covered by The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity include the reality of God, creation, the authenticity of the Bible, the deity of Jesus, salvation, alleged Christians hypocrisy, and suffering. The topics covered in the book succinctly address many of the common challenges Christian face.
The book also includes a 12-week study guide, which can be used for an adult Sunday school class or for small groups.
8. The Big Book of Christian Apologetics: An A to Z Guide
By Norman L. Geisler
A well-known proponent of Christian apologetics, Geisler has assembled an extensive and comprehensive guide that covers practically every important area of defending the faith.
This encyclopedia of apologetics clearly details various philosophies, answers objections, and explores many Bible difficulties.
The author’s 50 years of experience teaching apologetics and the benefit of his many other written works are compiled into this nearly 700-page volume. This reference book should be in the library of every Christian interested in apologetics.
7. I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist
By Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek
6. The Case for the Resurrection
There is no truth claim more central to the Christian faith than the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. As the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.“
In this book, Gary Habermas lays out many compelling arguments for the historicity of Christ’s resurrection. The book begins by developing principles by which a historical event can be accepted as true, then applies those principles to belief in Christ’s rising from the dead.
Habermas and Licona are expert apologists and are particularly helpful in defending the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
5. More Than a Carpenter
By Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell
This short classic has been updated for a new generation of seekers and provides clear evidence for why Christians believe Jesus to be the Son of God. With over 10 million copies in print worldwide, this book is especially valuable in introducing new or non-believers to the claims of Christianity.
No wonder it’s available in a 6-pack evangelism kit! More Than a Carpenter not only lays out a convincing argument for the Christian claim that Jesus is Lord, it also clearly presents why and how this truth should affect the life of the reader.
Possessing a rare combination of intellectual defense and evangelical witness, More Than a Carpenter has proven itself to be an invaluable resource for introducing others to Jesus.
4. Mere Christianity
By C.S. Lewis
Originally given as a series of radio broadcasts in England during WW2, C.S. Lewis’ classic book beautifully explains and defends the beliefs of Christianity. The short text lays out the reasonableness of the Christian worldview and theology, and has proven to be an eye-opening journey for countless readers.
While many of the other books on this list give detailed analyses of objections and evidence for the claims of the Bible, Mere Christianity focuses on the rational basis for coming to faith in Christ. This is a must-have for those looking for clear answers to deep questions. Careful readers are likely to find their finished copy nearly completely highlighted for future reference.
You can listen to one of CS Lewis’ original radio broadcasts here.
3. The Case for Christ
By Lee Strobel
Those who have an interest in apologetics have very likely read one or more of Lee Strobel’s works. This skeptic-turned-believer examines the historicity of Jesus as an investigative journalist and interviews a dozen authoritative believers from a variety of disciplines.
This easy to read paperback provides a valuable introduction to the reliability of the Bible and the historical evidence for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There is a reason that you will rarely encounter a recommended apologetics reading list that does not include this or another work from Lee Strobel.
2. Evidence That Demands a Verdict
By Josh McDowell
This 880-page resource from Josh and Sean McDowell is a completely updated and revised edition of the original of the same name. This book provides an extensive defense of the faith and provides readers with a ready defense across a broad range of topics.
Written in outline form, this textbook on apologetics jams as much content as possible into each section. Though many will find this selection most useful as a reference rather than reading it cover to cover, it has proven to be among the most complete and helpful resources for those interested in studying, teaching, and defending the reasons for their faith in Christ.
Evidence That Demands a Verdict is broken up into four sections and covers the reliability and historicity of the Bible, the case for belief in Christ, the case for Christianity, and an examination of competing worldviews and religions. This is perhaps the best apologetics reference book available.
Read my full book review of Evidence that Demands a Verdict
1. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions
By Greg Koukl
While the other books in this list assist greatly with what to discuss with others, Tactics focuses on how to defend your Christian convictions to others with confidence. In this 10th Anniversary edition, Koukl gives even more tactics to assist believers in sharing the truth and reliability of the Gospel and the Christian worldview.
These methods allow you to keep the conversation going, avoid hostility, and deftly point out flaws in a person’s thinking with grace and compassion.
While other books provide you with the information you need, Tactics gives you a gameplan for putting that information to use in a conversation. Fittingly among the best-selling apologetics books, Greg Koukl’s Tactics serves to equip new believers, longtime Christians, and budding apologists with the tools they need to defend and promote the Christian faith.
Listen to my interview with Greg Koukl where we discuss tactics for maneuvering comfortably and confidently through challenging discussions about Jesus.
I hope that this list has helped you learn more about several Christian Apologetics books worth reading. What essential apologetics books would you recommend? Leave a comment and share it with others!
Mere Christianity, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, and Tactics have all secured a place on The Five-Foot Bookshelf: 57 Great Books Every Christian Should Own. Check out the entire list of must-own books that all fit on a single shelf below!
15 comments
I would like to add or suggest the books “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” by Geisler and Turek and “A Matter of Days” by Hugh Ross. I have read dozens of apologetics and “Mere Christianity” (mentioned in the top 10) and “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be a Christian” are probably my 2 all-time favorites so far.
For those of you like myself who really love science and Christianity, I would strongly suggest “A Matter of Days” by Hugh Ross. Hugh Ross has a website and organization called Reasons to Believe that introduces great scientific arguments for intelligent design. He also has several other excellent books. Stephen C. Meyer is also very good about the science arguments for God.
Read all of Francis Schaffer. One of the greatest apologists in the modern era.
Just found this site. Like the list, suggestions. Tactics, number one:) Great book as new methods are needed, especially when talking with a screen-addicted, emotion-driven young people. Mere Christianity and The God Who Is There, Francis Schaeffer I read in college and was questioning my faith. Convinced me not only is it true, it’s very true. Also good, Escape From Reason, Schaeffer, The Book That Made Your World, Vishal Mangalwadi
Cold Case Christianity, J. Wallace Warner. A branch of apologetics is educating Christians to think critically/Biblically about culture. Nancy Pearcey’s Total Truth is good for this.
Its really hard to list out the best books from many good books.There are still many authors whose books are left out from the above list.JP Moreland,Richard Swinburne,William Lane Craig,Allister Mcgrath,John Lennox,Gary Habermas so on…….
I’ve always really wanted to read Mere Christianity. Thank you for adding it to your list. I had almost forgotten about it. I’ll have to pick it up soon!
Any list that omits: William Lane Craig, Tim Keller, Alvin Plantinga, N.T. Wright…is woefully missing the mark.
1. Mere Christianity — C.S. Lewis
2. The Reason For God — Tim Keller
3. I Don’t Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist — Turek/Geisler
4. Reasonable Faith & On Guard — William Lane Craig
5. Signature In The Cell — Stephen Meyer
6. Resurrection of the Son of God — N.T. Wright
7. Case For the Resurrection — Gary Habermas
8. Warranted Christian Belief & Where the Conflict Really Lies… — Alvin Plantinga
9. Is God Just a Human Invention — Sean McDowell
10. Stealing from God — Turek
Thanks for the additions, Jim! As you noticed, these ten books are very much introductory-level apologetics works, so the list you shared is a great resource for those who already have these on their shelves and want to dig deeper.
I appreciate this comment!
I’m new to learning Apologetics and have sort of ‘piecemealed’ some resources myself by looking up a speaker I hear on a podcast, looking up a person they reference, etc… Many names you mention are familiar, but some are new! More resources! Thanks
Hi Jim! Me again 🙂
One of the names I hadn’t heard of before reading your comment is William Lane Craig. WOW! I hit the mother lode of Apologetics learning! I found some of his “Defenders” series on RightNowMedia.org and on my iPhone podcasts!
Thank you very much for commenting and providing such a great path for me to continue learning.
For young people interested in apologetics, I recommend “Generation Why?” by Dan Greenup. It’s really accessible and covers a wide range of topics.
I could hardly ever enjoy or read through an apologetic tome of today. Therefore I think the enjoyment and convincing power of any work depends on the subjective audience not only the information and also on style and presentation. I for one do not find Ravi Zacharias especially convincing or effective personally and it is not because I do not understand him. I do not wish to single Mr. Zacharias out as I can hardly stand to read Peter Kreeft or Josh McDowell. I understand that they are widely recognized and acclaimed and it must be for a reason but as a result of my own experience with modern apologetics I think there is still a large field of opportunity to be harvested by different approaches and styles. I dont think most modern apologist’s really get to the heart of the issues and by that I mean the subjective side of things in the intended audiences. One writer who helped me a decade ago or more was NT Wright. I know he is not considered an apologist strictly speaking or perhaps he is but the ambiguity in defining him is because of his style and the focus of his writings. I point to him as one example because what we are up against today is a mindset and set of attitudes more than anything based on knowledge and information and this mindset and attitudes are not effectively dealt with by the approach and assumptions many Christian apologists take today. What is needed is not technical information overload and reasoning based on the presumption of good will and faith, so that simply presenting information and a reasonable argument will win the day.
Pro 21:22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
He has a massive amount of works. Any that stood out to you?
I’d also add “God is Great, God is Good“, edited by William Lane Craig and Chad Meister.
No “Reason For God” by Tim Keller on this list?
Hi Eric –
The Reason for God is definitely a book we would recommend, it just missed the cut when narrowing down to a ‘Top 10’ list. For those who have not read Keller’s work, this is a fantastic book that covers many of the questions and objections people have to the existence of God and tenants of the Christian faith. Those who want to learn more or pick up a copy can take a look at the information below:
The Reason for God: Belief in God in an Age of Skepticism
By Timothy Keller
How could a loving God send people to hell? Why does he allow suffering? Can one religion be “right” and the others “wrong”? Responding to the questions of open skeptics and ardent believers, Keller draws from literature, philosophy, reason, and real-life conversations to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief.